Emergency grants were instituted in November 2005 to support curators affected by Hurricane Katrina; eight grants were disbursed. In February 2006, the AAMC received $10,000 from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation along with several small member donations to expand the effort. Emergency grants are made to curators, both members and non-members, who find themselves in financial need through extraordinary circumstances. Grants are given at the president's and board's discretion and do not involve an application process.

By 2007, the AAMC wishes also to develop an annual professional-development grant program for curators with limited travel funds. The grants may be used for purposes other than travel to the annual meeting. Curators of all ranks are eligible, as long as they are AAMC members in good standing.

The AAMC wishes to establish initiatives aimed at the retention and professional development of junior curators (assistant and associate levels). In early 2006, it instituted a program of travel grants for junior curators to travel to the annual meeting and awarded eight of these grants ($6,500 total). Other initiatives are being explored.