After years of ups and downs in funding, the Oregon Folklife Network is pleased to announce it has been awarded $20,000 from the Oregon Arts Commission. This grant is designated to assist OFN in reaching its goal of financial stability after significant, campus-wide funding cuts in 2018.

Major revisions to the University of Oregon’s budget model at that time reduced the Oregon Folklife Network’s annual budget by $100,000. This revision was fortunately not based on OFN’s performance. Nevertheless, the drastic reduction in funding meant that OFN had to look elsewhere for support. Despite the massive disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal rescue funds allowed some much-needed, yet temporary stability for the last few years.

With those rescue funds coming to an end, OFN had to make a choice: reduce the scope of its programs and focus more closely on a narrow set of goals, or commit to building back up its annual budget to support a wider range of traditional arts- and culture- based programming for the state of Oregon.

The Oregon Arts Commission, a longtime partner of OFN, granted this $20,000 to help create a strategic financial plan, which will allow OFN to continue offering and refining a variety of cultural events. It has decided to use this grant to hire Kelley Nonprofit Consulting to provide a comprehensive strategic plan. Kelley has a reputation for guiding cultural agencies serving underserved communities. OFN acting director, Emily Hartlerode, is confident that their assistance will be a great benefit: “I feel like we’re in good hands, working with people who are compassionate about the kind of work we do, and conversant with the kinds of funders that support the work that we do.”

This much-needed operational assistance will help OFN achieve its goals for stability, hiring new staff, and supporting existing and new statewide folklife programs. Thank you again to the Oregon Arts Commission and Kelley Nonprofit Consulting.

Written by Jessica Oravetz