Salem, Oregon – More than 50 Oregonians have joined forces to launch the Oregon Cultural Trust’s new Cultural Ambassador Network, inspired to promote cultural giving in Oregon. Inaugural members include Norm Smith, president emeritus of The Ford Family Foundation, Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita Paulann Petersen and former state representative Margaret Doherty, as well as many cultural nonprofit executives and supporters in communities ranging from Astoria, Portland and Jacksonville to Prineville and Wallowa.
The Cultural Ambassador Network empowers dedicated and passionate individuals across Oregon to promote the work of arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits while increasing statewide funding through Oregon’s unique Cultural Tax Credit.
“We know the most effective way to inspire people to donate to cultural organizations and use Oregon’s Cultural Tax Credit – the source of our grant funds for more than 1,650 cultural nonprofits statewide – is word of mouth,” said Cultural Trust Executive Director Brian Rogers. “Hearing from someone you trust about how it works, and how easy it is to do, empowers cultural supporters to make their matching contribution.”
Cultural Ambassadors become conversant in how the Cultural Trust and the Cultural Tax Credit work – with training and support – and share the information in ways that are convenient and comfortable for them.
Examples of Cultural Ambassador activities include:
- Committing to one-on-one conversations with 10 cultural donors about the tax credit;
- Encouraging local cultural nonprofits to promote the Cultural Tax Credit to their donors;
- Attending local cultural events to share information about the Cultural Tax Credit;
- Presenting a Trust-provided PowerPoint at cultural nonprofit board meetings or events;
- Talking with tax preparers or CPAs about encouraging clients to use the Cultural Tax Credit;
- Presenting to local service organizations about the Cultural Trust and the tax credit;
- Hosting a social gathering at which Cultural Trust information is shared;
- Connecting with local media to share stories of Cultural Trust funding impact;
- Connecting the Cultural Trust team to other potential Ambassadors/local thought leaders; and
- Working creatively with the Trust team on unique opportunities for promotion.
All Cultural Ambassadors are recognized on the Cultural Trust website and receive an official Cultural Trust Ambassador nametag plus information cards and a special gift – a limited-edition Celebrate Oregon! mug.
Those interested in joining the Cultural Ambassador Network should contact Communications Manager Carrie Kikel at carrie.kikel@biz.oregon.gov.
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The Oregon Cultural Trust was established by the Oregon Legislature in 2001 as a unique means to reward Oregonians who invest in culture. Oregonians who donate to a cultural nonprofit and then make a matching gift to the Cultural Trust receive a 100% state tax credit for their gift to the Trust. The Cultural Trust’s three grant programs fund five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.
Salem, Ore. – An increase in fiscal year 2024 donations and an Oregon Cultural Trust administrative budget allocation revision has resulted in an increase of close to $1 million in fiscal year 2025 grant awards, with an all-time high of $3.85 million awarded to 148 Oregon cultural organizations.
Generous Oregonians increased their donations to the Cultural Trust by more than $300,000 in fiscal year 2024. In addition, through HB3532, the Legislature revised the Trust’s administrative budget to be assessed as a small percentage of the permanent fund allocation rather than from the grantmaking budget allocation.
The $3.85 million includes awards to 148 arts, heritage and humanities organizations across the state. Among them is a total of $962,880 for 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 $962,880 for 45 County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions – who award an average of 450 additional awards annually in their communities.
In addition, $1,925,760 in competitive Cultural Development Program grants were awarded to 98 cultural nonprofits serving most geographic regions of the state.
“To increase the value of our awards to the many amazing cultural nonprofits who enrich the lives of Oregonians every day is incredibly exciting,” said Sean Andries, chair of the Cultural Trust board. “This funding stretches broadly across our state and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to culture makers in communities large, small and everywhere in between."
“Each year it’s inspiring to see the number of high-quality cultural projects submitted to the Trust. We wish we could fund every eligible application,” said Brian Rogers, Cultural Trust executive director. “Oregonians are fortunate to have so many cultural offerings across the state that celebrate our arts, heritage and humanities.”
The Cultural Development Program award recipients feature 16 organizations receiving their first-ever Cultural Trust award, of which 10 are located outside of Portland. First time recipients include:
- 21ten Theatre, Portland: $14,119
To support the BareBones Theatre project, 21ten's repertory of touring shows performed in community spaces throughout the Metro area, serving priority communities including elders, the houseless and the incarcerated.
- Advance Gender Equity in the Arts, Portland: $9,645
To support the residency of award-winning Black female playwright Reneé Flemings at Portland State University to workshop her new play “empty spaces.”
- Ashland Parks Foundation, Ashland: $21,143
To support the restoration, repair and upgrade of the historic Butler-Perozzi Fountain and site (terrace, stairs, light posts) in Lithia Park, Ashland. The fountain was given to the city in 1915 by two local businessman and has been the jewel of Lithia Park since that time.
