Grants for Museums

Last updated October 12, 2026

Grantable tracks 158 active grants for museums in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 2 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 90 list an award amount, with a median of $20K.

Grants tracked: 158; from 113 funders
Median award: $20K; middle half $5,000–$76K
Total listed funding: $16.4M; across 90 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 2; 7 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

Find the grants for museums matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 158 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) · Foundation Not published · $3K – $65K The Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program, managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, provides operational funding to support Pennsylvania museums and county historical societies.	Not published	$3K – $65K
Pacific Power / Rocky Mountain Power: Arts/Culture Grants Pacificorp Foundation Aka Pacific Power · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Pacific Power Foundation is dedicated to enhancing community vitality through charitable investments, with a focus on arts and culture.	Not published	Up to $10K
Decorative Arts Trust Prize for Excellence and Innovation Grant Decorative Arts Trust · Foundation Not published · $100K The Decorative Arts Trust Prize for Excellence and Innovation offers a $100,000 grant to support exceptional projects that enhance public appreciation of decorative arts, fine arts, architecture, and landscape.	Not published	$100K
The Steve Gordon Tony Wise Museum Legacy Fund The Foundation for the Endowment · Foundation Not published · Varies Supports the operations and expansion of the Tony Wise Museum of the American Birkebeiner, celebrating the history and legacy of cross-country skiing that inspires healthier lifestyles and outdoor activity.	Not published	Varies
Frankenthaler Climate Initiative- Implementation Grants Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $100K The Frankenthaler Climate Initiative offers implementation grants aimed at enhancing energy efficiency in visual arts museums, addressing climate change through innovative projects.	Not published	Up to $100K
State Cultural Facilities Grant Program Rhode Island State Council on the Arts · Foundation Not published · Up to $500K The State Cultural Facilities Grant Program (SCFG) supports the preservation and improvement of cultural properties in Rhode Island.	Not published	Up to $500K
Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant The Center for Craft Creativity · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The Craft Research Fund Exhibition Grant provides up to $15,000 to support innovative exhibition research in craft scholarship across the United States.	Not published	Up to $15K
Exhibitions Abroad Support Grant Program The Japanese American Association of New York Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Exhibitions Abroad Support Grant Program, initiated by the Japan Foundation in New York, offers financial aid to U.S. museums and art institutions organizing exhibitions that showcase Japanese art and culture internationally.	Not published	Varies
Steamtown Museum Association Fund Grant Scranton Area Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Steamtown Museum Association Fund Grant, managed by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, supports the restoration and preservation of railroad artifacts and related educational projects.	Not published	Varies
June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust Grant June G Outhwaite Charitable Trust · Foundation Not published · $1K – $50K The June G. Outhwaite Charitable Trust Grant supports charitable organizations in Santa Barbara County, focusing on areas such as medical care, assistance for the disabled, and wildlife preservation.	Not published	$1K – $50K
The Met: Interdisciplinary Fellowship Grant Metropolitan Museum Of Art · Foundation Not published · Up to $63K The Met's Interdisciplinary Fellowship promotes innovative research across various disciplines, inviting scholars from diverse backgrounds to engage with the Museum's extensive collections.	Not published	Up to $63K
Great American Treasures Museum Alliance Grant The National Society of the Colonial · Foundation Not published · $3K – $13K The Great American Treasures Museum Alliance Grant is designed to support NSCDA museum properties as they work to explore the nation's history through ongoing preservation efforts.	Not published	$3K – $13K
National Leadership Grants for Museums Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) · Foundation Not published · $50K – $750K The National Leadership Grants for Museums program supports projects addressing critical needs in the museum field, aiming to enhance services for the American public.	Not published	$50K – $750K
USA Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Grant USA Hockey Foundation · Foundation Not published · $30K	Not published	$30K

Showing 145–158 of 158

About grants for museums

Grants for museums support exhibitions, collections care, conservation, education programs, and digital initiatives. Major sources include the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), whose Museums for America and Inspire! Grants for Small Museums programs are the largest federal funding streams for the field, alongside the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and private funders like the Mellon Foundation. State humanities councils and regional foundations round out the landscape for institutions of every size.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow grants for museums down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

Want new funders like these found for you every week?

This page is a snapshot. Funders change, and a list stops being true the day it's made. A grants department keeps looking for you, and tells you when it finds something that fits — with the grant history it reasoned from attached.

Create your grants department

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for museums award?

Of the 158 grants for museums Grantable lists as of October 12, 2026, 90 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $20K, and the middle half fall between $5,000 and $76K. The largest is $4M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most grants for museums?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Metropolitan Museum Of Art (10), Costume Society of America (5), Ifpda Foundation Inc (4), Samuel H Kress Foundation (4), and Wisconsin Humanities Council Inc (4). In all, 113 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are grants for museums due?

Of 158 grants listed, 2 accept applications on a rolling basis, 7 have a published upcoming deadline, 24 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 125 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What grants are available for museums?

Museums can pursue funding for exhibitions, collections management and conservation, educational and interpretive programming, professional development, and digital access projects. Federal programs such as IMLS Museums for America are project-based and open to a wide range of museum types, while the NEH supports humanities-focused exhibitions and preservation. Many private foundations and state agencies also offer operating, capacity-building, and capital support.

Who funds museums in the United States?

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal museum funding, and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) supports humanities exhibitions and collections work. Private funders like the Mellon Foundation back larger institutions, archives, and cultural preservation, while state humanities councils, community foundations, and corporate giving programs support local and mid-sized museums.

Can small museums compete for these grants?

Yes. IMLS runs Inspire! Grants for Small Museums specifically for institutions with smaller budgets, and many funders welcome first-time applicants. Small museums often succeed by proposing focused, well-scoped projects, demonstrating community impact, and partnering with state humanities councils or regional foundations that prioritize local cultural organizations.

Get a shortlist of grants for museums built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department