A rendering of the Cultural Crossing expansion at Portland Japanese Garden, supported by a 2017 grant from the Cultural Trust.

Salem, Oregon – How to apply for close to $5 million in grants offered this year will be the focus of “Conversations with Funders,” a nine-stop statewide tour Feb. 7- Mar. 27 led by Oregon Cultural Trust Manager Aili Schreiner in partnership with the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage, Oregon Humanities and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. Joined by representatives from the Oregon Community Foundation, Travel Oregon and the Regional Arts and Culture Council (Portland only), the group also will share information on statewide programming resources.

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

“There are more than 1,450 cultural nonprofits serving Oregonians,” said Schreiner. “We want to make sure they know about the grant funds and significant programming resources that are here to support them.”

Among the grant opportunities discussed will be the Cultural Trust’s 2018 Cultural Development Grants; grant guidelines are now posted on the Trust website for an application deadline of April 21 (see details below).

“Conversations with Funders” begin Tuesday, Feb. 7, in Astoria and are scheduled in regional flights. Registration is not required.

The schedule is:

Oregon Coast – all events 3:45 – 6:15 p.m.

  • Astoria: Tuesday, Feb. 7, McTavish Room, Liberty Theatre (1203 Commercial St.)
  • Newport: Wednesday, Feb. 8, Newport Performing Arts Center (777 W Olive St.)
  • Coos Bay: Thursday, Feb. 9, Coos History Museum (1210 N Front St.)

Salem, Portland, Pendleton – all events 3:45-6:15 p.m.

  • Salem: Tuesday, Feb. 14, Willamette Heritage Center (1313 Mill St. SE)
  • Portland: Wednesday, Feb. 15, Cerimon House (5131 NE 23rd Ave.)
  • Pendleton: Thursday, Feb. 16, Pendleton Center for the Arts (214 N Main St.)

Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon

  • Medford: 2:30-5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22, Adams Conference Room, Jackson County Library (205 S Central Ave.)
  • Eugene: 1-3:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, Downtown Eugene Public Library (100 West 10th Ave.)

Central Oregon

  • Bend: 3:30-6:00 p.m., Monday, Mar. 27, Riverhouse on the Deschutes (3065 N Hwy 97)

Oregon Cultural Trust Cultural Development Grants

The Cultural Trust’s Cultural Development Grants recognize and support significant cultural programs and projects through four grant categories: access; preservation; creativity; and capacity.

Cultural Development Grants represent one of three streams of annual funding the Cultural Trust provides to Oregon’s cultural nonprofits. Other funding includes grants to the Cultural Trust’s five statewide partners – to support their projects and respective grant programs – and to 45 county and tribal cultural coalitions that fund local initiatives and grants. In 2016 Cultural Trust funding totaled $2.9 million, made possible by donations from Oregonians who believe culture is central to Oregon’s unique quality of life.

2018 Cultural Development Grants are for projects and activities that will occur between Aug.1, 2017 and July 30, 2018.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on Friday, April 21, 2017.

For more information on “Conversations with Funders” contact Schreiner at aili.schreiner@biz.oregon.gov or 503-986-0089.

More on the Cultural Trust and how it works can be found at CulturalTrust.org.

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