Oregonians donate $5.4 million to Cultural Trust in 2023 to support arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Oregonians investing in the Cultural Tax Credit contributed more than $5.4 million to support arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits in 2023, the Oregon Cultural Trust announced Wednesday.

The total, which represents a 3.5 percent increase over calendar year 2022, will fund grant awards to cultural organizations across the state this summer and continue to build the Cultural Trust’s permanent fund, now valued at more than $31 million. 

“We are inspired by the generosity of Oregonians and so grateful for their support during what continues to be a challenging economic climate,” said Cultural Trust Board Chair Sean Andries. “There are so many great cultural nonprofits doing incredible things in our communities and these funds allow us to provide them with the support they need to keep offering the projects and programming that help define culture across Oregon.”

“The Cultural Tax Credit continues to be a win-win investment for our donors,” said Cultural Trust Executive Director Brian Rogers. “While we’ve heard that nationwide giving levels are down, here in Oregon cultural donors can increase funding for arts, heritage and humanities organizations at no cost to them through the tax credit. It’s an unbeatable incentive.” 

The $5.4 million fundraising total represents 10,271 donations and 978 donors new to the Cultural Trust. It also includes $562,539 raised through an ongoing partnership with the Willamette Week Give!Guide. 

More than half of the money raised will be distributed directly to Oregon’s nonprofit cultural community this summer; the remainder will grow the Cultural Trust permanent fund. Cultural Trust grants are distributed to the five Statewide Cultural Partners – Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Humanities and the Oregon State Office of Historic Preservation – as well as to 45 County/Tribal Cultural Coalitions, who regrant the funds in their communities, and directly to cultural nonprofits via the Cultural Trust’s Cultural Development Grants. 

The 86 projects supported by Cultural Development Grants in FY2024 include: 

• Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay: $19,754

To support the enclosure of the open loading dock at Coos Art Museum so that the museum can greatly improve shipping and storage. The project also creates an area for the museum to add ceramics workshops/classes to its public activities.

• Community Center for the Performing Arts, Eugene: $30,966

To support the Raise the Roof capital campaign for Eugene’s Woodmen of the World (WOW) Hall. Built in 1932, the National Register of Historic Places landmark was purchased through grassroots fundraising in 1975 by the Community Center for the Performing Arts to prevent demolition and continue its history as a community hub while preserving the incredible “floating” hard-rock maple dance floor (one of only three in Oregon). 

• Cumberland Community Events Center, Albany: $11,134

To support the preservation of the historic character of Albany's only Queen Anne church by repairing and restoring one of the building’s most distinctive features, the stained-glass windows. 

• Flora School Education Center, Enterprise: $6,944

To support access to Flora School’s activities, inside and out, for disabled attendees, volunteers, teachers and students by building an elevated wheelchair ramp. 

• Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau, Grants Pass: $21,403

To support Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau in completing the Chateau's first Historic Furnishings Report. The report and its accompanying maintenance plan are vital elements to ensure that the restored and reopened Chateau remains a National Historic Landmark

• Gather:Make:Shelter, Portland: $19,319

To support access for people experiencing houselessness to arts mentorship through a citywide sculpture project, public exhibitions and a mutual aid festival in downtown Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square.

• Portland Playhouse, Portland: $26,274

To support the production of Anna Deveare Smith’s “Notes from the Field,” which draws on verbatim interviews to bring 18 voices into dialogue about the persistence of the civil rights crisis in American policing and education. 

• Rejoice Diaspora Dance Theater, Portland: $17,649

To support the creation and production of “Rites of Passages,” a new performance by Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theatre that spans traditional and contemporary dance in celebration of Black history, present and future. 

• Warm Springs Community Action Team, Warm Springs: $32,673

To preserve the rite of passage ceremony of the Name Giving Ceremony where Native youth receive their Indian Name. It will help families prepare for the giveaway part of the ceremony by hosting craft nights, food gathering trips and first-food processing classes. 

• Wildlife Safari, Winston: $13,980

To support Wildlife Safari’s expansion of the use of its 300-seat outdoor theater, called the Safari Dome, by replacing stationary, aluminum bleachers (built in 1980) with new, retractable bleachers – increasing ways to use the space. 

Others in the Central Region:

Central Oregon Symphony Association, Bend: $5,010
To rebuild a strong corporate sponsor base and to increase the number of donating members
by hiring a part-time director for marketing and corporate sponsorship. This person would also
serve as an in-house graphic designer to help streamline the marketing and printing process
and to reduce costs currently spent on contracting with an outside graphic designer. With
increased revenue from corporate sponsorships, the position would pay for itself after one year.

Scalehouse, Bend: $12,858
To support artist and death doula-in-training Nan Curtis’s two-month exhibit, including special
workshops and events engaging Central Oregon’s 200,000 residents and an estimated 300,000
visitors in thinking about family, humor, and death and dying.

The Museum at Warm Springs, Warm Springs: $22,779
To support renewal of The Museum at Warm Springs heating, ventilation & air-conditioning
(HVAC) system. This is the Museum’s most immediate funding priority; the HVAC must be
completely renewed before winter. Total cost of renewal is $611,000; other funds raised include
grants from the U.S. Congress/National Park Service, Ford Family Foundation and The
Roundhouse Foundation.

View full list of FY2024 grant awards. 

The contracted partners for the Cultural Trust’s 2023 fundraising campaign were Watson Creative of Portland and Bell+Funk of Eugene. 

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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.