CINCINNATI — President Donald Trump's proposed elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services threatens tens of thousands of dollars in grant money awarded to area museums, according to spokespersons for the Cincinnati Museum Center, National Underground Railroad and Freedom Center and Contemporary Arts Center.
Cody Hefner, CMC Vice President of Marketing and Communications, said funding from IMLS was a critical piece of the puzzle institutes of knowledge in the area use to continue operations or establish new programs or exhibits.
"That's what the major concern is, is what happens next?" Hefner said. "What does this mean for the museum field as a whole?"
Hefner said two grants totaling nearly $500,000 for the CMC had already been largely paid out and wouldn't be affected by proposed cuts, but a portion of a $500,000 grant to the National Underground Railroad and Freedom Center for a social justice gallery hadn't been allocated and could be at risk.
"When you talk about this funding, it impacts museums of varying sizes," he said. "It's not just small museums, big museums, it is kind of across the board."
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The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Center, Taft Museum and Contemporary Arts Center were listed as recent awardees of grants from IMLS.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the CAC said the elimination of the IMLS would put a $173,885 award for teen programs at risk as the grant was slated to be paid out over three years between September 2025 and September 2028.
"Without these IMLS funds, CAC is likely to have to significantly scale back our free teen programs. If IMLS is eliminated, CAC will have to seek to replace these funds through other donations at a moment when museums across the country are already facing dips in donor funding. The elimination of this support will hurt across the field but it will hurt your smaller budget museums like CAC much more at this particular moment in time," the statement read.
The CAC said IMLS funding has allowed them to provide a safe space to 3,000 teens annually.
Representatives with the Cincinnati Zoo didn't respond to a request for comment.
IMLS records show the zoo was awarded $1.74 million in various research grants since 2022.
Hefner said if the IMLS is eliminated, the region's museums would pursue other avenues to fund existing and new programs.
"It is making us think of some contingencies," he said. "What happens to the future of the project and what can be done to fund that?"
Hefner said the CMC and Freedom Center would both proceed with planned developments as if the funds were allocated and available until forced to do otherwise.
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