Trust Manager Aili Schreiner, center, leads a 2023 “Conversations with Funders” discussion at the World Forestry Center in Portland.

Salem, Ore. – Grant makers offering more than $5 million in funding for FY2025 will participate in the Oregon Cultural Trust’s 2024 “Conversations with Funders” events from March 25 through April 4. The five-stop series of open houses and information sessions will inform grant seekers about funding programs, available cultural resources and opportunities to discuss their projects and programming.

Open houses from noon to 1 p.m. will allow grant seekers and organizational staff to visit with cultural resource providers. Participating providers will include the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, Rural Development Initiatives, Business Oregon Regional Development Officers and the Oregon Museums Association.

From 1:30 to 4 p.m., grant seekers will “speed date for funding” with the Cultural Trust and four of its Statewide Partners – the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage, Oregon Humanities and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office – in addition to counterparts from the State Library of Oregon, The Oregon Community Foundation, The Autzen Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, The Roundhouse Foundation, The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation and the Wildhorse Foundation, among others. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to sign up for their location of choice.

Representatives from the Cultural Trust’s County Cultural Coalitions, who receive Trust funding for local grant programs, also will participate.

Organizations encouraged to attend “Conversations with Funders” include community development organizations, libraries, arts organizations, museums, cultural centers, parks and trails groups, historical societies, arts alliances, literary groups and heritage organizations. All cultural nonprofit organizations are welcome.

“There are more than 1,600 cultural nonprofits serving Oregonians,” said Aili Schreiner, Cultural Trust manager. “We want to make sure they know about the significant funding and programming resources that are here to support them.”

“Conversations with Funders” events begin Tuesday, March.26, in Portland and conclude in Medford on Thursday, April 4. Registration is encouraged using the location Eventbrite links below.

The full schedule is:

• Portland: Noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, Miller Hall, World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Road, Portland
• Eugene: Noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 27, WOW Hall, 291 West 8^Th, Eugene
• Bend: Noon to 4 p.m., Friday, March 29, Open Space Studios, 220 NE Lafayette Ave., Bend
• Pendleton: Noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 2, Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main St., Pendleton
• Medford: Noon to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 4, Large Conference Room, Medford Public Library, 205 S. Central Ave., Medford

Oregon Cultural Trust Cultural Development Program

Among the funding opportunities discussed at the Conversations events will be the Cultural Trust’s FY2025 Cultural Development Program (funds to be awarded this summer).

The Cultural Development Program recognizes and supports significant projects through four program funded categories: Access; Preservation; Creativity; and Capacity.

In 2023 the Cultural Trust awarded more than $2.9 million in statewide grants. Cultural Development Program grants represent one third of the annual funding the Cultural Trust provides to Oregon’s cultural nonprofits. Other funding includes grants to the Trust’s five Statewide Partners – to support their missions, goals and respective funding programs – and to 45 County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions that fund local initiatives, projects and programs.

FY2025 Cultural Development Program grants are for projects and activities that will occur between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025.

Grant guidelines will be posted in March for a Thursday, May 9, application deadline.

For more information contact Schreiner at aili.schreiner@biz.oregon.gov or 503-428-0963.

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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.