Creative Experiences
Frequently Asked Questions
New in FY26
What happened to the Festivals & Projects and Creative Projects for Schools grant programs?
These grant programs have been combined under Creative Experiences to include all sorts of festivals, projects, activities, and experiences incorporating the arts, sciences, and humanities. If you’ve applied for Festivals & Projects or Creative Projects for Schools in the past, we encourage you to apply to this program.
What is the grant amount available for the Creative Experiences program?
Applicants may choose to apply for a single grant of either $2,500 or $5,000.
What amount should I ask for?
You can apply for $2,500 or $5,000, provided your project budget at least the amount that you request. If your budget is less than $2,500 it is not eligible. If your project budget is less than $5,000, you should apply for $2,500. If your budget is $5,000 or more, you can decide whether you want to apply for $2,500 or $5,000.
Does the grant amount I apply for affect my likelihood of getting funded?
No, we do not consider the amount requested when making funding decisions.
Eligible Activities
How do you define arts, sciences, and humanities?
As it relates to this program, Mass Cultural Council uses the following definitions:
THE ARTS are the creation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and interdisciplinary arts. They also include the presentation and preservation of, and education about, works in these disciplines.
THE HUMANITIES are types of learning that deal with human values and aspirations, human thought and culture, language, and creativity. Examples include, but are not limited to, history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
THE SCIENCES are limited to the cultural, interpretive, and educational expression of science and refers to types of learning that deal with nature, science, and technology in ways that explain how they relate to people’s lives. Some organizations that conduct this type of activity include aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, and science centers.
What are some examples of eligible experiences/activities?
Examples may include but are not limited to teaching residencies, concert series, workshops, festivals, fairs, performances, art walks, open studios, poetry readings, mural projects, oral history projects, fashion shows, gallery exhibits and openings, public installations, and productions of cultural works. Questions about whether your project is eligible for this grant? Contact us.
Are projects related to the creation of audiobooks, podcasts, or historical archives eligible?
Yes! Keep in mind, this program supports experiences, so a component of your work will need to be made available to the public or your community during the grant period. (i.e., a project might cover design and production work, but should also incorporate a public reading, launch, or exhibition as a culminating event.)
Does my experience/activity have to offer in-person programming?
No, your experience does not have to offer in-person programming to be eligible. Virtual programming is eligible as well.
What do you mean by ‘publicly available’?
‘Publicly available’ means any experience that is intended for and promoted to the general public, by paid or free admission. Creative Experiences grants are intended to support activities that contribute to the cultural vitality of the community rather than benefiting any private individual or group. However, this does not mean that a large crowd of people needs to participate to satisfy the publicly available requirement.
What do you mean by ‘private individuals and groups’?
‘Private individuals and groups’ include paid members, donors, and others with limited access. For example, an experience serving an office’s employees may be ineligible.
Projects benefiting any private individual or group are ineligible.
What do you mean by an experience/activity that ‘intentionally serves portions of the general public requiring specific accommodations’?
Mass Cultural Council recognizes that portions of the general public require specific accommodations to engage in or experience the arts, humanities, and/or sciences. Activities intentionally serving these populations are also eligible for funding. Examples are seniors in care centers, incarcerated individuals, persons with disabilities, persons in recovery programs, and K-12 school groups.
What’s the difference between portions of the general public and private individuals and groups?
Mass Cultural Council recognizes that portions of the general public require specific accommodations to engage in or experience the arts, humanities, and/or sciences. For example, certain cultural preservation and revitalization and celebration experiences may not be appropriate or intended for the general public.
Does our experience/activity have to be available for free?
No, but those experiences/activities that are free to the public will be prioritized.
What if our experience/activity is only free for a certain population, but not for everyone?
If your experience/activity is only free for a certain population (i.e., seniors, or kids under 12) you will not be able to get prioritization points awarded for free activities.
What if my experience/activity has a majority of its programming during fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026), but there is a little overlap into the next fiscal year?
If the majority (50% or more) of the publicly-available portion of your activity takes place July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, you should apply for this cycle. The same experience/activity straddling the Agency’s fiscal years can only be funded once, in only one of the grant cycles. (An eligible experience/activity that is repeated annually can be funded in multiple grant cycles, as these are separate events/activities.)
We haven’t selected a date or location for our experience yet. Can I still apply?
