IMLS Grants

Competitive Grant (Library Services and Technology Act - LSTA) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the State Library of Ohio. This grant provides federal funds to Ohio libraries for projects in community anchoring, literacy, or outreach and engagement. Literacy can be defined broadly, including digital literacy.

Competitive Grant (Library Services and Technology Act - LSTA) (Ohio-focused, but indicative of IMLS funding) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the State Library of Ohio. While this specific grant is for Ohio libraries, it is indicative of the types of projects IMLS funds through LSTA, including literacy, community anchoring, and outreach and engagement. It highlights how federal funds are distributed to state libraries to address critical needs. Non-profits in West Virginia focusing on literacy may find similar opportunities through the West Virginia Library Commission, which also receives IMLS funds.

Competitive Grant (State Library of Ohio) is sponsored by State Library of Ohio (IMLS via LSTA). This grant provides federal funds through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to address critical needs in Ohio libraries, including literacy, community anchoring, and outreach and engagement. Projects may include purchasing materials, supplies, technology, and contractual services.

Competitive Grant (LSTA) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the State Library of Ohio. This grant provides federal funds to Ohio libraries for projects focused on community anchoring, literacy, or outreach and engagement. Literacy can be broadly defined, including traditional reading, digital literacy, financial literacy, and health literacy. Projects should support the library's role in developing learning experiences.

Competitive Grant (State Library of Ohio) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the State Library of Ohio. This grant provides federal funds to Ohio libraries for projects in community anchoring, literacy, or outreach and engagement. Literacy can be broadly defined, including traditional reading, digital literacy, financial literacy, and health literacy.

Competitive Grant (Library Services and Technology Act - LSTA) (State Library of Ohio) is sponsored by State Library of Ohio (IMLS via LSTA). This grant provides federal funds through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to address critical needs in Ohio libraries, including literacy, community anchoring, and outreach and engagement.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program supports projects that build a diverse library and archival workforce to meet community information needs and increase the institutional capacity of libraries, archives, and library and information science graduate programs. Projects can focus on training, professional development, faculty development, and recruiting the next generation of professionals. Community-centered implementation grants are available.

IMLS Grant Programs (Fiscal Year 2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS offers 13 funding opportunities to organizations across the United States to ensure America's extraordinary cultural, historical, and natural heritage remains celebrated and accessible to the American people. These programs support museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural institutions in preserving collections, educating the public, strengthening communities, and making cultural heritage accessible.

Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (ALHC) is sponsored by U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program supports projects that build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums to serve their communities and advance the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino cultural institutions.

IMLS Grant Programs (FY2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS offers various grant programs to strengthen America's cultural heritage through museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural institutions. These grants support projects that enhance services, foster innovation, address community needs, preserve American history, and prepare Americans to be thinkers, builders, and leaders. While not exclusively LGBTQ+ focused, cultural organizations can apply for projects that incorporate LGBTQ+ arts and culture.

Museums for America (2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS Museums for America funds project-based museum efforts in education, exhibits, community partnerships, and collections stewardship. IMLS provides funding that enables cultural institutions to deliver innovative programming and preserve important cultural artifacts, acting as vital community hubs.

Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — Office of Museum Services. A special initiative under Museums for America that supports staff capacity-building through professional development. Projects can specifically focus on digital technology and digital archiving strategies, enabling museum and archive staff to gain advanced skills in managing, preserving, and expanding access to digital cultural heritage collections.

National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program (NLG-L) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program (NLG-L) supports projects that develop, enhance, or adapt replicable practices, programs, models, or tools to strengthen library and archival services for the American public. The program supports projects that serve the learning needs of the public through libraries and archives, improve community prosperity through libraries and archives, provide broad access to and preservation of information and collections, or provide services to affected communities in the event of an emergency or disaster.

IMLS Grant Programs (FY2027 discretionary grants) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS offers various grant programs to support and advance the work of museums, libraries, and related institutions across the U.S. These grants empower organizations to enhance services, foster innovation, and address community needs. Libraries and museums play a role in early learning, promoting information and communications technology literacy, critical thinking, and civic literacy.

FY 2027 Discretionary Grant Programs is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS offers various grant programs to strengthen America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. These grants can support projects related to collections care, exhibitions, education, and digital initiatives, which could be relevant for nonprofits working with South Asian literature in a library or museum context.

IMLS Discretionary Grant Programs (FY2027 Cycle) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS is accepting applications for its FY2027 discretionary grant programs to strengthen America's cultural heritage. These funding opportunities support museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural institutions in preserving American history and culture, enhancing services, fostering innovation, and addressing community needs.

