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Museum Grant Program

Grantor:
CA Natural Resources Agency
Portal ID:
8588
Status:
Closed (139 total applications submitted)
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
Categories:

Details

Purpose:

The Museum Grant Program is intended to solicit proposals for projects that assist the California Cultural and Historical Endowment in supporting and enhancing museums that are deeply rooted in, and reflective of, previously underserved communities.

Priority funding will be given to museums that have been severely impacted by COVID-19 and that serve underserved communities or Title 1 Students.

Description:

Introduction:

Assembly Bill (AB) 716 established the California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE) in 2002. Funds for the CCHE came from Proposition 40, the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002.

$122 million in grants were distributed competitively for the acquisition, restoration, preservation, and interpretation of historical and cultural resources.

In 2013, AB 482 (Atkins) authorized the creation of a specified competitive grant program administered by CCHE to support small capital projects in museums.

On September 23, 2018, Senate Bill (SB) 1493 was approved and expanded the museum grant program’s project focus to include exhibits, educational programs, outreach programs, public programs, curriculum, marketing, and collections care in museums.

SB 74 Budget Act of 2020 states that the California Natural Resources Agency shall prioritize the funds for museums severely affected by COVID -19 and that serve historically underserved communities and/or students subject to Title 1 of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

AB 128 Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $50 million for museum grants and directed the California Natural Resources Agency to continue prioritizing the funding for museums severely affected by COVID-19 and that serve historically underserved communities or students subject to Title 1 of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Eligible Projects:

Eligible projects include program projects, small capital projects, or a combination of a program and related capital elements.

All projects must support at least one of the following to be eligible: exhibits, educational programs, outreach programs, public programs, curriculum, marketing, collections care, and small capital projects.

Selection Process:

Step 1: Applicants submit Project Proposals through the System for Online Application Review (SOAR).

Step 2: Field visits are conducted for the most competitive projects.

Step 3: Applicants selected to further compete submit additional documentation.

Documentation is evaluated with the most competitive applicants being recommended for funding.

In evaluating projects, scores are used to determine initial rankings and facilitate discussions for each proposal. To achieve equitable distribution of funds, the State may consider additional factors including, but not limited to, geographic distribution of funds, previous grant performance, disadvantaged community status, and feasibility to accept partial funding.

Tribal Consultation: Applicants should consult and involve Native American Tribes and stakeholder groups regarding projects that affect California tribal communities.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency
  • Tribal Government

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations that operate or own museums located in the State of California may apply.

Museums are defined as public or private nonprofit institutions that are organized on a permanent basis for essentially educational or aesthetic purposes and that own or use tangible objects, care for those objects, and exhibit them to the general public on a regular basis.

Eligible Geographies:

Statewide

Matching Funding Requirement:

Nonprofit organizations are not required to provide a match.

Matching funds are required for public agencies in an amount not less than 5% of the requested grant amount. However, public agencies directly serving an underserved community, and with compelling circumstances, may ask the State to consider approving a lower match.

Important Dates

The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight.
The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant.
November 2022
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
Complete Mar 1, 2026

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
$47,500,000
A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
$50,000 – $500,000
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent.
No
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source.
5%
The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number.
  • State

Funding Source Notes:

AB 128 Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $50 million for museum grants. Approximately $47.5 million is available and may be awarded over multiple rounds depending on competitive pool.

The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).
  • Reimbursement(s)

Funding Method Notes:

Payments will be made on a reimbursement basis.  Ten percent (10%) of the amount requested for reimbursement may be retained and issued as a final payment upon project completion. Advances of up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the grant award at a time may be available upon need. 

How to Apply

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying.

Resources

For questions about this grant, contact:
1-916-653-2812, MGPCoordinator@resources.ca.gov

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