Here’s how the tax credit works:

1. Total what you gave to the nonprofits on this list during 2024.
2. Give the same amount (up to $500 filing individually or $1,000 filing jointly) to the Cultural Trust online or by mail by December 31.
3. On your Oregon tax form, report your donation to the Oregon Cultural Trust. You’ll get 100% of it back!

If you itemize your deductions, you’ll benefit even more with federal and state deductions. Find out more on the Oregon Cultural Trust website.

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon has a long history with the Oregon Cultural Trust. In fact, our coalition was formed in 1998 by people who lobbied for legislation that created the Oregon Cultural Trust. We are the only statewide advocacy organization lobbying on behalf of arts, culture, history, heritage, and humanities.

Consider donating to one of our supporting organizations to double your impact! The following evolving list of donors is broken out into categories:

Arts, Culture, and Humanities
Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene
Beaverton Arts Foundation/Reser Center for the Arts
Black United Fund of Oregon
Josephine Community Library Foundation
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center
Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation
Historic Jacksonville, Inc.
John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts
Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
KLCC Public Radio Foundation
Lane Arts Council
Lincoln City Cultural Center
Literary Arts
Native Arts and Cultures Foundation
Oregon Chinese Coalition
Oregon Humanities
Oregon Public Broadcasting 
Performance Works Northwest, Inc.
Prismid Sanctuary 
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Salem Parks Foundation
Southern Oregon Historical Society
Tualatin Valley Creates
 
Comedy
Kickstand Comedy
 
Dance
Ballet Fantastique
Eugene Ballet Company
Oregon Ballet Theatre
 
Education
Caldera Arts
PHAME Academy
 
Film
Mack Theater
Outside the Frame
PAM CUT/Portland Art Museum Center for an Untold Tomorrow
 
Fine Art
Portland Art Museum 
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art
Salem Art Association
 
Music
All Ages Music PDX
Britt Music & Arts Festival
Chamber Music Northwest
Eugene Symphony
Friends of Chamber Music
Metropolitan Youth Symphony
Music Oregon
Oregon Symphony
Portland Opera
 
Museums
B-17 Alliance Foundation
Clatsop County Historical Society
Columbia County Museum Association
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Coos Art Museum
Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau
Gilbert House Children’s Museum
High Desert Museum
Japanese American Museum of Oregon
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center
Mt. Hood Museum
The Museum At Warm Springs
Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
Rainier Oregon Historical Museum
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Shelton McMurphey Johnson House
World Forestry Center
 
Theatre
Artists Repertory Theatre
Athena’s Gem Theatre
Bag&Baggage Productions
Coho Productions
Cottage Theatre
Eastern Oregon Regional Theater
The Historic Elsinore Theatre
Imago, The Theatre Mask Ensemble
Liberty Restoration/Liberty Theatre
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Portland Center Stage
Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble
Portland Playhouse
The Very Little Theatre
Third Rail Repertory Theatre
Whiteside Theatre

Thank you for supporting the arts in Oregon!

The post Donate to your favorite arts nonprofit and double your impact! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The awards include a total of $728,759 to the Cultural Trust’s five statewide partners (Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Humanities, Oregon Historical Society, and the State Historic Preservation Office) and $728,759 to 45 county and Tribal cultural coalitions that award an average of 450 additional awards annually in their communities.

The grants include 86 cultural development program awards. Congratulations to supporters of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon that received grants:

• Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation: $12,422
• APANO Communities United Fund, Portland: $20,144
• Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland: $32,584
• Bag & Baggage Productions, Hillsboro: $7,18
• Caldera Arts, Central Oregon and Portland: $12,384
• Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland: $30,09
• Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Portland: $12,400
• PHAME Academy, Portland: $21,781
• Portland Art Museum, Portland: $22,11
• Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Portland: $30,76
• Portland Opera Association, Portland: $31,669
• Portland Playhouse, Portland: $26,274
• Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Portland: $13,927
• Chehalem Center Association, Newberg: $35,171
• Lane Arts Council, Eugene: $27,085
• Lincoln City Cultural Center, Lincoln City: $19,849
• Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, Newport: $8,480
• Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau, Grants Pass: $21,403

The post Oregon Cultural Trust awards nearly $3M to cultural organizations appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The 2023 legislature is drawing to a close and as it does, we are left scratching our heads at the outcomes for arts and culture.

