YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Officials at local institutions that rely on or apply for funds from government offices and programs that President Donald Trump targeted in an executive order Friday expressed concern about the consequences if they are downsized or eliminated. 

In an executive order, Trump called for eliminating “the non-statutory components and functions” of several governmental entities “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” In addition, “such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”

By Friday, the head of each listed entity must submit a report to the Office of Budget and Management confirming “full compliance” with the order and identifying the components or functions that are statutorily required and to what extent.

Among the seven entities identified in the order are the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, Minority Business Development Agency and Institute of Museum and Library Services.  

“Institutions like ours rely on agencies such as the IMLS for critical funding, support and resources that help us preserve and share cultural heritage with the public,” said Lou Zona, executive director of The Butler Institute of American Art. “We urge decision-makers to recognize the indispensable value of IMLS and its contributions to institutions like ours and the countless communities we serve.”

Teresa Miller, executive director of Valley Partners in Liberty Township, said she wasn’t surprised by the executive order but wasn’t concerned the administration will completely eliminate the CDFI Fund, which provides assistance to businesses in distressed communities. Valley Partners has received money from the fund, which provides assistance to businesses in distressed communities. 

“I know they are looking to shrink everything and maybe decrease its footprint, but I don’t think they’ll eliminate it,” she said. 

“We hope [the Trump administration] will rethink this,” said Barb Ewing, CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator. “Specifically supporting disadvantaged populations is important. It has a benefit to the entire community.”

YBI, which operates a state of Ohio Minority Business Assistance Center, doesn’t receive money from CDFI or MBDA. But, Ewing said, CDFI has been “a critical instrument” for critical economic development projects and supporting YBI clients.

“It’s a source of funding for many businesses in the Mahoning Valley that might not be able to get funded otherwise,” she said. 

Last fall, CDFI provided $800,000 for Valley Partners’ GrowBiz revolving loan fund to support entrepreneurs in underserved communities. Miller said she doubted the executive order would affect money already awarded, which can be loaned again as existing loans are repaid. 

“We won’t see any sort of impact in the near future,” she said. “The way it may possibly affect us would be for future opportunities in funding to be able to expand our services or increase our access to capital that we have available.”

In addition, lack of future CDFI funding might affect the technical assistance programs offered by Valley Partners’ business resource center. “I’m confident that I would still find ways to fund the program to continue it because it has been such a success for us,” Miller said.  

Libraries

In a statement issued Monday afternoon, EveryLibrary, a national political action committee for libraries, expressed “deep concern” about the order. Congress was “explicit” in the 2018 Museum and Library Services Act that IMLS was “statutorily required” to distribute federal funding to state libraries under the Grants to States program and obligated to fund all current-year and multiyear contracts, grants, awards and agreements obligated by Congress within the federal budget, including the fiscal year 2025 Continuing Resolution enacted March 14, the organization said.   

Officials at the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County are looking at how the order will affect the Institute of Museum and Library Services, said Michael Stepp, PLYMC strategic communications officer. In late 2022, the library received a $50,000 IMLS grant for a dedicated sensory space in Boardman to offer additional programming and library services for the special needs community across Mahoning County.    

“This is not a primary funding source for us, and we have only periodically received programming grants from the IMLS, through the State Library’s competitive [Library Services and Technology Act] grant funding program,” said Aimee Firarek, PLYMC director and CEO. “We do not currently have any projects that would be impacted by this order.”

Cheryl Bush, marketing and public relations manager at Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, said the library currently doesn’t receive federal funding. “We don’t anticipate that any changes to the Institute of Museum and Library Services would have a direct impact on the W-TCPL system,” she added. 

Museums and Cultural Institutions

“Museums and cultural institutions serve as vital educational spaces, economic drivers and community anchors,” said Katelyn Amendolara-Russo, executive director of the Medici Museum of Art in Howland. 

Major initiatives IMLS has funded include Museums for America, which has helped several organizations build capacity and take “the next step in their development as museums and community partners,” said Bill Lawson, executive director of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. 

Over the past five years, IMLS has awarded 61 grants to Ohio museums totaling $12.4 million, said Meghan Reed, executive director of the Trumbull County Historical Society. That includes $550,000 for TCHS during that period. 

“That is huge for us,” Reed said. The funds were used to help preserve artifact collections, create public programs and digitize records to ensure the society’s collection is accessible to the public. 

“One of our most successful IMLS grants funded collections management software for 12 organizations throughout Trumbull County,” she added. 

“Cutting support for these agencies threatens not only the sustainability of institutions like ours but also the broader accessibility of the arts and education to communities nationwide,” Amendolara-Russo said. “It is vital policymakers recognize the invaluable role of cultural institutions and to ensure that they continue to receive the support necessary to thrive and serve the public.”

Past federal grants have been instrumental in strengthening Medici’s effort to bring high-quality art experiences to the public, and losing such funding would make it significantly harder for many institutions to continue offering these programs at the same level, she added. Although her museum relies on “a mix of funding sources, including private donors and sponsorships,” losing federal support would reduce opportunities for new projects and limit educational outreach. 

While IMLS funding isn’t the primary source of operational funding at the Medici Museum, it plays “a crucial role in supporting programs, educational initiatives and special projects that expand public access to the arts and preserve our collections,” Amendolara-Russo said.

Another program IMLS funds is the museum assessment program, which is administered through the American Alliance of Museums. “It’s the first step in terms of addressing an institution’s priorities and building a plan that will help them build capacity,” Lawson said. 

The Butler Institute of American Art recently completed a museum assessment in partnership with IMLS and AAM, Zona said. The museum was preparing to seek additional IMLS funding to implement those plans, “enhancing our ability to serve Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and preserve a world-renowned collection of American art,” he said.  

“The elimination of IMLS threatens the progress we’ve made and jeopardizes the vital support it provides to museums across the United States,” he said. “From funding educational initiatives to preserving our nation’s heritage, IMLS ensures that museums of all sizes remain accessible and impactful. Without this federal investment, communities like ours risk losing access to resources and programs that enrich lives and foster connection.”

Federal Remediation and Conciliation Service

Marty Loney, business manager for Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 396, and Kevin Reilly, executive vice president of the Builders Association of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, shared differing views on the executive order as it relates to the Federal Remediation and Conciliation Service. The agency works to prevent work stoppages and labor disputes through mediation and other services. 

Loney, who is president of the Western Reserve Building Trades, characterized it as part of “the continued attack” on labor unions, which he said represent roughly 10% of all workers. But he warned that nonunion members will suffer as well.

“This is just another way to limit the amount of power that 10% of the people in the country actually hold,” he said. “When we negotiate a contract, all of the industry gets raised up. So I hope everybody understands that when that’s all said and done, we’re the ones that are still leading the charge for the workers.”

Reilly said FRCS rarely has been called in over the past decade. When discussions haven’t gone well, the unions have been reluctant to bring in a mediator, he said. 

“I’m not anticipating it having any real impact on us and our negotiations,” he said. “Now, I certainly hope that doesn’t turn around and change, but generally our negotiations have gone pretty well. We have a good working relationship with all the local unions that we bargain with, and hopefully that continues and we won’t need them.” 

Pictured at top: The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown.