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Museum Grant Program (2024)

CA Natural Resources Agency · 60807

Eligibility details

Public agencies and nonprofit organizations that operate a museum, own a museum, or partner with a museum 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.

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: Not Required. 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.

Matching funds and leveraged resources are different requirements. Read the description and reviewed rules below before determining resource commitments.

About this opportunity

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. The Budget Act of 2020 (SB 74) 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. The Budget Act of 2021(AB 128) 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 SecondaryEducation Act. On September 13, 2022, SB 963 amended the Museum Grant Program’s 20-year-old statutes to reflect the state’s evolving priorities.

Funding geography: Statewide

Funding instrument: Grant. Issuing jurisdiction: California. This is not a geographic eligibility determination.