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February 5, 2021
NEA Grants Support 44 Orchestra Projects in First Round of FY21 Funding
NEA'S First Round of FY21 Grants Support Orchestral Concerts and Community Programming; Upcoming NEA grant deadlines; FY21 GAP, Part 1 Grants to Orchestras
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July 8, 2016
Federal funding: your summer homework with elected officials
Given that this is an election year, the House and Senate are taking a long summer recess, which makes the prospects uncertain for the federal budget to be completed. Bills that are of importance to the orchestra community are on the move, and here is the latest on where things stand for...
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June 24, 2020
Ask Your Senator to Cosponsor Universal Charitable Deduction Bill
Some good news, as the League and orchestras join the broader nonprofit sector in seeking increased incentives for the charitable giving that supports communities nationwide: Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced the bipartisan Universal Giving Pandemic Response Act (S. 4032) (PDF) to expand the current above-the-line deduction for charitable giving made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March.
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April 24, 2020
Executive Order Halts Immigration, Calls for Review of Nonimmigrant Programs
An executive order issuing a Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants was signed by President Trump on April 23, barring the issuance of new green card status for many individuals for a 60-day period.
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July 13, 2020
Speak Up this Week as Congress Sets Priorities for COVID-19 Relief
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the U.S. Congress is entering into negotiations over the content of the next urgently-needed major relief package.
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March 2, 2021
Tune in to Music Advocacy this Month and Beyond
Given the extremely challenging learning circumstances amid the COVID-19 crisis, our collective commitment to improving music education opportunities in school for all children is stronger than ever.
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August 6, 2020
Music Education is Essential
The League joined more than fifty national organizations issuing the statement, Arts Education Is Essential (PDF), which succinctly reminds school administrators and the public that -- especially in the context of COVID-19 -- arts education contributes to the social and emotional well-being of students, encourages student expression, and is essential to a well-rounded education for all students.
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March 13, 2009
Congress Approves FY09 Increase for Educational Cultural Exchange Programs
The Educational and Cultural Exchange programs of the U.S. State Department received $538 million for FY09. While it is not clear how much of this funding might be dedicated to the grant program that supports international cultural exchanges, this represents an overall increase for the program.
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October 9, 2020
New Visa Fee and Forms on Pause, but Congress Approves PPS Hike
Orchestras that engage international guest artists should be aware that the new forms and fees that were to go into effect October 2 have been paused due to a nationwide preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Petitioners should continue to use the current version of the Form I-129 (dated 01/27/20) and $460 filing fee for O and P visas for the time being.
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August 26, 2020
Voter Engagement, Latest Policy Updates, and Resources
Nonprofit Resources for Voter Engagement; Federal COVID-19 Relief Negotiations Still Ongoing; Data Drives Decisions: Explore New Arts Education Data Toolkit; Visa Policy: Engaging Artists from Abroad Amidst COVID-19