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Opportunities & Resources for Orgs – Sept 26
Mass Cultural Council Staff
Each month Mass Cultural Council shares a round-up of grants, trainings, technical assistance resources, and opportunities for 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.)
Funding
Mass Cultural Council’s complete list of FY27 grant opportunities for the cultural sector are now available at a glance.
- The Local Cultural Council Program provides grants for thousands of community-based arts and culture projects. Public programs will be supported in every community in Massachusetts. Info session: Sept. 10. Deadline: Oct. 15, 2026.
- The Tribal Cultural Council (TCC) Program supports Native American and Indigenous communities by providing funds for tribal governments to grant to projects that provide tribal community benefit. Grants are available from 4 TCCs this year to support projects that meet specific tribal criteria. Individuals, groups, and organizations may apply. Info session: Sept. 10. Deadline: Oct. 15, 2026.
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ Flexible Funding 2027 program provides unrestricted financial support to sustain day-to-day operations of nonprofit organizations serving Franklin, Hampden, and/or Hampshire counties. Deadline: Sept. 4, 2026.
Community Foundation of North Central offers Community Enrichment grants to support activities that enhance the vitality of our communities, including activities that promote local arts, culture, creativity, civic engagement, and community development. Deadline: Sept. 11, 2026.
Community Foundation of Metro West’s Human Services grant offer annual one-time general operating grants to advance equitable access to opportunities and resources, fostering a diverse and inclusive MetroWest community where individuals and households can access services and resources that enhance quality of life. Eligible applicants include 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or organizations with an eligible fiscal sponsor. Deadline: Sept. 11, 2026.
Schwartz Charitable Foundation provides support for several program interests including but not limited to area museums and art institutions, education, recreation and youth development, scholarship funds, research and local fundraising. Applications for support are accepted from 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations throughout the year and reviewed quarterly. Almost all grants are made in support of institutions in Worcester County. Deadline: Sept. 11, 2026.
Sincere Foundation Grant offers support to registered 501(c)3 organizations and programs that address basic needs of food security, housing stability and safe spaces within Massachusetts. Grant requests of up to $25,000 will be considered and reviewed for the impact of the requested grant on the organization and/or project/program to be funded and the financial size and strength of the organization. Deadline: Sept. 14, 2026.
Cummings Foundation’s $35 million Local Grant Program is a place-based initiative that primarily supports nonprofits in the Massachusetts counties where Cummings Foundation operates commercial properties and focuses on funding a wide variety of local causes related to: human services, fairness and justice, education, healthcare and the environment. Deadline: Sept. 16, 2026.
MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau’s FY27 Mini-Grant Program helps members promote attractions, events, businesses, and experiences throughout the region. Revie w the program guidelines and FAQs before applying.Deadline: Jan. 15, 2027.
Art Preservation Fund, a newly launched national initiative, will offer grants to 501(c)3 organizations whose collections include items of artistic, cultural, or historical significance to expand access to conservation funding and expertise for museums, historical societies, archives, tribal organizations, and other nonprofit collecting institutions across the United States.
Learn about funding opportunities using Syncurrent, a Mass Municipal Association tool available to all 351 Massachusetts municipalities to easily identify, qualify for, and pursue state and federal funding opportunities.
The City of Boston and the Age Strong Commission have launched Age Strong Rolling Grants designed to better support community organizations and individuals working with older adults age 55+ in Boston. This program funded by the City will award up to $150,000 to organizations. Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded on a rolling basis, with recipients announced at least every two months. Deadline: Rolling.
Things to Attend
Built Environment Plus is offering a Green Professional Operations & Maintenance Essentials Certification program. Help your facilities team improve building performance, reduce energy and operating costs, and advance organizational sustainability goals with a live, virtual, 12-hour certification training on Sept. 8, 15, 22, and 29. Designed for facility and property managers, building operators, maintenance teams, and facilities staff, the course includes a customized building action plan and a Green Professional (GPRO) certification, and additional credit options.
Join Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) for a Commonwealth Conversation with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. This timely discussion will explore key legal, regulatory, and public policy issues affecting employers and the Commonwealth’s business community. In-person, Boston: Sept. 15, 2026 3-5pm.
Join VOX’s webinar, Purple Pointers – Activating Accessibility with Community-Vetted Tips & Tricks. on Sept. 22, 2026. Learn about field-tested accessibility solutions for theaters, museums, and public spaces. The session will share attainable and sustainable strategies vetted by their network and community of emerging and experienced Deaf, Blind, disabled and neurodivergent creatives and consultants.
Register to be a virtual participant in Bridging Visual Arts & Healthcare: Impact, Innovation, Research, a Mass General Brigham symposium building community between the visual arts and healthcare professions, educators, and artists. Through an exchange of methodologies and emerging research, participants will share unique curricula and learn about the emerging evidence to improve healthcare professionals’ skills and effectiveness as well as positively impact patient outcomes. Keynotes: Dr. Daisy Fancourt and Dr. Vivek Murthy. Sept. 23-25, 2026.
Join Mass Cultural Council and the ArtStaysHere Coalition for a new Creative Space Development Network Accelerator (DNA) online discussion for those who are developing, operating, and advocating for a healthier creative space ecosystem across the state. Sept. 25, 2026 at 12pm.
Liberty Bank offers the Academy for Small Businesses, a series of free classes that help creative business owners feel more confident about unleashing their earning potential by equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to grow. Each session is 10 classes. There are typically two classes each week, spread over 5-6 weeks.
Register for upcoming Office of Youth-Engagement and Advancement (OYEA) Professional Development Trainings. These in-person trainings are free to attend for all youth-serving professionals in Boston and breakfast/lunch is provided. Contact Daniel Bryan with any questions.
Other
Nonprofit Net of Greater Boston is accepting applications for its Leadership Acceleration Program. This grant offers a free nine-month leadership development experience for nonprofit executive directors, providing a unique opportunity to develop leadership skills, advance their organization’s goals, and build a network of support. Key components of the program include a focus on a significant project of their choice, ongoing executive coaching, peer group connections and leadership tools. Deadline: Sept. 10, 2026 at 5pm.
UMass Lowell’s Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition (CELT) Municipal Fellowship program is helping municipalities and organizations receive six months of no-cost support from a current college student in Massachusetts to advance local clean energy and sustainability initiatives.
NJPAC Arts & Well-Being has launched ACCESS: Arts & Culture for Community health: Education & Skill-building Series. These online, asynchronous, affordable courses are designed to support capacity building for artists and arts organizations — increasing access to education on arts in health topics with an emphasis on practical knowledge and skills that can immediately be applied in arts, health, community, and other settings. Available on demand.
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.