National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program - Community Anchors project category is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program supports projects that advance the role of libraries as community anchors, enhancing civic and cultural engagement, facilitating lifelong learning, promoting digital inclusion, and supporting economic vitality through programming and services. Projects should serve the learning needs of the public, improve community prosperity, and provide broad access to and preservation of information and collections.

National Leadership Grants for Museums (NLG-M) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program invests in projects that address critical needs of the museum field. While primarily for museums, projects that involve preserving and making accessible collections related to local news history or community narratives, especially through new technologies, might be considered.

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture is sponsored by U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program builds the capacity of African American museums and supports the growth and development of museum professionals, as well as increasing access to museum and archival collections at African American museums and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG-L) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The National Leadership Grants for Libraries program supports projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and have the potential to advance practice in those fields. Successful proposals will generate results such as new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment. This includes projects that expand digital access, digitize collections, and facilitate open research.

National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This program enhances the quality of library services across the country. It funds projects related to adult reading programs, health and financial literacy, archival practices, digital preservation, emerging technology, and collaborative projects between libraries, archives, and museums. Digital literacy and inclusion activities are a key focus for IMLS.

Digital Literacy and Information Integrity Initiative is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Provides funding for projects that enhance digital literacy and information integrity in communities. This includes supporting projects that strengthen America's cultural heritage through museums, libraries, historical societies, and other cultural institutions, enhancing services, fostering innovation, addressing community needs, preserving American history, and preparing Americans to be thinkers, builders, and leaders.

IMLS Native American Library Services: Basic Grants (FY2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Helps Native communities build and sustain strong library services that preserve and share local knowledge and connect tribes with the resources they need. This includes supporting efforts to preserve and make accessible local cultural heritage.

Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture (2027) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS grants designed to build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums and develop a professional workforce in those institutions. This is highly relevant for cultural studies focused on Latino populations.

Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants (State-Administered Programs) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program distributes federal funding to state library agencies, including the New York State Library. These funds support various initiatives, including early literacy and adult literacy programs, access to high-quality electronic resources, and strengthening library connections and services. The New York State Library uses these funds to support programs like "Ready to Read at New York Libraries" and "Summer Reading at New York Libraries."

Museums Empowered: Professional Development Opportunities for Museum Staff is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). A special initiative of the Museums for America program supporting staff capacity-building projects. Focuses on professional development to generate institutional growth in digital technology, evaluation, or organizational management, directly helping staff better manage and interpret museum collections.

Museums for America is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — Office of Museum Services. Supports projects that strengthen the ability of museums and institutional archives (including university-affiliated music museums and heritage collections) to serve the public through core activities such as collections stewardship, digital reformatting, archiving, and enhancing public access to cultural assets.

Digital Initiatives (IMLS) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS supports digital technology grants focused on expanding digital access, digitizing collections, and facilitating open research. This includes projects that leverage AI to enhance information discovery, automate metadata, boost digital literacy, and create open educational resources within libraries and museums.

LSTA EZ Grants & Project Grants is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) / Library of North Carolina (a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources). The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants provide competitive funding to North Carolina libraries to enhance their services and address community needs. These federal funds, administered by the Library of North Carolina, support projects that align with the state's strategic goals for community engagement, expanding access, and responsive organizations. This includes initiatives for early literacy, digital connectivity and skills, and access to resources.

Grants to States (Library Services and Technology Act - LSTA) is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Grants to States program is the largest source of federal funding for library services in the U.S. Funding is distributed to State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) based on a population-based formula. These funds can be used to promote literacy, education, and lifelong learning, including building partnerships with school libraries and developing resources and programs to meet community needs.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is sponsored by Various Federal Agencies (e.g., SBA, NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, NASA, NIST, NOAA, USDA, EDA, EPA, HUD, DARPA, IMLS, NEA, NEH). The SBIR program is a highly competitive program that encourages small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. It funds research and development (R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.

Library Services and Technology Act Grants is sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). IMLS awards grants dedicated to building AI literacy and integrating AI tools into museums and libraries across the country. These grants support AI-related projects that leverage museums and libraries as catalysts for AI learning and workforce preparation, expanding AI education beyond traditional classrooms and into community institutions.

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program is sponsored by Various Federal Agencies (e.g., SBA, NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, NASA, NIST, NOAA, USDA, EDA, EPA, HUD, DARPA, IMLS, NEA, NEH). The STTR program expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development arena. It requires a formal collaboration between a small business and a research institution to develop innovative technologies.