Hello Friends,
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Like many of your institutions, MoCP received a letter from IMLS terminating our multi-year grant as of April 8, 2025, under the
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When I read the General Terms and Conditions on the IMLS site, I recognized right away that the language in Term 29: Terminating an IMLS Award before it's Completion had been altered from when MoCP agreed to the grant terms and conditions in September of 2023. The agency has added this language to Term 29: The Federal award may be terminated in whole or in part as follows: By IMLS, to the greatest extent authorized by law, if the award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities. For instance, following the issuance of the Federal award, if additional evidence reveals that a specific award objective is ineffective at achieving program goals, it may be in the government's interest to terminate the Federal award. Further, additional evidence may cause the Federal awarding agency to significantly question the feasibility of the intended objective of the award, such that it may be in the interest of the government to terminate the Federal award.
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I've attached the original IMLS Gerneral Terms and Conditions for IMLS Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards Issued After December 21, 2020 to have on record what the terms and conditions were when museums signed IMLS grant agreements between December 21, 2020 and September 30, 2024. I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me unlawful to alter the original Terms and Conditions. In my "Termination Review" letter to IMLS, I plan take the position that the terms and conditions at the time of our award acceptance did not include the current expanded termination clause and that MoCP has remained in full compliance with the scope, reporting requirements and financial stewardship of our grant. I will, of course, also write about the negative impact this termination will have on the museum and its programs.
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I am interested in how others impacted by IMLS grant terminations are approaching this and if there are opportunities to band together to fight.
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Thank you,
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Natasha?
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Natasha Egan?
Executive Director?
Museum of Contemporary Photography?
Columbia College Chicago?
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
MoCP.org??
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