CLEVELAND — On Friday, Ohio’s Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network, known as MAGNET, learned that its public funding had been frozen, effective immediately.

“I was initially shocked. Immediately after it, it was action mode: how do we get to all the people that understand how important it is and what’s at stake?” said Ethan Karp, President and CEO of MAGNET. 

“We help small and medium manufacturers, as a nonprofit, grow,” Karp explained. 

The Cleveland-based nonprofit has assisted local manufacturers for over 40 years. This includes helping them implement new technology to stay competitive, providing workforce training to help fill positions in manufacturing, and helping companies create prototypes. 

“That’s a start-up who has an idea on the back of their napkin that makes changing air filters easier,” Karp said. “This space we would actually prototype for those companies.”

They get state and federal funding through Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program, or MEP program, which funds six similar organizations throughout the state that aim to assist local manufacturers. 

The funding freeze was announced in a letter from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the federal agency that funds Ohio’s Department of Development. The Ohio Department of Development is the department that runs the MEP program.  

In the letter, the NIST cites an ongoing audit as the reason for the freeze.

“Preliminary findings in connection with an active financial assistance audit being performed by the DOC Office of Inspector General (OIG) which identifies various instances of material noncompliance by the Recipient and/or its Subrecipients, several of which were confirmed by the Recipient or the applicable Subrecipient.” – Letter from NIST to Ohio’s Department of Development announces funding freeze

The audit of Ohio’s MEP program started over a year ago, and the results aren’t set to be published until Spring 2026. 

The letter specifically cites three MEP programs for misreporting income. MAGNET is not one of the programs mentioned specifically in the letter. 

One program that is mentioned is the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT). In the letter announcing the freeze, CIFT states:

“CIFT did not report 2.3 million in unreported program income on the earlier five-year award. CIFT has acknowledged at least 1.8 million is unreported program income.” 

CIFT President and CEO Rebecca Singer denies any wrongdoing and says the discrepancy is because of unclear guidelines about what a program should report as income.

“CIFT has fully cooperated with the audit and the statements are misleading and inaccurate,” Singer said in a statement. “Any issues that occurred were administrative in nature and we are prepared to address them once a drafted report is provided. There is consistency in the findings among the organizations further demonstrating lack of clarity and understanding on administrative reporting. Several OIG audits of other state programs have noted under-reporting of program income but they have been given the opportunity to counter findings.”

Singer said that the typical process of an audit has not been followed, and CIFT did not see a draft of the audit and respond, which she said is the standard process for a financial audit. 

According to Singer, because of the freeze CIFT lost $1.6 million in public funding and, as a result, they are suspending operations on Monday, Dec. 15. Singer said 13 employees will be affected as well as 22 businesses that rely on CIFT’s mini food processing kitchen, which allows them to make their products to sell at retail outlets. 

With the freeze of federal funds, the state of Ohio has also frozen its portion of funding to the MEP program. 

In a statement, Mason Waldvogel, the Deputy Chief of Media Relations for Ohio’s Department of Development, explains that the state funding is tied to federal funding. 

“The majority of state funding provided to Ohio MEP partner organizations consists of matching dollars, which cannot be spent without corresponding federal funds. Therefore, the Department of Development has suspended the program at the state level.”

The freeze affects roughly $14 million in funds to Ohio manufacturing nonprofits over the next year, with MAGNET receiving $5.9 million of those funds. 

Karp said MAGNET has been complying with the audit and is frustrated the freeze was started before there had been communication with the MEP programs about the findings. 

“If there is an issue, then you need to tell somebody there is an issue and give somebody a chance to fix it. In this case, there’s nothing for us to fix because we don’t know what, or if, there are findings and a report. That lack of transparency, that lack of process makes no sense,” Karp said. 

Karp said the funding cut-off will change how MAGNET functions, prompting decisions to be made about potential lay-offs of their staff of roughly 75 people. 

“We’re going to have to structurally make huge changes at MAGNET to continue at a much smaller scale,” Karp said. 

According to Karp, approximately 35% of their budget comes from state and federal funding. The rest is from a private industry that pays for MAGNET’s services. However, Karp said they can only provide many of those services because of their public funding. 

“Helping people understand that the investment that the state and federal governments have been making for 40 years, this is a 40-year partnership — shouldn’t be turned off at a moment’s notice, depriving all these people and companies of necessary support.”

This funding freeze could impact the manufacturing sector in Ohio. 

“We’re saying we want to restore manufacturing? Well this is not how you restore manufacturing. This is not how you bring jobs back from overseas; we are actually going to be cutting Ohio jobs as a result of this decision,” said Jack Schron, President of Jergens Incorporated, a Cleveland-based manufacturer.

Schron sits on MAGENT’s board and has used its resources to test out Jergens products. 

Micheal Canty, president and CEO of Alloy Precision Technologies, said the freeze will impact small and medium-size companies the most. 

“I think it will be devastating to manufacturing,” Canty said. “If MAGNET and all the MEP’s are gone, then a lot of those projects to develop and promote smart manufacturing and manufacturing in general go away.”

Karp said the irony is that MAGNET’s goals align with the current administration’s efforts to make U. S manufacturing more competitive. 