We proposed an ambitious agenda based on the needs of our members who are still trying to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. We know economic losses from declining audiences are very real. We have been grateful for past support from policy makers who have directed federal COVID-recovery dollars to arts and culture twice in the past three years.

Unfortunately, while some state dollars were directed to our sector this session, they are not nearly enough to meet the needs of our fragile ecosystem. We know that lack of state funding will result in organizational deficits, staff layoffs, and decreased access to arts and culture.

We will not give up.  We will be using all the tools available to us to continue to put this sector’s needs in front of policymakers.  We have attached our statement on this session.

With our thanks,

The CACO Board

The results of the Oregon 2023 legislative session follow:

The post Deep disappointment with the 2023 Oregon legislature session appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

On August 18 the Oregon Cultural Trust is cohosting an event at the Newport Performing Arts Center to celebrate the new look for the Oregon Coast Art Bus. The Art Bus, a program of the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, is now sporting a full wrap of the Celebrate Oregon! artwork.

The artwork created by Liza Mana Burns of Eugene has been transformed into vibrant murals installed in the Eugene, Medford, Portland, and Redmond airports, sponsored by GreenCars.com. In addition, a 38-foot outdoor banner was installed at the Northwest Film Center at the Portland Art Museum.

The Oregon Cultural Trust receives a significant percentage of the plate sales. Funds are used to assist with marketing the work of the trust and the Oregon Cultural Tax Credit, which funds arts & culture programs in Oregon.

Do you have your license plate yet?

If not, learn how to purchase one here!

Thank you for supporting Oregon’s culture, arts, and humanities!

The post License plate sales funnel $748,054 into Oregon arts & culture appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

• We had the best legislative session ever in terms of recovery dollars for the arts & culture sectors. During this long-running pandemic, organizations of every size need assistance.
• Our 11 capital construction projects represent the largest investment ever, at $9.5 million.
• The new license plate has generated a significant increase in revenue for the Oregon Cultural Trust. During the first month it was available, the trust sold roughly five times more license plates than the previous month. Sales of the new license plate remain strong.
• We have active and engaged members who care about the future of Oregon’s arts, culture, history, heritage, and humanities.

Don’t forget to take advantage of your Oregon Cultural Tax Credit to funnel more money to Oregon’s arts and culture.

Total the amount you have donated to 1,400 arts & culture nonprofits by December 31. Give a matching donation to the Oregon Cultural Trust, and report that on your state tax form. You will receive 100% of that gift back in the form of a tax credit.

Last year, Oregonians donated $5.2 million to the Oregon Cultural Trust. During summer 2021, the trust distributed a record-setting $3.2 million to our state’s nonprofit community (the remainder was added to the Cultural Trust’s permanent fund).

We wish you a creative, joyful holiday season, celebrating your own family traditions and reveling in the wonders of Oregon.

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition Board of Directors

The post Thank you, members and supporters! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The Oregon Cultural Trust receives a significant percentage of the plate sales. Funds will be used to assist with marketing and fund arts, culture, heritage, and humanities nonprofits.

The Celebrate Oregon! plate costs $50, in addition to $34.50 for a plate manufacturing fee and replacement sticker.

Here’s how to order your new plate:

• Go to DMV2U Service Center
• Click “Replace My Plate or Get a New One”
• Enter your personal DVM information
• To the far right of your vehicle information, click “Replace your license plate”
• Have your vehicle identification number handy, title number, current plate number, and credit card number handy
• Click “next” on the Plate Replacement page
• Click “I’d like a different plate” on the Plate Options page
• Click “yes” or “no” for personalization
• Click “Cultural Trust” and “Next”
• Proceed to the Fees page
• Proceed to the Plate Replacement and payment pages

Thank you for supporting Oregon’s culture, arts, and humanities!

The post Do you have your new license plate? appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

Media Release (DOWNLOAD PDF) 

