PHOTO COURTES OF OREGON CULTURAL TRUST
Oregonians gave generously to culture last year, as evidenced by the Oregon Cultural Trust’s 4.3-percent rise in donations, from $3,960,094 in 2012 to more than $4,131,520 in 2013.
Renewal of Oregon’s one-of-a-kind state cultural tax credit by the 2013 state Legislature helped arts, heritage and humanities-based nonprofits statewide to leverage their own fundraising, as state tax credit requires donations to cultural nonprofits, in addition to a matching gift to the Trust in order to claim the cultural tax credit.
A busy New Year’s Eve, in which the Cultural Trust raised $364,000 – a full $100,000 more than the previous Dec. 31 – and the Trust’s ongoing partnership with Willamette Week Give!Guide helped put the state organization over the $4 million mark.
“It was all hands on deck the last week of 2013,” said Trust Administrative Assistant Raissa
Fleming, who oversees the processing of several thousand donations a year. “We were answering phones until 5 p.m., on the 31st and donations came in online until just about midnight.”
The Oregon Cultural Trust awarded $1.6 million in grants for the 2013-14 cycle, many to underserved communities and small nonprofits for a range of projects and programs, from education programming to restoration of theaters and outdoor venues. As part of that funding, the Trust gave grants in every county and to five of the nine federally recognized tribes, which each county or tribal cultural coalition then re-granted to local projects.
In several counties, much of that money went for education programming, including writing, visual arts or music in-school residencies, after-school classes and summer camps. At least one tribe used its grant to fund workshops in traditional arts and customs, to ensure that the younger generations understand their tribal heritage.
Trust Board Chair Bob Speltz was thrilled when he read the donation report. “This puts the Cultural Trust in a position to potentially award more in grants, do more programming, and save more in Oregon’s permanent fund for culture,” said Speltz. “And it shows that we, as Oregonians, increasingly support the arts, heritage, and humanities, for ourselves and our children.”
The Cultural Trust by statute saves 58 cents of each donor dollar in a permanent fund for culture in Oregon. This fund topped $20 million, thanks in part to a recently-adopted investment strategy with the state Treasurer’s office. The permanent fund ensures that future generations can enjoy the same level of cultural experiences that Oregonians enjoy today.