Yes, if what you are planning meets the requirements for an eligible experience you can apply – even if you don’t have the details sorted out just yet. Note, if staff cannot verify an organization exists based on the application materials (including any links and/or uploads provided), the organization will be deemed ineligible.
What does ‘accessible to people with disabilities’ mean?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights legislative requirement that equitable provisions must be designed in your programs, services, and products. These considerations can and should be ongoing and improved over time. Access should be assessed within physical and virtual sites to achieve integrated settings, effective communication, and reasonable accommodations. For more info on Access and Inclusion resolutions contact Charles G. Baldwin.
Can my organization apply to perform at or take part in someone else’s event?
Provided your organization meets all other eligibility requirements, yes. However, know that each experience/activity will only be funded once per cycle. If the producer or other entities apply for an activity at the same festival or event, your organization may not receive funding.
Can my organization apply for a grant to sponsor an event produced or presented by another organization?
No. Serving solely as a venue, promotional partner, or corporate sponsor is not eligible.
Can my organization partner with multiple schools to create an experience/activity for students?
Yes, provided the schools submit each application and handles the contract and payment, because we will only review one application per organization/applicant.
Can my school or organization apply for an out-of-state field trip?
No, eligible experience must take place in Massachusetts, either in-person or virtually.
Budget
What are the minimum expense requirements for an experience/activity?
The minimum depends on which grant amount you are requesting in your application. Applicants can apply for $2500 or $5000. The minimum must meet the selected amount.
If your proposed activity exceeds $2,500 or $5,000 in expenses, you must report the full amount in your application. If awarded, the grant amount will be either $2,500 or $5,000, regardless of the total project budget.
What can I include in my budget?
Any cost associated with the experience/activity can be included in the budget, including all direct costs, indirect costs, overhead, transportation, materials, and planning time.
Experiences/Activities must have a minimum of $2,500 or $5,000 in cash expenses, depending on the grant amount requested. This includes the full cost of the project, with no restrictions on overhead or indirect costs. If your proposed activity exceeds $2,500 or $5,000 in expenses, you must report the full amount in your application. If awarded, the grant amount will be either $2,500 or $5,000, regardless of the total project budget.
Can I include capital expenses in my budget
Yes, as long as they are directly related to the arts, humanities, or science activity.
Can Creative Experiences funding be used to cover administrative expenses, such as food and beverages, supplies and materials, and payment of staff?
Yes, there is no limit on overhead or indirect costs regardless of the size of the project. However, the costs must be directly associated with the activity you are applying for under this grant program. For example, a budget item for staff time should only include the staff time required for this specific experience.
What if my experience/activity has a higher budget than the requested grant amount?
Your budget should include the full cost of the experience, not just expenses you are asking the grant program to cover. This means that if the budget exceeds the requested grant amount, please still include the full cost in your application. This will not affect whether your project gets funded and it’s good data for us to know when we evaluate our grant program.
Applicant Eligibility
How can I tell if my organization is incorporated in Massachusetts?
You may search for your organization using the search function on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporations Division’s website. When you find your organization, you can click on your organization’s record to see the status of your incorporation and any related filings. If your organization’s status is listed as revoked or dissolved on the SOC website, we will be unable to award you a grant. Your organization may also be at risk for liability and other issues, and you should work with the SOC to address it as soon as possible.
Does my organization need to have federal tax-exempt status?
No. If your organization is incorporated or registered in the state of Massachusetts and not dissolved or revoked, you are eligible. If your organization is not incorporated or registered in Massachusetts, you may apply using a fiscal agent.
My organization is in a state other than Massachusetts? Can we apply?
Yes, but you may have additional requirements in order to be eligible. Nonprofit and for-profit entities need to be registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and have a Massachusetts address. Unincorporated organizations must have a Massachusetts address and conduct the majority of their group’s programming in Massachusetts. The proposed experience must be in Massachusetts.
Do we need to be a federally recognized tribal government to apply?
No, Native American and/or Indigenous organizations may be eligible with other legal statuses as well, including for-profits, nonprofits, and unincorporated organizations.
Are DESE Adult Education (AE) Providers and other types of schools eligible?
Yes, they are. Because AE Providers include nonprofit community-based organizations, religious institutions, and local governments when you complete the eligibility quiz, do not select the PreK-12 school option. Select the organization type that matches the AE provider’s status, i.e. nonprofit, government entity, etc. Similarly, if you are another type of school, such as a nonprofit community music school, or for-profit dance studio, do not select K-12 school in the eligibility quiz. Instead select the legal status that aligns with your school.
