Livingston County Historical Society and Museum Impacted By DOGE Cuts

$200,000 in Federally Promised IMLS Grants are in Jeopardy & Threaten Regional, Cultural, & Economic Vitality

(image courtesy of LCHS)

Press Release: April 3, 2025

On Monday, March 31, 2025 the Livingston County Historical Society and Museum learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) targeted the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) with the aim of substantially reducing its staff, cutting the agencies’ grant programs, and rescinding grants that have already been awarded.

In past years, the Livingston County Historical Society (LCHS) has been the recipient of grants from NEH and IMLS; these grants have been essential to the transformation of the building, exhibits, and programming at the Livingston County Museum. For example, NEH supported Design Documents for an upcoming building project, and IMLS supported the purchase of museum supplies along with museum consultations.

IMLS has been the largest source of federal funding for museums and libraries. Currently, LCHS has two awards from IMLS to purchase storage equipment for a Phase 2 building project.  IMLS awarded $50,000 to LCHS via an Inspire! Grants for Small Museums in 2023. Contract #IGSM-253180-OMS-23.  More recently, IMLS awarded $150,000 in funding via a Save America’s Treasures Grant. Contract #ST-256895-OMS-24. These prestigious grants are funded by American tax dollars already collected.

Unfortunately, cuts of promised funding threaten our organization and will have a ripple impact in our rural community and to tourism in the region. Simply, without this funding, LCHS will not be able to properly store significant artifacts, some of which are already housed off-site in anticipation of a 2025 building project.

As we look to the future, we ask our constituents and legislators to ensure that NEH and IMLS continue to function, fulfilling its congressional mandate. Please contact your representatives and ask them to fight for IMLS funding, referencing our contract numbers, and to support the critical work we do and care about at the Livingston County Museum on behalf of our community and for the preservation of our collective history.