Looking for someplace to give away your hard-earned money? And perhaps get a tax write-off in the process — that is if the 2017 Trump Tax Reform didn’t screw you over? Here’s a list of local nonprofit organizations that do everything from supporting the arts to saving the Earth.
Arts & Culture
Art has just about always depended on patronage. Without the Medicis, we wouldn’t have the Mona Lisa. Without arts nonprofits, we wouldn’t have most symphony orchestras, ballet companies and operas.
Theater
Oregon Contemporary Theatre
OCTheatre.org • 541-465-1506
Oregon Contemporary Theatre — OCT, as it’s known — is the top of the heap in a wonderful explosion of live theater in and around town, offering professional shows for a wide range of audience tastes.
Very Little Theatre
TheVLT.com • 541-344-7751
Founded in 1929, VLT is one of the oldest community theaters in the nation. It produces five shows a year in its charming old Quonset-hut style wooden building in south Eugene.
Actors Cabaret of Eugene
ActorsCabaret.org • 541-683-4368
The home of all things musical in Eugene — or all things musical theater, at least. Great shows and delicious dining, and ACE serves as an academy for young actors.
Cottage Theatre
CottageTheatre.org • 541-942-8001
Despite the rural location, Cottage Theatre puts on some of the finest musicals in the Willamette Valley. In fact, a Eugene Weekly staff writer is still talking about attending Shrek: The Musical last season. Cottage Theatre isn’t afraid of showing off its quirkiness — and hitting the right notes all the while. It’s currently going through a renovation, so they probably need all the help they can get.
Music
Eugene Symphony
EugeneSymphony.org • 541-687-9487
Music director Francesco Lecce-Chong has energized this already capable orchestra with his mix of high art and pop performance — the latter packing ’em in to see symphony musicians perform the sound track to such movies as Star Wars and Harry Potter.
Oregon Mozart Players
OregonMozartPlayers.org • 541-345-6648
Originally founded as a musician-run orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players is the chamber orchestra to balance the larger Eugene Symphony.
Chamber Music Amici
ChamberMusicAmici.org • 541-953-9204
You have to love Chamber Music Amici not just for their perfect performances, but for inviting the audience onstage at the end of the show — for dessert.
Delgani String Quartet
Delgani.org • 541-650-5040
Brett Campbell, who regularly writes about classical music for Eugene Weekly, says Delgani gave him “one of the most thrilling chamber music experiences I’ve ever heard in person.” And they’re right here in Eugene.
Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestras
ESYOrchestras.org • 541-484-0473
Now in its 86th season, the mission of ESYO is “to inspire and lead students on a journey of discovery through orchestral instruction and performance.” To make sure it’s not simply serving the well off, ESYO awards more than $30,000 in scholarships to more than 100 young musicians each year.
Visual Art
Maude Kerns Art Center
MKArtCenter.org • 541-345-1571
Named after Eugene abstract painter Maude Kerns, this is the closest Eugene has yet come to a community art center. In an old church on the edge of the University of Oregon campus, MKAC provides classes, workshops and gallery exhibitions year round.
Emerald Art Center
EmeraldArtCenter.org • 541-726-8595
While Eugene spent years fussing about the idea of creating an art center, Springfield rolled up its sleeves and started one, with regular exhibitions, classes and talks.
New Zone Gallery
NewZoneGallery.org • 541-683-0759
The New Zone is dedicated to the idea of art for — and by — everyone. This is the place to find a window on what dozens of emerging Eugene-area artists are up to, and to find bargain pieces to buy for your collection.
Whiteaker Printmakers (Fine Arts Brigade)
WhitPrint.com • studio@whitprint.com
Begun as a private membership organization, WhitPrint has successfully gone nonprofit, which we hope guarantees enough financial stability to keep their fine art presses going.
The Arts in General
The Shedd Institute for the Arts
TheShedd.org • 541-687-6526
Housed in an elegant old church downtown, The Shedd books the largest array of music in town, from classical to jazz, country, folk and Hawaiian to augment its fascination with Broadway and Tin Pan Alley.
Community Center for the Performing Arts (The WOW Hall)
WOWHall.org • 541-687-2746
Everything from boomer rock to contemporary hip hop can he heard in this community icon, which is based in the old Woodmen of the World hall downtown.
Opal Center for Arts & Education
OpalCenterCG.org • 541-623-0513
The Opal Center is a community-based facility in Cottage grove that includes a performance venue as well as an educational resource center and an art/music/film co-operative.
Wordcrafters
Wordcrafters supports the craft of writing, with workshops and classes for adults and young writers alike throughout the year.
Adventure! Children’s Museum
AdventureChildrensMuseum.org • 541-653-9629
Originally a traveling kids’ museum, Adventure! Has come to Earth at Valley River Center, where it provides exhibits for children and their minders.
Lane Arts Council
LaneArts.org • 541-485-2278
Lane Arts is the umbrella group that funds everything from artists in the schools to small but essential grants for arts organizations and individual artists.
Radio
KLCC radio
KLCC.org • 541-463-6000
Owned by Lane Community College, KLCC is Eugene’s NPR affiliate. The steady diet of local, state and national news and other programming is framed by a garden of popular local music shows, from Dead Air, for Eugene’s Deadheads, to jazz and world music.
KWAX
KWAX.uoregon.edu • 541-345-0800
A little known secret about KWAX is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting isn’t funding it. One of but a handful of full-time classical music stations in the nation, KWAX uses facilities at the UO but relies on listener contributions to keep the music going.
