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IMLS Press Contact
Giuliana Bullard gbullard@imls.gov
202-653-4799

IMLS Announces More Than $5 Million in Federal Investments to Support America’s Museums

Washington, D.C.—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced grants for 11 museum projects totaling $5,132,176. The recipients were selected from a pool of 79 applicants for the highly competitive National Leadership Grant program. Institutions receiving the awards are matching them with $3,044,711 in non-federal funds.

“With this funding, IMLS will help support projects that are designed to have far-reaching impact across the museum field,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “The National Leadership Grants for Museums program enables grantees to address current needs or opportunities in the museum profession. From natural history collection preservation to diversity training for museum professionals, these projects can provide new insights, serve as models, or offer best practices for museums across America.”

The IMLS website lists all projects funded through this year’s National Leadership Grants for Museums, including:

• American Association for State and Local History’s project to improve training opportunities for paid and unpaid professionals at history museums. The project will develop a Continuing Education/Professional Development Framework that serves professionals at every stage of their careers and reaches avocational historians whose passions and interests intersect with history museums.
• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife’s project with the Lyon Arboretum to conduct a three-year research study to address the challenges of the ex situ conservation of endangered exceptional plants (EEPs)— plants that are not able to be conserved in seed banks. This project will provide new information on protocols for conserving EEPs, an annotated list of EEPs, genetic information to guide the banking and use of these collections, and an online network to facilitate future research and collaboration.
• Association of Children's Museums' project to prototype a model for assessing the economic impact of children’s museums and the field at large. The analyses will quantify the economic influence of children’s museums and the impact of local and out-of-area visitors to children’s museums and will be shared with other museum associations to inform future studies.

IMLS soon will begin accepting applications for the FY 2018 National Leadership Grants for Museums funding program. Check the IMLS website or subscribe to IMLS news releases for updates. The next deadline to apply for these grants will be December 1, 2017.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.