Last week, hundreds of museum professionals, students, and trustees visited 423 Congressional offices to advocate for museums. Advocates made the case that the charitable deduction must be preserved because charitable donations provide one-third of museum operating budgets; that federal funds support mission-critical work and leverage additional private support; and that museums are part of the educational infrastructure and bolster local economies. Hundreds of supporters around the country joined the cause using AAM’s advocate from anywhere tools.

In the coming weeks, President Trump will unveil his FY18 budget proposal, which will reportedly include deep cuts to many programs important to museums. Meanwhile, our champions in Congress will soon circulate letters and legislation favorable to museums, which will need a strong and vocal response.

Will you help us recruit more advocates and bolster our resources for the battles ahead?

• Make a tax-deductible contribution to bolster our advocacy capacity as we prepare for the many policy deliberations to come.
• Help us recruit more advocates by spreading the word on Facebook or Twitter that museums—and the federal agencies that support them—deserve support in Congress.