Can I apply as an individual?
No, this program is for organizations.
I operate as a sole proprietorship, or a single-member Limited Liability Company, am I eligible?
No, these types of entities are considered individuals, and individuals are not eligible to apply to this program.
I am an artist, can I apply for a grant on behalf of an organization to present my work at their venue?
No, only authorized representatives can register under an organization. Authorized representatives have permission to act on the organization’s behalf, either as a member of the organization’s board or staff, or as someone duly authorized in writing by the organization to register as a contact for the organization to submit applications (i.e., grant writer, contractor, volunteer, etc.). Individuals that act on behalf of an organization without permission, may result in the withdrawal of any/all applications submitted, cancellation of any/all grants awarded, and the removal the individual’s profile from the organization’s record.
Can religious organizations apply for funding?
Yes, religious organizations or groups with religious affiliations are eligible to apply if the experience/activity meets all other eligibility requirements and does not include activities that are ‘inherently religious’ such as religious worship, instruction, and/or proselytization.
Can a state-designated Cultural District apply for funding?
No. All state-designated Cultural Districts receive a separate noncompetitive grant from Mass Cultural Council. This is true for Cultural Districts that have incorporated, and for Cultural Districts managed by municipalities or independent 501(c)3 organizations.
501(c)3 organizations that also manage a Cultural District: The 501(c)3 organization may only apply for Creative Experiences if it has operations that are independent of the Cultural District. Their application can mention that they are the manager of the Cultural District but should not include the activities of the Cultural District as activities of the managing organization. If the Cultural District and the 501(c)3 are substantially the same organization (no separate programs/activities) they are not eligible.
Municipalities: A municipality can apply to Creative Experiences for a program other than a Cultural District, if it has activities under another entity/organization. They should start a profile in our grants management system, identifying the municipality as the parent organization.
What does it mean to apply with a fiscal agent?
A fiscal agent is an organization that agrees to act as the legal and contractual representative of the unincorporated group. They can provide a variety of services as part of the agreement, but the most important is that they maintain supervision over the funds, making sure that they are used for the purpose of the agreement.
Grantees using a fiscal agent will not be paid directly, the fiscal agent will complete the contract and receive the payment on the grantees’ behalf.
Eligible fiscal agents must have active 501(c)3 status with the IRS and be registered to do business in Massachusetts – meaning they are listed in the Corporate Division’s Business Entity database (not dissolved or revoked) or registered with the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Nonprofit Organizations/Public Charities Division. For the purpose of this program, Massachusetts municipalities are also able to serve as an applicant’s fiscal agent.
Does a fiscal sponsor with an address from another state have the ability to do business in Massachusetts?
They would need to be registered as a Foreign Corporation with the MA Secretary of the Commonwealth or registered with the MA Attorney General’s Public Charities Division.
If my nonprofit fiscal agent has received funding through Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations – but is acting as a fiscal agent for my organization – is my organization eligible for funding through this program?
Yes, an organization receiving support through the Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations can serve as a fiscal agent for another applicant.
Can individuals apply if they get a fiscal agent?
No, individuals are not eligible to apply.
What is the difference between a fiscal agent and a parent organization?
A parent organization is the larger organization which coordinates, supervises, or exercises control over policy, fundraising, and expenditures at your organization, while fiscal agents only agree to act as the legal and contractual representative for an unincorporated organization. If your organization is a program of, department of, or a branch of a larger organization, then that organization is your parent organization. A parent organization and their “child organization” share the same tax identification number as well.
Examples of child and parent organizations, NOT fiscal agents, may include a museum at a university, the parks department of a city or town, and the Massachusetts branch of a national organization.
Can each applicant submit more than one application? Can multiple applications be submitted by related organizations or for the same experience?
No, each applicant can only submit one FY26 Creative Experiences application. Additionally, each experience will only be funded once per cycle. If multiple applications are submitted for the same project, priority will be given to the primary producer, and/or the highest-scoring application will be kept, while the others will be deemed ineligible.
Multiple, duplicate, and/or overlapping applications are ineligible because funding is limited.
What are some examples of organizations that CANNOT both receive funding, so should be sure to coordinate and communicate before applying?
