Advocacy Alert – October 17, 2025

In this Alliance Advocacy Alert:

• Government Shutdown and Appropriations
• Save the Date! Museums Advocacy Day 2026
• Advocacy Webinars
• Vote Early Day 2025
• Advocacy Tip of the Month: Data and Stories

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Government Shutdown and Appropriations

Due to a lack of agreement on funding, the federal government is currently shutdown until Congress passes either FY26 Appropriations bills or they pass a Continuing Resolution that would temporarily fund the government at FY25 levels.

Federal government shutdowns have significant consequences for workers, local economies, and the institutions that safeguard our nation’s history and culture.

During past government shutdowns, thousands of furloughed federal workers, including staff at the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, and others—many of whom depend upon their regular paycheck for essentials such as food, rent, and childcare—were without an income and in a state of crisis. The situation is even more dire for contract workers who do not receive back pay after a shutdown ends. Museums nationwide that depend on federal funding were forced to halt programs and place staff on leave, cutting off vital community services. Read More.

Appropriations: As mentioned in the September Advocacy Alert, prior to the shut down, Congress released their draft funding bills for FY26 that included funding for IMLS, NEA, and NEH. While these bills have a long way to go, as evidenced by the government shutdown, the fact that Congress is proposing funding for these agencies, rather than defunding them as suggested by the President’s Budget, indicates that your advocacy efforts are having an impact.

Continue to voice your support for funding these agencies by writing to your members of Congress.

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Save The Date! Museums Advocacy Day 2026

Museums Advocacy Day will take place February 23-24, 2026. More details will be sent out in the coming weeks.

Museums Advocacy Day is the coalescing of the museum community in Washington, DC, to advocate with one voice to Congress. Keep in mind, all politics is local. Members of Congress and their staff need to hear from their constituents, the people living and working in the districts they represent. We will need representation from as many states as possible. Your advocacy efforts are having an impact, as evidenced by Congress drafting legislation to fund IMLS, NEA, and NEH for FY26, instead of following the President’s Budget Request to defund those agencies.

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Advocacy Webinars

Did you miss our recent advocacy webinars? AAM members can view them on-demand for free.

• Advocacy 101: Getting to know the basics (recorded September 24)
• Year-Round Advocacy: Being An Effective Advocate (recorded July 24)
• In-District Advocacy: Advocating to State and Federal Lawmakers (recorded May 29)

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Vote Early Day 2025

Vote Early Day 2025, taking place on October 28, is an effort focused on helping voters know how, where, and when they can vote early to avoid long Election Day lines or last-minute scheduling conflicts that might prevent voters from having their voices heard. View Vote Early Day resources to learn more.

Our robust Nonprofit Voter Resources provide a wide range of information about the many ways museums and nonprofits can engage in advocacy, lobbying, and permissible nonpartisan voter engagement activities. Use these free informational resources to participate and help ensure that as many communities as possible are #VoteReady and prepared to make their voices heard in the democratic process.

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Advocacy Tip of the Month: Data and Stories

When developing your points in support of your position, make sure to include both data and personal stories. Data and stories play their own roles in making the case, and having a good balance of the two that are complementary to each other will strengthen your argument. Data provides hard evidence and credibility, while sharing personal stories offers an emotional connection and humanizes the issue.