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History agencies seek higher operating dollars for historic sites, UNESCO stewardship and outreach

Senate Higher Education Committee · April 29, 2025

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Summary

The Ohio History Connection and related commissions requested the Senate support governor-proposed increases for historic site operations, UNESCO World Heritage site stewardship and outreach, and the America250 commission sought funding for statewide programming in FY26 with targeted grants and events.

Officials representing Ohio's history and cultural agencies asked the Senate Higher Education Committee to restore or increase operating line items in the biennial budget to support site maintenance, outreach, and a slate of statewide programming tied to the U.S. semiquincentennial.

Megan Wood, executive director and CEO of the Ohio History Connection, said the agency manages 58 historic sites, highlighted the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks' UNESCO inscription, and asked the Senate to support the governor's proposed $11.72M line item for historic site operations in FY26 and FY27 (the House proposed $8.25M). Wood said adequate operating funds are needed to convert recent capital investments into functioning visitor assets and to support maintenance, staffing and outreach (she recommended raising an outreach line item back to $200,000 to sustain the Ohio's America textbook and marker programs).

Todd Kliesmith, executive director of the America250 Ohio Commission, outlined plans to engage all 88 counties with programming (heritage-tree plantings, Ohio Goes to the Movies, themed monthly programming, river‑routes festival) and requested $7.75M for FY26 and $2.5M for FY27 to execute statewide events tied to the 2026 anniversary. Rebecca Amso of Ohio Humanities requested $2.0M per fiscal year to provide operating grants to underserved local history organizations that lack access to existing state cultural funding.

Committee members asked for specifics on programming and funding allocations; witnesses offered follow‑up materials. No line‑item votes were taken at this hearing.