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National Leadership Grants for Libraries is a grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that funds projects developing, enhancing, or adapting replicable practices, programs, models, or tools to strengthen library and archival services for the American public.
The program supports work across four areas: public learning, community prosperity, broad access to and preservation of information and collections, and emergency/disaster services. Award types include Community-Centered Implementation Grants, National Implementation Grants, Applied Research Grants, Planning Grants, and Forum Grants.
Grant periods range from one to three years depending on grant type; requests over $299,999 require at least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources. Eligible applicants include libraries, museums, archives, and related cultural heritage organizations. The FY 2027 deadline is November 13, 2026.
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National Leadership Grants for Libraries | Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grants for Libraries Deadline: November 13, 2026* Application Instructions: The FY 2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity is not yet available. The FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF, 962KB) is available for reference.
Program Overview: 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 through libraries and archives; or Provide services to affected communities in the event of an emergency or disaster.
Award Amount and Cost Share Requirement: Award amounts and cost share requirements are as follows: Community-Centered Implementation Grants National Implementation Grants Requests of more than $299,999 in IMLS funds require at least 1:1 cost share from non-federal sources. Cost sharing is not considered in the review of applications but is an eligibility criterion for certain NLG-L project types.
See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for further information on cost share. Grant Period: One to two years for Planning Grants, Forum Grants, and Community-Centered Implementation Grants. One to three years for National Implementation Grants and Applied Research Grants.
Eligibility: See the Notice of Funding Opportunity for eligibility criteria for this program. Program Contact: If you have questions, please contact imls-librarygrants@imls. gov. Applicant Webinar: We invite you to watch a pre-application webinar to learn more about the grant program.
*All grant programs are subject to the availability of funds and IMLS discretion. In 2024, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded $266. 7 million through grantmaking, research and policy development, to advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations.
National Leadership Grants for Libraries Advance | Support | Empower
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Libraries, museums, archives, and related cultural heritage organizations. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $194,229 (for specific project). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
National Leadership Grants for Libraries (LG-256565-OLS-24) is funded by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
On August 26, 2026, the NEA, NEH and IMLS jointly rescinded the disparate-impact provisions of 45 CFR Part 1110. No comment period, no delayed effective date, and an admission buried in the preamble: across FY2020 through FY2024 the agencies ran zero disparate-impact-only investigations. Here is what actually changes for grantees — and what does not.
Read articleIMLS was targeted for elimination by executive order in March 2025, had its entire staff placed on leave, and survived through litigation that settled on April 9, 2026. FY26 award notifications land this month, the FY27 National Leadership Grants deadline is tentatively November 13, 2026, and the President's FY27 budget proposes zero funding. Here is how the agency actually works, which of its channels is most durable, and how cultural institutions should plan against genuine institutional uncertainty.
Read article