Local Cultural Council Program

LCC Grant Recipient Provisions

Once an Local Cultural Council (LCC) Program application is approved, the grantee should complete the project as outlined in their original application, acknowledge their funding from the LCC and Mass Cultural Council, and then request reimbursement (unless you have applied to an LCC that is using the Direct Grant process). This page discusses how to go through this process, as well as how to handle changes to a grantee’s original proposal.

Modifications

Grant Extensions
Grant recipients have one year from the date of their approval letter to request reimbursement. LCCs can, at their discretion, approve reasonable extensions for projects. Grantees must make their request in writing to the LCC and the LCC will respond in writing to the grantee.

Modifications
Grant recipients need the LCC’s written permission to make changes to their projects. Project modifications should be requested in writing (email is okay), and the modification should not significantly alter the original purpose of the approved application. The LCC will respond to the grantee’s request in writing.

Conditional Approvals
LCCs may place conditions on approved applications (i.e., the applicant must secure a venue to host their program, or the performing group must provide free tickets to senior citizens). LCCs must communicate any conditions to the applicant and if the applicant does not agree to the condition they can choose not to accept the grant.

Credit and Publicity Requirements

All grant recipients are required to acknowledge the financial support of the LCC that approved their grant and Mass Cultural Council in published materials and announcements about their project. More information about Mass Cultural Council credit policy for LCC grant recipients.

Reimbursement

Most LCC grants are reimbursement-based. If approved for a grant, the grantee expends their own money on the project. Once the project is complete, the grantee submits paperwork for reimbursement to the LCC that approved their grant. If the granting LCC participates in the Direct Grants process, the grantee should follow the process laid out in the LCC Program guidelines.

Grant recipients have one year from the date of their final approval letter to request reimbursement. In order to request reimbursement the recipient must complete a reimbursement form (PDF), which is provided by the LCC. Reimbursements may be made either directly to the applicant or to third party vendors who have provided goods, materials or services to the applicant. Progress payments may be made at the discretion of the LCC, but should be proportionate to the percentage of the project that has been completed.

LCCs process reimbursements as they arrive to ensure timely payment of grantees. LCCs may take up to four weeks to forward approved reimbursement requests to the municipal treasurer, who will then pay the grantee. Once the city/town treasurer has received the approved reimbursement form, it may take 1 to 4 weeks for the city/town to process the payment.

Please note: LCCs designated to take part in the Direct Grant process must follow the grant cycle timeline outlined in the LCC Program Guidelines. All other LCCs and their applicants should continue to adhere to the standard grant cycle timeline.