NEW YORK, NY January 24, 2007 —Many of the city's cultural institutions won't have to fight quite as hard to get funding in the coming year.

REPORTER: Mayor Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced that baseline funding for arts groups will be written into tomorrow's preliminary budget. Mayor Bloomberg says the city will guarantee funding for the Cultural Institution Groups -- or CIGs -- but will also make them more accountable through a review process.

BLOOMBERG: There will no longer be any cut and restoration dance for involving the CIG members and they can stop all the lobbying - get back to what they are supposed to be doing - making the citys cultural institutions even greater.

REPORTER: The city is setting aside nearly one -hundred and twenty million dolllars for the CIGs and allocating 30 million for other arts organizations to apply for on a merit-basis.