Join the Fight to Save IMLS
This Is Not Just About Museums and Libraries—It’s About Our Communities
On March 14, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO), Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, directing drastic cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This move threatens to gut an agency that already operates on a minimal budget—just 0.0046% of the total federal budget—but has an outsized impact on communities across the country.
While IMLS makes up only a tiny, tiny fraction of the overall federal budget, museums generate more than $50 billion dollars in economic benefits to the American economy and support more than 726,000 jobs. American museums receive bi-partisan support, and research shows that 96% of Americans would approve of lawmakers who act to support museums and 96% of Americans want to maintain or increase federal funding for museums.
IMLS is the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, providing essential grants that support education, access, preservation, and innovation in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Without IMLS, countless institutions—especially those in rural areas or serving historically marginalized communities—would lose critical resources that help them fulfill their missions.
The Vital Role of IMLS
Since its establishment, IMLS has funded thousands of projects that enrich public life. Museums and libraries are more than cultural institutions; they are centers of learning, access, and community engagement. IMLS funding has supported:
Museum programs that bring history, science, and the arts to underserved audiences
Library initiatives that provide literacy programs, technology access, and career development resources
Conservation efforts that ensure the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations
Partnerships that enable museums and libraries to collaborate with schools, senior centers, and community organizations
IMLS funding is not just about supporting institutions—it’s about investing in people. These grants empower museums and libraries to create innovative programs that serve children, seniors, students, and families. They provide opportunities for lifelong learning, workforce development, and community-building. In many places, libraries and museums serve as safe, accessible spaces where people can gather, learn new skills, and connect with resources that improve their lives. The elimination of IMLS would disproportionately impact those who rely on these institutions the most, deepening existing inequalities in access to knowledge and cultural enrichment.
My Personal Experience with IMLS Support
While serving as Director of Learning and Community Partnerships at the Portland Art Museum, I worked with and collaboratively led several major projects that were generously funded by IMLS.
First and foremost was the development of the museum's Center for Contemporary Native Art. At the core of the Center’s mission was the commitment to partner with Native artists in co-creating the exhibitions, interpretation, and programming for the space. This approach challenged visitors to think about Native American art and the cultures that inform the work as dynamic and changing, rather than as an ethnographic snapshot in time. By privileging a contemporary view of Native art, the Museum provided visitors with an opportunity to engage with and relate to the richness of Native experiences today.
The development of the Center was deeply collaborative, involving front-end evaluation and planning with the Museum’s Portland-based Native American Advisory Committee, as well as Native artists and cultural practitioners from across the region. Through IMLS support, the Center for Contemporary Native Art became a vital space where Native voices were at the forefront, shaping how their stories are told and how their art is experienced.
In addition, IMLS funding supported a significant project focused on building community partnership practices at the museum. This initiative built on years of work to expand community relationships and invest in key local partners through exhibition and programming collaborations. With IMLS support, the Museum was able to strengthen its approach to working with community organizations, ensuring that partnerships were equitable, reciprocal, and centered around shared goals. The project also involved working closely with staff across multiple departments to embed community-centered practices into the institution’s long-term strategies. By fostering deeper, more meaningful connections with the communities the Museum serves, this work helped to create a more inclusive and responsive cultural institution.
Through my years of working with IMLS and their amazing team, I learned so much personally and professionally. As part of these grant projects, I was able to attend gatherings of project teams and visit other IMLS-funded project sites to learn from experts in libraries and museums. These experiences were invaluable to me, and transformed my practice.
What You Can Do to Help
This is a moment for action.
The elimination of IMLS would have devastating consequences for museums, libraries, and the communities that rely on them. Here’s how you can help:
1. Contact Your Members of Congress
Lawmakers need to hear from you. Call their offices and let them know why IMLS funding matters. You can also submit a message by using this template here and sending the message directly to your members of Congress. Personalizing your message with specific stories makes an even greater impact.
2. Write to Your Representatives
Email or mail your representatives to demand that they fight to continue their support for IMLS. You can use a template letter here, but be sure to personalize it with your own experiences.
3. Mobilize Your Community
Encourage museum supporters, board members, staff, and volunteers to take action. Share this post with your networks and on social media, and make a personal request to others who can help join this fight. You can also use some existing templates and messages for social media posts, compiled here by AAM.
4. Advocate at the Local Level
Contact your state and local officials as well. Strong local support can influence federal decision-making.
This Is Not Just About Museums and Libraries—It’s About Communities
The proposed elimination of IMLS is an attack on access to knowledge, culture, and education. Museums and libraries serve as public goods, ensuring that people of all ages, backgrounds, and income levels have opportunities to learn and connect. If we don’t speak out now, we risk losing an essential part of our civic infrastructure.
The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. If IMLS is defunded, the effects will be immediate and widespread. Programs will be cut, jobs will be lost, and communities will suffer. We must act now to ensure that our museums and libraries continue to thrive—not just for today, but for future generations.
Make your voice heard, stand up for IMLS, and help protect the institutions that shape our communities and enrich our lives.
Take action today. Call, write, share—and let’s work together to save IMLS and the invaluable support it provides to museums, libraries, and communities nationwide.