Project Grants: Small Museum Project

The Small Museum Project Grants aim to support small museums in Utah by promoting best practices in collection management, exhibition development, and public access. Grants of up to $2,500 are available for projects like collections care, educational outreach, and facility improvements. This competitive grant process includes a prereview for feedback. Applicants must be certified Utah museums that have been operational for at least one year and have a matching funds requirement.

NOTE: The FY26/27 GOS Grant Application process closed on March 14, 2025. Please check back in January 2027 for updates on the FY28/29 application process.
Project Support Grants
Project Grants are available for individuals, organizations, and schools to create or carry-out a specific art or cultural project.
Small Museum Project Grants
The purpose of the Small Museum Project Grant is to help support museums by encouraging the use of best practices in the care and management of collections, fostering the development of quality exhibitions and educational resources, and helping create public access to museums. Applicant must be a Certified Utah Museum
Examples of previously funded projects include collections care, cataloging, digitization, exhibit planning and fabrication, educational outreach programs, interpretive materials, building improvements that enhance collections care, and temporary staff to carry out the proposed project. Requests for items such as computer hardware or structural building modifications will receive additional scrutiny so applicants should make a convincing case for those projects, and should contact a member of the museum services staff prior to writing your application.
In order to provide additional support to small museums, these applications will receive a prereview and comments from a member of the Office of Museum Services board. This is a competitive, panel-reviewed grant. The merit-based review may result in an application receiving less than full or no funding. Museums should have contingency options for projects that do not receive the full amount requested. Funding is not based on previous funding levels.
Organizations are not guaranteed funding from one year to the next.
What Can We Apply For?
The purpose of the Small Museum Project Grant is to help support primarily small museums by encouraging the use of the best accepted industry practices in the preservation and management of collections, developing quality exhibitions and educational resources, and fostering public access to museums. Maximum request amount is $2,500.

Eligibility

Who can apply?Museums that have been open to the public for at least one year prior to applicationApplicants that have Certified Utah Museum status with the Utah Division of Arts & MuseumsMuseums that have completed a final report for funds awarded in FY18 (if applicable)What we fundConservation of objectsHelp with collections care/managementProfessional development training for staff/volunteersStructural repairs to buildings (see note about capital projects)All museum grants require a 1:1 match. Project grants can be matched with cash funds or a combination of cash funds and in-kind services for a minimum 1:1 match (50% or more cash and up to 50% in-kind).

Ineligibility

What we do not fund:Historical markers, monuments, or plaquesEndowmentsAcquisition of objects for a collectionLobbying expensesNew capital projects (building modifications for collections care purposes or building maintenance projects that directly affect the long term care of your collections are allowed. If you have questions regarding building, please contact the Museum Services Manager.)DeficitsHospitalityOut-of-state travel