Dear Editor,
Those who donate to good causes at the end of each year should consider the Oregon Cultural Trust. This program, unique to Oregon, lets you double the impact of your donation at no extra cost.
Here’s how the Cultural Trust works: Donate to your favorite organization(s) among more than 1,600 qualified cultural nonprofits. (Thirty-one of them are in Linn County. To find out whether your favorite is included, visit the website at culturaltrust.org.) Donate the same amount to the Cultural Trust. Then take the same amount off your state taxes. Your donation to the Cultural Trust returns to you as a tax credit. Individuals can get a tax credit up to $500, couples up to $1,000, and class-C corporation up to $2,500.
The money given to the Cultural Trust is dispersed across Oregon to keep cultural organizations thriving throughout the state. Since 2003, donations to the Cultural Trust have generated about $40 million in grants to cultural organizations across Oregon.
A portion of Cultural Trust funds are distributed locally by Cultural Coalitions, one for each county and federally recognized tribe in Oregon. This year, the Linn County Cultural Coalition distributed $21,500 of these funds among sixteen local organizations. Every Linn County 501(c)(3) organization with a project involving the arts, heritage, or humanities is welcome to apply to the Coalition for funding. The next deadline for applications is February 1, 2025. For more information, visit linnculture.org.
Linda Ziedrich, President
Linn County Cultural Coalition