(Radio Iowa) – The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services has placed all 70 members of its staff on administrative leave and the leaders of Iowa organizations fear how it will affect their funding. The agency allotted the State Library of Iowa more than ten-million dollars in the past five years for various projects, including technology and resources. The Dubuque Museum of Art was awarded nearly 75-thousand dollars last year to hire and train staff and facilitate school visits. Because the money is reimbursed, executive director Gary Stoppelman says they may now be stuck with the bill.

“We’ve made the hire,” Stoppelman says, “we were about to begin the training, and we will not be able to submit those invoices because there’s no one to process them.” Stoppelman says the museum relies on the agency for a significant portion of its annual funding. “What IMLS provides to the Dubuque Museum of Art and to our community is literally jobs and educational experiences,” he says. President Trump issued an executive order last month to dismantle seven federal agencies, including the I-M-L-S.