Power of Culture Blog
Adapting Public Buildings for Creative Uses – The 204
A case study providing guidance for cultural organizations and municipalities considering adaptive reuse of space within their communities
Mass Cultural Council Staff
Each month Mass Cultural Council shares a round-up of grants, trainings, technical assistance resources, and opportunities for creative and cultural organizations (a companion to our Useful Links page). This list is not meant to be exhaustive but a glimpse of what is on offer in the coming weeks. (We also publish a weekly Artist Opportunities listing.)
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has launched of the Live Theater Tax Credit Pilot Program which will award up to $7 million a year in tax credits for live theater productions in Massachusetts. Nonprofits are eligible. Deadline: August 26, 2025 at 5pm.
The City of Boston will invest $1.5 million into community-based youth programming through the 2026 Youth Development Fund. Deadline: August 26, 2025 at 5pm.
The Mass Department of Energy Resources’ Green Communities Division is offering Regional School District Decarbonization Grants A recorded info session is available. Deadline: September 5, 2025.
The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts will begin accepting applications for the Flexible Funding 2026 program on August 5, 2025. Flexible Funding aims to provide unrestricted financial support to sustain day-to-day operations of nonprofit organizations serving Franklin, Hampden, and/or Hampshire Counties. Deadline: September 8, 2025 at 12pm.
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Deadline: Rolling.
The Brooks and Joan Fortune Family Foundation provides funds to support education, art, and outreach programs and projects. Projects with clear activities and goals with a defined outcome are preferred. Funding requests between $1,000 and $10,000 will receive greater consideration. Deadline: Rolling.
Mattina R. Proctor Foundation provides project support to help nonprofit organizations in Maine and Massachusetts with projects focused on education, music, arts, and media to bolster their communities. Grants up to $50,000 are available. Deadline: Rolling.
Healthy Places by Design offers Collaboration Labs, a practice-tested approach that builds participants’ confidence and capacity in collective leadership, cross-sector partnerships, building trust, and navigating power. The full program is not free; however, they offer a virtual, free introductory session to see if the program would be a fit for your organization. August 7, 2025 from 3-4:30pm.
Verizon’s Small Business Forward: Boston Thrive will provide an overview of Small Business Digital Ready, their free learning platform offering on-demand courses, expert coaching, networking and grant opportunities. August 7, 2025 from 3-6pm at Verizon’s Downtown Crossing Store, 340 Washington St, Boston.
Candid is offering a webinar on how to raise more money from your community through peer-to-peer and digital-first fundraising. Join Floyd Jones—founder of BackBlack and national leader in community-centered fundraising—will lead this session. Registration required. August 13, 2025 from 2-3:30pm.
New England Museum Association presents Risk Preparedness in an Ever-Changing World: Five Key Strategies for Protecting Your Collection. In today’s dynamic environment, safeguarding your valuable collection requires more than just standard precautions. Join them for an insightful session where they’ll delve into the essential elements of risk management tailored to the modern landscape. Registration required. August 27, 2025 from 12-1pm.
Access/VSA is hosting Access Unlocked: How AI is Empowering Independent Exploration of Museums and Public Spaces on September 10, 2025 at 3pm. This webinar will explore practical and innovative accessibility solutions that enhance the experience of visitors who are blind or have low vision in museums and public spaces. It will highlight real-world examples of how AI-driven tools are enabling independent exploration through object recognition and contextual interpretation. The session will demonstrate how thoughtful integration of technology can support meaningful, self-guided engagement for all visitors. Free for members, $15 for non-members.
National Preservation Institute offers a variety of trainings and courses available with a focus on topics of current concern to individuals and professionals involved in the management and stewardship of cultural and historic resources, charged with compliance and contracting, and/or involved in the cultural resource and environmental management process.
Apply to UMASS Arts Extension Service’s Clean Energy in the Cultural Sector Cohort, a new and year-long program with financial support that guides arts and culture organizations in environmental justice communities to reduce emissions, cut energy costs, and take climate action. Space is limted to eight nonprofits. Deadline: August 8, 2025.
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations is now accepting Request for Proposals for sessions at their GEO 2026 National Conference that will take place on June 1-3, 2026 in Boston. Deadline: August 11, 2025.
The Social Innovation Forum is now accepting applications for the Accelerator Program which provides participating nonprofit organizations (Social Innovators) with support and resources to deepen and expand their work and impact in Eastern Massachusetts. This two-year program offers in-depth consulting, executive coaching, presentation advising, access to unrestricted grants, and more. Deadline: August 12, 2025.
UMASS Arts Extension Service is now open for enrollment for fall online courses for both credit and non-credit courses in Arts Management. Some courses include Board Development, Cultural Equity in the Arts, and Financial Management in the Arts.
Report your federal funding cuts to the administration. The Healey-Driscoll Administration launched a public launched a public dashboard showcasing current federal funding cuts to Commonwealth services and programs, and a federal funding issue reporting form for non-state entities. If your city, town, nonprofit organization, or business has been impacted by federal government actions, please use the form to tell them about your experience. This information will inform policymakers across state agencies as we develop the state’s response to directives from the federal government.
Does your organization have federal grants that have been frozen or are at-risk? Here are a few potential resources (This message does not constitute legal advice.):
The state’s Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) continues to update their site with technical assistance resources for both grant development and implementation. As part of FFIO’s statewide tour, they’re collecting information from municipalities and organizations on their communities’ priority infrastructure projects and technical assistance needs. Please take a few minutes to fill out their survey.
Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) has also recently launched new resources for municipalities on the Direct Pay Tax Credits established by the Inflation Reduction Act, which can allow cities and towns to receive a cash refund from the IRS for certain clean energy projects.
Read Previous Months’ Listings
If you have an opportunity or resource for cultural organizations that you’d like to pitch for our monthly round-up, please email us. Efforts to submit the opportunity in a format similar to our standard (see listings above) are deeply appreciated. Because space is limited, the best submissions are 60 words or fewer and include links to web pages with more information.