KRVM
KRVM.org • 541-790-6686
OK, boomers, this is the station for you. Just look at the Saturday morning line-up: Classic country from 9 to 11 am and The Beatles Hour from 11 am to noon. Lots more music and news throughout the week. KRVM was the station that first broadcast on the FM band in the Pacific Northwest — in 1947.
Helping People
Planned Parenthood of Southwest Oregon
PPSWOregon.org 541-344-9411 or 1-800-230-7526
Now more than ever, Planned Parenthood needs the help of people who support the idea that it’s vital to deliver reproductive health care, sex education and information.
Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS)
Working with survivors of sexual assault and people close to survivors.
Womenspace
Shelter and crisis support line for victims of intimate partner violence
Mobility International USA
MIUSA.org • 541-343-1284
Founded in Eugene in 1981 by graduate students Barbara Williams-Sheng and Susan Sygall — who would go on to be named a MacArthur “genius” Fellow in 2000 for her work — MIUSA promotes “international exchange for people with disabilities.”
The Arc of Lane County
ArcLane.org • 541-343-5256
A separate local organization from state and national Arc organizations, the Arc of Lane County offers support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
Sponsors
SponsorsInc.org • 541-485-8341
Sponsors helps recently released prisoners with housing, employment, counseling and mentorship to help them transition back into society.
Stove Team International
StoveTeam.org • 541-554-4638
The Eugene organization promotes the local production of safe, affordable and fuel-efficient cookstoves in the developing world.
Catholic Community Services of Lane County
CCSLC.org • 541-345-3628
Catholic Community Services of Lane County doesn’t let religion get in the way of serving those in need. The nonprofit offers those accessing services free clothing, access to its food pantry, energy assistance during the winter, legal resources for immigrants and a ton more.
Helping Kids
Ophelia’s Place
OpheliasPlace.net • 541-284-4333
Shakespeare’s Ophelia was a young woman whose circumstances and lack of support kept her from developing healthy relationships and achieving her own potential. Ophelia’s Place works to help Eugene area girls avoid that fate.
Bridgeway House
BridgewayHouse.org • 541-345-0805
Founded in 2002, Bridgeway offers “support to children and families of all income levels who are affected by autism.”
Eugene Civic Alliance
Working with Kidsports to build a sports and recreation complex called Civic Park that aims to boost kids’ health, develop the local economy and build community.
Aiding the Unhoused
St. Vincent de Paul
SVDP.us • 541-743-7144 (to donate)
Lane County’s largest nonprofit human services organization, St. Vinnie’s — founded in 1953 — longtime leaders in helping the homeless.
Occupy Medical
A volunteer-run group that serves the homeless and offers free medical care to everyone. A model for universal health care.
Carry It Forward
Community support for the unhoused.
White Bird Clinic and CAHOOTS
WhiteBirdClinic.org • 541-342-8255
Operating since 1969, White Bird offers a variety of health and crisis-oriented services for people on the streets of Eugene.
Helping Animals
Greenhill Humane Society and 1st Avenue Shelter
Green-Hill.org • 541-689-1503 and 541-844-1777
Lane County’s local animal shelter, housing and adopting out lost and abandoned pets from dogs to bunnies.
Northwest Dog Project
Northwest Dog Project rescues, re-homes and enhances the lives of neglected, abused and homeless dogs while advocating responsible pet ownership.
Luvable Dog Rescue
Luvable is dedicated to re-homing exceptional loving dogs who have been rescued from high-kill shelters where they had little chance of being adopted.
Strawberry Mountain Mustangs Rescue and Rehab
StrawberryMountainMustangs.com • 541-784-5522
Rescuing and rehoming horses in Douglas County and beyond, and actively working with law enforcement to end horse abuse and neglect.
Stop Pet Over Population Today (SPOT)
SpotSpayNeuter.org • 541-607-4900
Helping pet owners financially with spaying and neutering their pets.
Willamette Animal Guild
WagWag.org or 541-345-3566
Providing high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter services.
Helping the Environment
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
ELAW.org • 541-687-8454
Based in Eugene, ELAW is dedicated helping communities around the world pursue environmental justice by helping people participate effectively in decisions about the environment, challenge environmental abuses, and enforce environmental laws.
Beyond Toxics
BeyondToxics.org • 541-465-8860
Beyond Toxics works on the political and legal fronts to ensure environmental protection and health for all communities. We empower communities to enact lasting solutions to environmental health threats.
Cascadia Wildlands
CascWild.org • 541-434-1463
Cascadia Wildlands is a grassroots conservation organization that envisions “vast old-growth forests, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry and vibrant communities” in the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon Wild
OregonWild.org • 541-344-0675
Oregon Wild “works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy for all Oregonians.”
Friends of Trees
FriendsofTrees.org • 541-632-3683
Friends of Trees has a simple but important idea in this climate-challenged world: Plant trees. Lots of them.
McKenzie River Trust
MckenzieRiver.org • 541-345-2799
Caring for and conserving lands and rivers in western Oregon.
Cascadia Quest
CascadiaQuest.org • 458-201-2868
Five-year-old Cascadia Quest’s mission is “to provide high quality wilderness rites of passage to youth and adults in the Willamette Valley and beyond as a catalyst for a whole, healthy, and truly sustainable society.”