State Advocacy Updates
- House Bill 5006, a bill which allocates $8.275 million in grants to 13 different arts and culture organizations (including some OMA member institutions), has passed and has received Governor Kotek's signature as of August 7th. Learn more about the bill and grant recipients here.
- The 2026 Oregon Legislative session opened in the first week of February, and funding for arts and culture is at risk. According to CACO:
"Nearly $900,000 in already-approved funding for capital projects and cultural institutions is at risk of being clawed back, including:
-10.44% cuts to 12 CREF (Cultural Resource Economic Fund) projects across Oregon
-10% cuts to operations funding for Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Portland Center Stage
These cuts threaten shovel-ready projects, major employers, and rural and urban communities across the state. And they come at a time when arts funding is already among the lowest in the nation."
To express your opinion and urge your legislators to reject these proposed cuts to arts and culture, contact your legislators today.
Federal Advocacy Updates
On November 21, 2025, a permanent injunction was granted by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island in the case of Rhode Island vs. Trump stating that attempts to dismantle the IMLS were unlawful and unconstitutional. Any further attempts to carry out the Executive Order relating to IMLS were blocked by this injunction.
The Senate is considering a package of four appropriations bills, including bills which would continue funding for the IMLS, the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through FY26. Use AAM's draft letters to urge your representatives to support funding for these agencies.
To see the National Council of Nonprofits chart on how the most recent Executive Orders affect nonprofits, including analysis of the Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking EO, follow this link.
Learn more about the FY2026 National Park Service Budget here.
National Museums Advocacy Day
The next Museums Advocacy Day hosted by the American Alliance of Museums is scheduled for February 23-24, 2026. Learn more about what's happening this year!
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