The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) is leading a coordinated push to stabilize Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) after a sudden funding freeze and continued uncertainty around state support. OMA warned last week that the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s pause of federal MEP funding, ordered amid an ongoing audit, threatens critical services manufacturers rely on to compete and grow.

“MEPs play a critical role for Ohio’s small and mid-sized manufacturers, the lifeblood of the state’s economy,” OMA President Ryan Augsburger said. “Abrupt funding cuts put jobs, competitiveness and local supply chains at risk.”

In a Dec. 18 letter, OMA joined other leading statewide business associations in urging Gov. Mike DeWine to release state funds already appropriated for Ohio’s MEP programs, warning that delays could permanently dismantle skilled staff and regional capacity. Separately, Ohio’s congressional delegation has called on U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to lift or pause the federal suspension, citing due process concerns and the absence of a final audit. Over the past five years, Ohio’s MEP network has assisted more than 40,000 manufacturers statewide. 12/18/2025