Boston Cultural Council
To apply for an FY2026 Boston Cultural Council arts organization grant, please visit the below link and follow the instructions :
https://cityofbostonartsandculture.submittable.com/submit/a4d58245-8ece-401b-881e-d0db9eacfdc2/fy26-boston-cultural-council-organizational-grant
Applications will NOT be accepted through this MCC portal, so please click through the link above to apply!
About the Boston Cultural Council Organizational Grant:
The Boston Cultural Council (BCC) distributes general operating grants annually through the BCC Organizational Grant. These funds are sourced from the City of Boston’s Operating Budget, and the Mass Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency, to strengthen small and mid-sized nonprofit and fiscally-sponsored organizations, as well as fiscally sponsored unincorporated entities and artist collectives. The goal is to invest in the overall operations and capacity-building of organizations that:
Fosters innovative and original arts, cultural, and creative programming,
Advance a more just and inclusive creative sector that is responsive, community-informed, and accessible, and
Improve the quality of life in our city through meaningful arts, cultural, and creative programming.
The BCC grant program works in tandem with other programs within MOAC to ensure that all Boston residents–regardless of background, income, or neighborhood–have access to and can participate in arts and culture as a part of daily life.
The BCC is a 7+ member council composed of Boston residents and is facilitated by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC). Council members work in partnership with MOAC on the strategic direction of the grant program, and they also provide final approval of selected grantees. Council members are selected on the basis of their lived experience within Boston’s arts, cultural, and creative communities and their demonstrated commitment to cultural equity.
Contact
Mayor's Office Of Arts and Culture
bcc@boston.gov
617-635-4445
https://www.boston.gov/departments/arts-and-culture/boston-cultural-council
Address
Boston City Hall Room 802
1 City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02108-4309
Connect on Social Instagram
Application Information
FY26 Allocation
$305,600
FY26 Local Priorities
BCC Grant Strategy and Priorities
Ensuring that BCC grants contribute toward its goals requires a deliberate focus on funding organizations that embody and advance cultural equity within Boston’s arts ecosystem. BCC also seeks to address inequities in arts funding across the city. A 2016 study published by The Boston Foundation highlights that while small to mid-sized organizations comprise 86% of Boston’s arts sector, they receive disproportionately less funding compared to larger institutions.
To counter this imbalance, the BCC prioritizes support for small to mid-sized arts organizations in the Boston arts ecosystem by focusing on organizations with annual budgets under $2 million, committing the majority of grant funds to those with the smallest budgets. Priority is given to organizations where arts and cultural programming are central to their mission. Only organizations who can demonstrate over 50% of their programming is located in the city of Boston are eligible for this grant. In summary, BCC is committed to fund small to mid-sized organizations that exemplify and promote cultural equity in the Boston arts ecosystem.
FY26 Local Guidelines
The Boston Cultural Council (BCC) distributes general operating grants annually through the BCC Organizational Grant. These funds are sourced from the City of Boston’s Operating Budget, and the Mass Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency, to strengthen small and mid-sized nonprofit and fiscally-sponsored organizations, as well as fiscally sponsored unincorporated entities and artist collectives. The goal is to invest in the overall operations and capacity-building of organizations that:
Fosters innovative and original arts, cultural, and creative programming,
Advance a more just and inclusive creative sector that is responsive, community-informed, and accessible, and
Improve the quality of life in our city through meaningful arts, cultural, and creative programming.
The BCC grant program works in tandem with other programs within MOAC to ensure that all Boston residents–regardless of background, income, or neighborhood–have access to and can participate in arts and culture as a part of daily life.
Eligibility: Who is Eligible to Apply?
501(c)(3) organizations with a current annual operating budget under $2 million whose mission and programming demonstrates a clear commitment to foster and sustain the arts and/or cultural creative expression in any arts discipline
Boston-based organizations or organizations not based in the City of Boston but whose primary programming takes place in Boston and demonstrates strong community partnership. Reviewers will be looking for specific examples of public benefit to the people of Boston, and confirmation that the organization provides 50% or more of their programming in the city of Boston.
Unincorporated groups can apply with a fiscal sponsor as long as they meet the rest of the eligibility criteria. This includes: artist collectives, volunteer groups, publications, and any other group jointly working toward common creative goals.
Organizations can submit only one proposal per funding cycle
Grant Categories
Organizations may apply for funding based on their organizational budget (total expenses from the most recently completed fiscal year). If selected, organizations will receive the full amount associated with their budget category:
Tier 1: $10,000
Organizations with budgets less than $500,000 qualify for Tier 1.
Tier 2: $7,500
Organizations with budgets between $500,000 to $1,000,000 qualify for Tier 2.
Tier 3: $5,000
Organizations with budgets between $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 qualify for Tier 3.
Grant Fund Restrictions
Grant funding may not be used for the following:
Salaries or stipends for employees of the Boston school system, library, parks department, or any other municipal agency.
Capital expenditures for schools, libraries, and other municipal agencies.
Any activity, service, or operations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
The purchase of alcohol.
Important note: This is not a program-specific grant. The BCC Organizational Grant is a general operating grant intended to support the overall operations of an organization, rather than a particular project or program.
Additionally, the Boston Cultural Council does not fund grants to:
Individuals (Individual artists seeking funding from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture may be eligible for the Opportunity Fund.)
K-12 schools or K-12 school foundations.
Main Streets organizations.
Colleges or universities, or organizations/programs affiliated with colleges or universities.
“Friends of…” organizations whose primary purpose is to support government entities.
Religious organizations or programs of any kind. Religious organizations can serve as fiscal sponsors as long as they are not receiving any of the funds provided.
How Grant Recipients Are Paid
Direct Grants
FY25 Funding List
| Name | Project Title | Amount |
|---|---|---|
