The next Grant In Aid application period opens in April 2026; the deadline to apply is by close of business (5:00 pm) Monday June 1, 2026. This is a long open window for applying, and there is no strategic advantage to applying early. It's advisable to apply slightly before the deadline in case you encounter technical issues in submitting your application.
Because Grant In Aid is a program which aims to support the development of quality museums and cultural centers in Alaska, the State Museum offers free consultations during the application timeframe (April - June 1) to help applicants brainstorm projects, think through how to craft and write a good budget and timeline, and even review draft applications during this time. This free service is not limited to just one consultation, and is open to anyone thinking about applying for Grant In Aid funding.
The Alaska State Museum uses admission fees it takes in every time someone visits its galleries to fund the GIA program. The Grant In Aid cycle follows the State fiscal year. The State of Alaska's fiscal year is from July 1 - June 30 of the following year. When you see FY27 or FY28, this refers to the State's fiscal year. FY27 runs from July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027, and FY28 runs from July 1, 2027 - June 30, 2028.
All applicants will be informed of GIA award decision by mid-September. Projects anticipating an earlier start date than September are not possible under the current GIA calendar, and should seek other funding sources.
Please note: If you received a grant this past year, your Final Report must be on file at the State Museum according to the filing deadline in order to be eligible for this year's grant cycle.
"Grant In Aid" is a program that the Alaska State Museum has been offering to museums and cultural centers across Alaska for over four and a half decades! There are two separate tracks that you may apply for. Museums and cultural centers can apply for either a Mini Grant or a Regular Grant but cannot apply for both.
Which grant track to apply for: Mini or Regular? Mini grants have a simplified application form, and if your project is less expensive (under $2,000), this may be the perfect fit for you this year. If you are a small museum with an operating budget of less than $100,000, but you have a great idea for a project and need more than $2,000, you are welcome to apply for a Regular grant, but you will be competing with museums with operating budgets of more than $100,000. If you have an operating budget of over $100,000, you can only apply using the Regular grant track, where the application is a little more rigorous and the competition can be more intense.
Mini Grants of up to $2,000 are available for small museums and cultural centers with annual operating budgets that are less than $100,000.
Regular Grants of up to $12,000 are available to eligible museums and cultural centers of all sizes, regardless of size of operating budget.
The Alaska State Museum provides Alaska museums, cultural centers, or museum-support organizations with Grant-in-Aid (GIA) awards for a wide range of projects. Projects can be related to collections, exhibits, education, outreach, and organizational development. GIA funds can be used to purchase supplies and equipment, pay for contractual services, or other items or projects necessary to support or improve museum services and operations. GIA funds will not pay for operating expenses.
Use of GIA funds for administrative / in-direct costs is not encouraged. It may be allowed in extraordinary circumstances.
GIA funds should not be requested to pay permanent staff salaries. GIA funding should not supplant staff compensation.
GIA funds will not be provided for projects designed to restore historic sites and structures, for collection acquisitions, for costs incurred prior to the date of the grant award letter, or for re-granting purposes.
The Museum will provide official notification of the grant award by letter in September. The grant award letter may set stipulations on the content and/or cost of the project, based on the application and panel review.
Projects must be complete by June 30. Your Final Report (accounting as well as narrative parts) is due on or before June 30. Final Report forms are available on the website. Keep your receipts for all expenditures: copies of these must be submitted with your report.
Please submit your final report on time. Final reports not submitted by deadline may make the museum or organization ineligible for GIA funding at least until the report is submitted and the grant is closed out, and possibly for the entire next GIA cycle.
Visit the Resources for Alaska Museums Guide for a list of other museum and cultural center grant opportunities.
You may also wish to visit the University of Alaska Grant Writing Network https://www.alaska.edu/writegrants/ (Please note that the University of Alaska Grant Writing Network is not affiliated with the Alaska State Museum nor the Museum's Grant-In-Aid Program. It is simply another good resource for grantwriters, and often offers very affordable and fully-online grant writing workshops taught by Alaskan professors.)