- Linn County Lamb and Wool Association, Scio: $24,662
To support the preservation of the culturally historic 100-year-old ZCBJ Hall by replacing a failing roof while the building is still in good condition. The price of roofing goes up by about $8,000 a year according to quotes, which also adds expediency to the project.
- North Bend Public Library Foundation, North Bend: $34,421
To support capital improvements to the North Bend Public Library Children’s Room that will enhance its ability to provide a safe and welcoming library space in which to provide essential community services.
- Tananawit, Warm Springs: $16,858
To support the development and self-sufficiency of Tananawit and its Warm Springs artists by providing culturally specific art-focused business classes. Artists will complete a bootcamp program, as well as professional practices and artist statement sessions.
- Ten Fifteen Productions, Astoria: $10,186
To support efforts to convert an antiquated stage lighting system to a new, energy efficient LED system
Other Cultural Development grant award highlights include:
- Boom Arts, Portland: $11,237
To support a festival of contemporary SWANA Art (Southwest Asian and North African) to uplift culturally specific creative expression and increase awareness and empathy of SWANA culture to build stronger cross-cultural bridges.
- Bosco-Milligan Foundation, Portland: $22,836
To support the design and creation of an exhibit, walking tour and public lecture that spotlights important sites associated with LGBTQ+ history in the Portland Metro area and promotes their preservation.
- Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, Corvallis: $30,409
To support access to cultural exchange for immigrant, refugee and international communities in the Willamette Valley.
- Elkton Community Education Center, Elkton: $5,110
To increase access to high-quality arts education for rural youth and adults by creating a series of after-school and weekend classes with experienced arts educators.
- enTaiko, Portland: $22,551
To support the creation of a three-part initiative, “Adaptive Dance Project,” for enTaiko to work with dancers and musicians with disabilities.
- Friends of Tryon Creek Park, Portland: $28,512
To support convening Indigenous leaders and stewards to share and document cultural land tending practices so that they can inform public engagement and forest management at Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
- Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph: $34,713
To support Phase II of the Building Our Future capital campaign to expand the building and increase ADA access to the second-floor library and programs. The $1.6 million project will support the Center’s mission to advance access to the arts, heritage and the humanities by enabling JCAC to serve a greater number of residents and visitors, provide a wider variety of programs and further promote awareness and understanding of the legacy and culture of the Nez Perce.
- Nordic Northwest, Portland: $5,666
To support the historic preservation of a Swedish-American treasure: a log cabin called Fogelbo House listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- North Pole Studio, Portland: $19,358
To support a six-month printmaking residency for five North Pole Studio (NPS) artists with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities culminating in an exhibition, limited edition publication and run of fine art prints.
- The Museum at Warm Springs, Warm Springs: $25,899
To support “Tł’aawxmamiyai - For Everyone - The Knowledge from Long Ago” featuring Warm Springs’ and other Indigenous master artists as traditional arts workshop teachers and exhibitors, emerging Warm Springs artists as workshop participants and exhibitors, and young Warm Springs Tribal members as exhibitors in the 2024 Youth Art Show, as well as the non-Tribal public as Museum visitors. “Tł’aawxmamiyai - For Everyone - The Knowledge from Long Ago” is grounded in the examples of "Ticham," the Long Memory of the Land. Along with project partners, we will teach and learn the integration of Indigenous knowledge and cultures in our daily lives.
- The National Neon Sign Museum, The Dalles: $19,644
To support the restoration and preservation of the historic 1921 C. W. Parker Jantzen Beach Carousel horses. In October of 2023, the Museum was unanimously selected by Restore Oregon to receive and restore the historic carousel. The team will work with classically trained woodworking artists to train and inspire a new generation of artisans to restore the 82 horses to their original glory.
The 98 Cultural Development grant awards range from $5,000 to $40,000 with an average grant award of $19,615. Fifty-one percent of the 193 eligible applications were funded.
Cultural Development Program awards fund nonprofit projects that increase access to culture, invest in organizational capacity, support community creativity and provide historic preservation. Applications were reviewed and scored by peer review panels; final award amounts were determined and approved by the Cultural Trust Board of Directors at its Aug. 22 meeting. More than 60 percent of Cultural Trust funding (including awards to County and Tribal Coalitions) is awarded outside of the Portland Metro area.
See a full list of County and Tribal Cultural Coalition award allocations.
See a list of the 98 Cultural Development awards, alphabetical by region.
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Created in 2001 by the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon Cultural Trust was established as an ongoing funding engine for arts, heritage and humanities across the state. Funding comes through the Cultural Tax Credit, which empowers Oregonians to direct more of the taxes they pay to supporting cultural opportunities for all. Oregon is the only state in the country that gives its citizens this choice. Fifty-eight percent of the money goes directly to cultural organizations and agencies in the form of grants. The remaining 42 percent helps grow a permanent fund for culture. It’s described by the Oregonian as “A way to make paying state taxes satisfying.” Oregonians directed $5.4M of their state taxes to fund arts, heritage and humanities in fiscal year 2024. The Trust’s three grant programs fund five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development grants. Learn more at CulturalTrust.org.