Scenario 1: Organization/School & Department/Program of the Organization/School
- A university and the university theater department
- A Robotics club and an art club at a high school
- A museum and the museum’s education department
Scenario 2: Organization/School & Fundraising/support organization of the Organization/School
- An elementary school and its PTO
- A Library and its Friends of the Library Association
- A charter school and its foundation
Scenario 3: Organization/School & Guest/Partner organization presenting at/with the Organization/School
- An organization doing a wellness workshop at a senior center and the senior center applying for a painting class
- A dance organization taking part in a performing arts center’s summer a summer theatre camp
Scenario 4: Organization/School & Organization participating in the Organization/School’s festival/event
- A band and an art collective applying for the same Open Studios event they are both participating in
- Multiple organizations participating in the same festival
- An elementary school and a science organization applying for the same science fair for the 2nd grade classroom
If we received a grant from a Local Cultural Council, does this count as being ‘previously funded’?
If you only received funding from Local Cultural Councils, your organization won’t be considered as receiving previous funding from Mass Cultural Council.
A reminder that only in-state field trips are eligible for this program.
Can I apply to Operating Grants for Organizations and Creative Experiences?
Yes, organizations may apply to both Operating Grants for Organizations and Creative Experiences, however, an organization can ultimately only receive funding from one of these programs. Applications to the two programs are reviewed independently, and there is no guarantee of funding from either program. If an organization is awarded an Operating Grant, that grant takes precedence, and they will not receive a Creative Experiences grant.
Online Application
How do I access the online application?
Start by registering in the Agency’s grants management system as an organization if you are applying for a grant on behalf of an organization, school, City/Town, or another group. In this case, the organization is the applicant and grant recipient, and you are the primary contact for the application.
Typing your organization’s name into the ‘Organization Name’ field will prompt a list of organizations already registered in our system. Select your organization from the list, and then complete your contact information. If your organization is not listed, follow the directions to add your organization information and your contact information to register your organization.
To see if you already have a profile in the grants management system, log in and click ‘Forgot password?’ and enter your email address. If the email you entered matches the one in our system, you will be sent an email from ‘masscultural_noreply@smartsimple.com’ with instructions for resetting your password.
How do I know if I have an individual account or an organization account in the grants management system?
- If you have an individual user account, your portal displays ‘My Profile’.
- If you have an organization account, your portal page shows ‘My Profile’ and ‘My Organization Profile’.
Can I submit the application even if my BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Centered Organization or Card to Culture prioritization points aren’t showing up yet?
Yes, you can. Mass Cultural Council staff will be reviewing BIPOC-Centered Organization and Card to Culture applications. Once those reviews are complete, the points will be added retroactively in our grants management system.
How do I know if my application has been successfully submitted?
You should be able to see a ‘Congratulations’ header at the top of your submitted application on the grants management system and receive a confirmation email.
Grant Decisions & Payment
How many grants will be awarded?
The number of grants awarded through this program is dependent upon the Agency’s FY26 state budget appropriation and our FY26 spending plan which is expected to be approved by the governing Council in August 2025.
How do we check the status of a grant?
We anticipate notifying applicants about the outcome of their application in September 2025, and will update the timeline in our program guidelines if that changes. You are also welcome to contact us with any questions.
If funded, when would we receive the grant?
If your grant has been approved, you will receive an electronic funds transfer after your contract with us is fully executed. This is usually 4-6 weeks after Mass Cultural Council receives your completed grant contract package. We expect to be able to send contracts to grantees in late-September through October 2025. Please note: This timeline is subject to change, and awardees need to complete a multi-step contracting process before funds can be disbursed. Applicants with funded activities happening before that time may be paid retroactively.
Can we hold over funds for another related experience?
You are unable to hold over funds. Grant funds need to be spent on your proposed projects unless discussed with Mass Cultural staff after the approval process.
How do we request a modification to our original proposal and description?
It is suggested that you reach out to staff with your request to modify your original proposal. Staff will then make an internal note on your application. You will fill out the final report with updated details regarding your new project or festival.
We are not able to hold our experience within the time frame of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025. Do we lose our grant funding?
You have a few options:
- Discuss with staff about a project modification that will still happen within the timeframe. Staff will make a note on your application, and you will provide details about your updated project or festival on the final report.
- If your project or festival needs to be postponed until after June 30, 2026, you will fill out the final report after you conclude your program, but you will not be eligible to apply for the FY27 cycle that opens Spring 2026.
Additional Questions?
Technical questions about the online application or grants management system? Contact our grants team.
Programmatic questions about application requirements? Email our program staff or call 617-858-2821.
