<font face="arial" size="2"><p style="margin:0;padding:0;font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Please see the Advocacy Alert from the American Alliance of Museums, below.</p>
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<p style="margin:0;padding:0;font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Cindy Opitz<br />SPNHC Secretary<br />email: secretary@spnhc.org<br />web: spnhc.org<br />Museum of Natural History<br />11 Macbride Hall<br />The University of Iowa<br />Iowa City IA 52242<br />(319) 335-0481</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;padding:0;font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;">From:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;"> Alliance Museums Advocacy [mailto:advocacy@aam-us.org] <br /><strong>Sent:</strong> Wednesday, August 02, 2017 4:55 PM<br /><strong>To:</strong> Ford, Linda S. <lford@oeb.harvard.edu><br /><strong>Subject:</strong> Nearly 950 Museums Join Fieldwide Letter to Congress</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;padding:0;font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: red;">Advocacy Alert: August 2, 2017</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Nearly 950 Museums Join Fieldwide Letter to Congress</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">We are thrilled to announce that museum advocates have spoken loud and clear to congressional leaders; <strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">nearly 950</span></strong> museums and related organizations signed on to a letter to save the key federal programs that help museums serve their communities.<br /><br /> Drafted following <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMEIYXQ&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=9jN8sxaawqiF_hCIrloaY825knt-ysb_Mx_SGvPagMs&e="> President Trump’s budget proposal</a> to eliminate key federal agencies, <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMBWZHF&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=B9tA5oyseQ8Mz78LjDHsUEcxff4P0lRImb24Sc2vshw&e="> the fieldwide letter</a> urges Congress to support these small but vital initiatives—including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">—</span></em>which collectively provided over 600 grants to museums in 2016.<br /><br /> Thank you to our many partner organizations including <strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">AAMD, AASLH, ACM, AIC, APGA, ASTC, AZA, and NCH</span></strong>, and the dozens of national, regional, and state museum associations that helped us spread the word.</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMMYRFL&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=ekjydkB3tiXorhfqJxplFr5BuQE8LxflrJ5o7cqsiOA&e=">See which other organizations signed on in your state</a>.</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Now What?</span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">We will keep you posted as Congress considers funding for Fiscal Year 2018. In the meantime, you can help advance the cause by taking these steps:</span></p>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Invite Congress to Visit Your Museum.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"> Use <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMVNGHW&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=yDyQH7TbuW-S9edHGRVBHdWh3WwZovPYFcTN6oGHiK0&e="> AAM's advocacy tools</a> to <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMVBGAX&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=ego0xsS6MAnX_ADsWAiLHFlmkq5gRaswzk3Qr5doYac&e="> send your invitations</a> and see our <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMIWLVE&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=0ZVvt3bljmNuyKIKlNFs6LfQewZmRGaJPO9YyfRSIfs&e="> free step-by-step guide</a> for arranging the meeting. Be sure to share the fieldwide letter with them to reinforce how united your state’s museums are.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMYUNPZ&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=1Yp29RWWLI-FWhoEf2BbdzeOKPTRFdwyMi74XHjcW_E&e=" target="_blank">Use AAM’s customizable templates</a> to contact your members of Congress. Let them know how important charitable gifts are in your operating budget, or share information about your most recent federal grant.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;">Plan to attend the (10<sup>th</sup> annual!) <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMTHHSS&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=iUaw8aTZfAwPuWaI0FKfqRdvlbcwMX_wx8t1WvLz_Pw&e="> Museums Advocacy Day</a>, February 26-27, 2018, in Washington, DC. Registration will open in the fall.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__t.congressweb.com_l_-3FZYVNCPWRGMGLLFH&d=DwMCAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=_EekXyDnqyDJbjUVvAb_UJolU-631fxKk78iqckD60k&m=nZF3InhABknXMmcCTMPT9DUyYbhCkqD9C1TS56uRMVo&s=fGr66RaXbNPcym-hSOn7qIUVzrqG6GH1DLOe2ifUi24&e=">Donate Now</a> to help us build on our momentum as we plan for the coming budget battles.</span></li>
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