The Cultural Coalition of Washington County (CCWC) recently awarded grants totaling $54,514 to 38 local organizations for cultural projects to be conducted between January and December 2016. Grants were distributed through a competitive process to address goals of the Washington County Cultural Plan in amounts ranging from $500 to $1900. The total amount distributed was an increase of $8,900 over 2015, due to increased support from the Oregon Cultural Trust.
“The Coalition continues to try to reach new, local organizations as we know that even small grants make a big difference,” notes Elaine Worden, Coalition Chair. Eleven organizations are first-time grant recipients, including three school-based projects. Grants will support projects including music, dance, theater, children’s programs, community events, reading programs, heritage, marketing, and art experiences in communities from Garden Home to Forest Grove, Helvetia to Tualatin.
Funding for this grant program comes from the Oregon Cultural Trust, which distributes money to Oregon counties and tribes annually to support local community cultural programs. This year’s awards bring the total of grants distributed in Washington County over the past ten years to over $439,000. The Oregon Cultural Trust receives its support through a unique tax credit program. An Oregon resident can make a donation to the Trust and then match that with a donation to a local arts, heritage or humanities organization, for example one of the organizations listed below. Then, when it is time to pay Oregon taxes, the donation to the local organization qualifies as a charitable contribution, and the donation to the Trust can be deducted as a full tax credit (you get the whole match back). For details on the program or to make a donation, visit the Oregon Cultural Trust website. Donations made through December 31 will support the grant pool for 2017.
The CCWC was appointed in February 2005 by the Washington County Board of Commissioners to administer and distribute funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust to support locally based arts, heritage and humanities projects. For more information about the CCWC, visit its website: http://www.culturalcoalitionofwashingtoncounty.org.
For a complete list of the award recipients, see the Grantees section.