Grants for the construction of new museums can be given out as lump sums or matching grants.
Museums offer the public the opportunity to see collections of significant art, antiquities and artifacts. Construction of new museums can be extremely expensive, especially for rural or low-income areas. Grants are available that either provide organizations with direct funding or with matching grants for both new long-term and short-term construction projects. These grants are given out by both federal and private institutions.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment of the Humanities is a federal agency dedicated to programs that support, preserve, promote or educate the public about the humanities. The agency offers challenge grants for construction of new museums, and these grants help to ensure long-term funding for the projects. Past recipients have received funding to create new libraries or new wings of existing museums. Another recipient used the grant to raise additional revenue in order to create an outdoor Native American village exhibition and museum area. Application requirements and the amount of the grant vary by grant programs.
National Endowment for the Humanities
1100 Pennsylvania, NW
Washington, DC 20506
800-634-1121
neh.gov
Fund for the Improvement of Education-Programs of National Significance
The Fund for the Improvement of Education-Programs of National Significance is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. This grant is open to any public or private institution that provides educational opportunities to the public, including school programs and museums. Eligibility requirements include museums or museum exhibitions that are of national significance, and these can include museums that present folk or Native American artworks or American history exhibitions. Applicants must lay out their objectives for the program in clear language and what activities will be done to meet these objectives.
U.S. Department of Education
Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ)
Department of Education Building
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202
202-401-2000
ed.gov
Museums for America
The Museums for America grant is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, which is a federal program to support the nation's many libraries and museums. These grants range from $5,000 to $150,000 and are given out for a three-year period. Grant monies can be used for the construction of new museums or the renovation of existing ones. Funds can be used for a wide variety of projects as long as they support the museum’s goals and mission. The new construction grant will fall under the Building Institutional Capacity category, and this grant is open to museums of all sizes and in all areas.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
1800 M Street NW, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
202-653-4657
imls.gov
