09-04-2025
More KC-area orgs impacted by cuts to Museum and Library Services
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Additional organizations in the Kansas City area this week have described how they are being affected by federal cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The cuts come after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 14 to eliminate significant functions of the independent government agency, one that is the primary source of federal support for the country's museums and libraries.
National WWI Museum project halted due to federal cuts
Last week, a large digitization project was put on hold for the time being at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. The museum was awarded a two-year, $250,000 grant for it last year by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, but museum leadership said recently that they do not know if the grant will continue to be paid out.
This week, FOX4 learned of others that have been impacted, including Powell Gardens and the Cass County Historical Society.
Powell Gardens is a nonprofit that does not receive public funds or tax dollars, but it said it relies on other funding sources, such as admissions, memberships, donations and grants. Powell Gardens CEO Cody Jolliff said in a statement last week that the botanical garden also received a grant from the agency.
'Gifts from our supporters are more critical than ever as important funding sources, like the grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), are being removed,' Jolliff said.
'Powell Gardens has been impacted by the recent closure of the IMLS, particularly as we have just begun a two-year project funded in part by an IMLS grant. This grant is vital to our ongoing efforts to provide professional development for our team, directly enhancing the experience we offer to visitors from the Kansas City area and beyond.'
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Jolliff said the funding specifically goes toward training staff and volunteers; providing safety training, such as CPR and defibrillator courses; and providing support for a human resources position.
'The resources provided by IMLS have been crucial to maintaining and improving the quality of our programs and services,' Jolliff continued in the statement.
'Without this support, we face real challenges in offering the level of professional development and safety training that our staff and visitors deserve.'
The Cass County Historical Society told FOX4 that it had about $10,000 left on a grant it received, which was being used to pay two part-time interns. In response to the federal cuts, the historical society has set up an online fundraiser in an effort to keep them on staff until the end of May.
'Work that had been going along so well on our collections will come to a halt now with no clear way for how to address it going forward,' the executive director, Jennifer Reed, told FOX4 in a statement.
On Monday, the American Library Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed a lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to stop the Trump administration from dismantling the agency.
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