Advocacy Alert – March 11, 2026

In this Alliance Advocacy Alert:

• Take Action: Contact Congress as the FY27 Funding Process Kicks Off
• Upcoming Webinar: Appropriations 101: The Process of Funding the Federal Government
• GAO Report on the State of Museum Facilities Released
• Successful Advocacy: Museums Advocacy Day Recap
• Advocacy Tip of the Month: Navigating Competing Congressional Priorities

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Take Action: Contact Congress as the FY27 Funding Process Kicks Off

Congress has begun the Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27). The House of Representatives’ Dear Colleague letter in support of $55 million in funding for the Office of Museum Services (OMS) at IMLS started circulating late last week with a deadline of Monday, March 16 for members of the House to sign on to the letter. The Senate version should begin circulating in the coming days; the deadline for that letter is not yet known. It is important to get as many members of Congress to sign onto these letters as possible. Please contact your Representatives and urge them to sign onto the OMS funding letters.

Why are these Dear Colleague letters important? The Appropriations process starts with Congressional offices signing onto these Dear Colleague letters that are sent to the Appropriations Committee in support of various programs and agencies. The committee takes into account the number of members supporting each letter when determining funding levels for agencies and programs. This time of year, there are hundreds of Dear Colleague letters circulating on Capitol Hill. With so many competing priorities, it is critical to have as many bipartisan signatures as possible to sign onto the OMS letter.

Note: The NEA and NEH Dear Colleague letters are also circulating for members of Congress to sign onto. Those letters are requesting $213 million each for those agencies. Write Congress to Support NEH and NEA Funding

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Upcoming Webinar: Appropriations 101 – The Process of Funding the Federal Government

March 19, 2026 at 2:00pm ET

Have you seen our alerts asking you to contact Congress but wonder how the process of funding the Federal Government works? Join this webinar to learn about the process and how you can advocate to support museums!

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GAO Report on the State of Museum Facilities Released

On March 10, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a much-anticipated report on the state of museum facilities.

According to the report, nearly 85% of museums have a backlog of maintenance and repair needs, and 77% believe that this backlog could damage collections. Only 11% expect this backlog to shrink in the next 3 years. These findings emphasize the risk of deferred maintenance and repairs to collections, and the lack of federal funding currently available for these critical projects.

This report reinforces the need to continue funding the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the great need to increase federal funding to support museum infrastructure and secure our cultural heritage. 

This report was done at the request of Congress and the results of the study will help inform future Congressional funding and legislation.

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Successful Advocacy: Museums Advocacy Day Recap

Museums Advocacy Day 2026 was another successful event, with more than 300 participants visiting more than 300 Congressional offices. Huge thank you to all of our 2026 sponsors and supporters. This event provides attendees a great opportunity to learn about policy and advocacy, build connections with Congressional offices, and network with colleagues from across the country and across the museum ecosystem.

The Monday programming kicked off with a passionate and energizing speech from Rep. Paul Tonko, co-chair of the Congressional Museum Caucus, plus opening remarks from Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO, and Veronica Nichols, Event Networks Executive Vice President of Strategic Growth. AAM staff provided key training on core advocacy skills and this year’s priority policy asks. The afternoon included an informative panel with Congressional staff, a panel of representatives from the top-level event supporters, and AAM staff hosting a community town hall to answer attendee questions. Attendees then ended the day by meeting with their state groups to prepare for the next day’s meetings.

Tuesday Congressional Visits started with a Congressional Breakfast, where the Congressional Award recipients received their plaques (see below) and then attendees began walking the halls of Congress, meeting with members of Congress and their staff. Many attendees reported feeling inspired by the positive feedback from their Congressional offices.

Advocacy Leadership Awards: AAM gives out several Advocacy Leadership Awards each year at Museums Advocacy Day to individuals and associations. This year’s awardees:

• Alexandra Coon, Executive Director, Massillon Museum
• American Association for State and Local History (John Marks, Vice President of Research and Engagement, accepted on behalf of AASLH)

Congressional Awards: AAM recognizes several members of Congress each year during Museums Advocacy Day for their support of museums. This year’s awardees:

• Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME)
• Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), co-chair of the Congressional Museum Caucus

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Advocacy Tip of the Month: Navigating Competing Congressional Priorities

While it is sometimes frustrating to keep sending letters to members of Congress about funding for IMLS, NEH, and NEA throughout the year, it is a necessary part of advocacy. The funding cycle happens every year and there are multiple key time frames during the year when advocacy is needed the most. Congress has to weigh the needs of its constituents when deciding between the many competing priorities. To ensure your key agencies or programs aren’t left behind, you have to continue to contact them to remind them why providing funding for museums is so valuable to their constituents. Even though it feels repetitive, it is a necessary part of the process.