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Children’s Museum of Sonoma County Takes Hit by Federal Grant Terminations and AmeriCorps Ceasing Operations suspected potential losses exceed $350,000
Santa Rosa, CA – The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County (CMOSC), a Santa Rosa-based inclusive museum for children of all ages and abilities, recently announced the impact the federal funding cuts including the cease of operations order for AmeriCorps programs and the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will have on their daily operations.
The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, in its 20th year of operations, has benefited from an AmeriCorps program with the invaluable support of an AmeriCorps fellow since August. The AmeriCorps fellow worked with Volunteer Manager Dan Levitis, expanding the Museum’s volunteer program to more than 155 active volunteers, all of whom bring enriching activities such as nature programs, working with sewing machines, and daily storytimes to life.
The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County received approval to have a second AmeriCorp fellow begin in the Fall, which would have allowed the Museum-on-the-Go outreach program to serve more socio-economically challenged neighborhoods by bringing traveling exhibits to children who are unable to visit the museum in Santa Rosa.
The devastating loss of the AmeriCorps program comes on the heels of another federal funding setback as the museum was recently notified federal grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) are also being terminated. While in the middle of a capital campaign to expand the museum’s footprint, the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County had development plans that included potentially securing $250,000 from the IMLS in support of a new STEM exhibit. Since 1997, IMLS has awarded millions in grant funding to museums, helping to build world-class experiences for children and families in both rural and urban communities.
Founder and CEO of Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, Collette Michaud says, “Thousands of similar grants to institutions nationwide have been rescinded. The loss of both the IMLS grant funding and now the AmierCorps support is devastating for our museum. We work tirelessly to ensure the services we provide meet the same high standards as the best museums in the country – and it’s the support from programs like IMLS and AmeriCorp make that possible.”
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About AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Their Mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. Nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps funding was recently cut, jeopardizing more than 1,000 programs and the jobs of tens of thousands of employees.
About Institute for Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent federal agency that provides grants, research, and policy development to support museums, libraries, and related organizations across the United States. The IMLS provides the majority of federal library funds and awarded $266 million in grants and research funding to cultural institutions in 2024. The entire department was placed on administrative leave in March of 2025.