621 organizations awarded $25.7 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund Cultural Support grant awards
Salem, Ore. – Coronavirus Relief Fund Cultural Support (CRFCS) grant awards totaling
$25.7 million will be distributed to 621 cultural organizations across Oregon through a partnership between the Oregon Cultural Trust and its County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions. The funds, allocated to the Cultural Trust for Oregon cultural organizations facing losses due to the COVID-19 health crisis, were made available through a $50 million relief package for Oregon culture approved by the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature in July.
“Many cultural organizations and institutions have closed their doors to help keep us all safe during this pandemic. These grants will mean that more than 600 Oregon arts and culture organizations across our state’s counties and Tribes will be able to keep up their vital creative work,” said Governor Kate Brown. “Everything from museums to fairgrounds to the summer events we all know and love can continue to enrich our lives—connecting us to one another and giving us the hope and inspiration we need.”
“These funds are life blood to Oregon’s cultural community,” added Chuck Sams, chair of the Cultural Trust Board of Directors. “While they won’t replace all the losses suffered during the pandemic, they will ensure Oregon culture survives this crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Oregon Legislature for making this possible.”
The largest award is $1.4 million to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry; the average grant award is $41,458. Just under $90 million in requests were received from 751 organizations; 130 organizations were ineligible for awards based on program guidelines.
“Due to the incredible need, we were able to fund a percentage of organizations’ eligible expenses,” said Brian Rogers, Cultural Trust executive director. “Smaller organizations received a higher percentage of their eligible expenses. The final awards represent a statewide, equitable distribution plan that was approved by our Board of Directors, the Governor’s Office, Business Oregon and our legislative sponsors.”
The organizations to receive funding include cultural institutions, county fairgrounds, cultural entities within federally recognized Indian Tribes based in Oregon, festivals and community event organizations, in addition to some for-profit organizations that have significant cultural impact in their communities. Awards will be issued directly to the organizations by their local County or Tribal Coalition.
Funding was determined based on eligible request amounts, an award allocation formula that established a base amount of funds per county or Tribe and the organization’s fiscal size. COVID-19 expenses previously reimbursed by other federal CARES Act programs were not eligible.
The intended use of the CRF Cultural Support funds is to provide financial assistance to cultural nonprofit organizations and community venues that have canceled or postponed public programming because of public health executive orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines for the funding are in accordance with the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The legislation allows Coalitions to be reimbursed for up to 5 percent of their total grant awards for documented administrative expenses. Requests from Coalitions for administrative expenses totaled $209,515.
Below is a list of funds awarded per county; the full list of grant awards (listed alphabetically by county) is posted on the Cultural Trust website.
NOTE: No applications were submitted from Gilliam County and the Tribes chose not to apply due to previously received CARES Act funding. Washington County, which serves as the fiscal agent for the Cultural Coalition of Washington County, chose not to participate in the CRFCS program; the Cultural Trust is currently working to identify potential solutions.

About the Oregon Cultural Trust
Created in 2001 by the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon Cultural Trust is a testament to how much Oregonians value culture. No other state provides a 100 percent tax credit to inspire cultural giving. As uniquely Oregonian as public beaches and the bottle bill, the Oregon Cultural Trust was designed as an ongoing funding engine for arts and culture across the state.
Oregonians fund the Cultural Trust. We, in turn, fund the artists, potters, poets, acrobats and dreamers who define our famous quality of life.
In 2019 Oregonians gave $4.5 million to the Cultural Trust. Sixty percent of that went straight back to the field. The remaining 40 percent helped grow our permanent fund. Our three grant programs fund our five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and 1,450+ qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.
More information at culturaltrust.org.

The post Cultural Support Grant Awards appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

An urgent update on the legislative process: WE NEED YOUR HELP in the remaining two months of this session.

The grants program of the Oregon Arts Commission is under threat and may see cuts of over $400,000 in the next biennium if we aren’t able to convince legislators to add more general fund dollars to this critical agency budget. There are many competing state priorities but we know where Oregonians stand on strategic investments in the arts—the majority of our residents believe arts and culture are important to local business and the economy, and that arts and culture are important to overall quality of life.
Art is not a luxury…it is a practice that changes people; that builds people; that strengthens our civic fabric. Due to rising administrative costs, and budgets that have not kept pace with inflation, the squeeze of resources will come not only from administrative cutbacks but from reductions in existing grant programs. Grants will get smaller and it will take longer for dollars to reach our artists, collaborators and organizations.

Now is the time to raise your voice for the Arts, for Culture, for Heritage, for Humanities…for Oregon.
We ask two things:
1) Please contact your legislator and ask them to hold harmless the grants budget of the Oregon Arts Commission by providing an additional $400,000 in general fund dollars to cover the administrative shortfall.
2) Become a member of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition, if you haven’t already, so we can show the capitol building the force of advocates who represent Oregon’s commitment to the best quality of life we can achieve.A small investment here will impact so many of our pressing issues. Now is the time.
 

The post Oregon's Arts & Culture are Still Under Threat appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.