“I desperately want tariffs to help companies. Every single day I am out there talking about how we need to compete against international sources and how our companies need to be the most technologically advanced in the world. It is the same thing the Trump administration says, and we are totally aligned. So it is ironic that this is happening to us now,” Karp said.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Snow will impact Northeast Ohio this weekend, and the timing for when it begins will vary depending on your location.

Forecasters say lake-effect snow will spread across the snowbelt of Northeast Ohio through early Saturday afternoon, while a clipper system from the southwest will bring a broader area of accumulating snow to inland areas later Saturday.

As a result, a lake-effect snow warning has been issued for Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, while a winter weather advisory has been issued for the rest of Northeast Ohio.

Once snow begins accumulating, travel conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly, with slick roads and reduced visibility likely. Motorists can check ohgo.com for the latest road conditions.

The latest snow timing across Northeast Ohio

The first impacts will be felt in the primary snowbelt, where lake-effect snow will develop by early afternoon. Northeastern Cuyahoga County and much of Ashtabula, Lake and Geauga counties could see snow begin before 2 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

Between 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, accumulating snow will approach from the southwest and spread into areas outside the snowbelt. By Saturday afternoon and evening, snow is expected to become more widespread across much of the region.

Latest snow map: What it shows

The newest snow map from the weather service shows little change to expected snowfall, with higher amounts in the snowbelt and lower totals farther inland.

Most communities outside the primary snowbelt are expected to see 1 to 4 inches of snow from Saturday’s system, while 5 to 10 inches remain possible in the snowbelt through Sunday night. The highest totals are most likely east of Cleveland, where lake-effect snow is forecast to persist the longest.

Snow continues into Sunday

Snow will not end once Saturday’s system moves through. As bone-chilling Arctic air moves across Lake Erie, conditions will remain favorable for lake-effect snow to continue into Sunday.

The primary snowbelt is expected to bear the brunt of the impact, where persistent or occasionally shifting snow bands could continue producing accumulating snow. Areas outside the snowbelt could also see additional accumulations Sunday as lake-effect bands push inland at times.

Forecasters warn snowfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour within stronger bands, leading to rapidly changing conditions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s going to be a snowy weekend in Northeast Ohio, which could impact weekend plans and travel across the region.

A fast-moving system will bring accumulating snow to Northeast Ohio on Saturday, followed by intensifying lake-effect snow and the coldest air of the season so far Saturday night into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

The evolving setup will feature three distinct phases: a cold front Saturday morning, a clipper system Saturday afternoon and evening, and persistent lake-effect snow into Sunday before conditions gradually improve Monday.

Saturday morning: Cold front, minor snow

A cold front will cross the region early Saturday, bringing scattered flurries or light snow showers, mainly during the morning hours. Any accumulation with this initial push is expected to be minimal.

Temperatures will be at their highest early in the day, generally ranging from the mid 20s to near 30 degrees, before beginning a steady decline as colder air filters in behind the front.

Saturday afternoon and evening: Clipper brings widespread snow

The main round of accumulating snow will arrive between about 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday as a fast-moving clipper system tracks through the Ohio Valley, forecasters said.

Snow will spread quickly across much of Northeast Ohio, including areas outside the snowbelt. Most communities can expect 1 to 4 inches of snow during this phase, with the highest totals generally favored south and east of Cleveland.

Snowfall rates may briefly approach around 1 inch per hour during the afternoon and evening, and gusty winds could reduce visibility at times, making travel hazardous.

By late Saturday evening, the widespread snow will exit from west to east, but winter impacts will be far from over.

Saturday night into Sunday: Lake-effect intensifies, Arctic cold arrives

As the clipper departs, much colder air will pour across Lake Erie, allowing lake-effect snow to intensify Saturday night and continue through Sunday.

A lake-effect snow warning is in effect from 1 p.m. Saturday through 7 a.m. Monday for Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, where 5 to 10 inches of snow is expected.

The heaviest totals are favored in eastern Cuyahoga County, southern Lake County, inland Ashtabula County and much of Geauga County.

Snow bands are expected to initially favor areas closer to Lake Erie late Saturday afternoon and evening, before shifting farther inland late Saturday night into Sunday as winds turn more northwesterly. Snowfall rates within stronger bands could reach 1 to 1.5 inches per hour, especially Saturday evening and night.

Elsewhere, a winter weather advisory is in effect for Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage and Trumbull counties, where snow from the clipper will be followed by additional lake-effect snow late Saturday night into Sunday. Total accumulations in advisory areas are expected to range from 2 to 5 inches, with localized higher amounts possible if bands persist.

Bitter cold and dangerous wind chills

Behind the snow, the cold will become a major concern.

Overnight lows Saturday night will fall into the upper single digits and teens, with wind chills dropping to between zero and 10 degrees below zero, especially late Saturday night and early Sunday.

Highs Sunday will only reach the upper teens to mid 20s, with another frigid night expected Sunday night.

Monday: Lingering snow, gradual improvement

Lake-effect snow will gradually wind down late Sunday night into early Monday, though a few lingering snow showers are possible, especially in far Northeast Ohio.

It will remain cold on Monday, but high pressure building into the region should bring quieter weather before a gradual moderation begins later next week.