Credit and Publicity Kit

Contact State Officials

Please take a few minutes to thank those elected officials responsible for appropriating funds to the Mass Cultural Council:

The State House Representative and Senator for your legislative district. Find your legislators.

Governor Maura Healey
Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll
Senate President Karen Spilka
Senator Paul Mark, Senate Chair – Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, & Cultural Development
House Speaker Ronald Mariano
Representative Mindy Domb, House Chair – Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, & Cultural Development

Address your letters to:
(Name of Legislator)
State House
Boston, MA 02133

Letter Writing Suggestions

• Keep your letters/emails to about one printed page.
• Get your organization’s board chair to sign the letter.
• Thank officials for this year’s Mass Cultural Council appropriation and for your grant.
• Tell compelling stories about how your work impacts the community.
• Emphasize its public benefits (e.g., promoting education, access for underserved communities, economic impact).
• List private dollars your organization has raised to match the state grant and describe how the state grant helps leverage these dollars.

Sample letter/email to a Legislator

The Honorable Ronald Mariano
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Massachusetts State House
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Speaker Mariano:

I am pleased to report that we have received a grant of $3,000 from the Mass Cultural Council. Thank you for your continued support of the agency.

Mass Cultural Council support is an essential component of our organizational infrastructure. It is an investment in our institution as well as in the community we serve. Here at the Young People’s Center for the Arts, young people gain technical skills in the arts, and develop self-confidence and poise that will help them succeed.

I hope we can welcome you at the Young People’s Center for the Arts soon, so we can show you firsthand how your support impacts our community. I will contact you within the next few weeks to schedule a time when you might come see our center at work. In addition, we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary on April 1. I invite you to save the date and join us in celebrating this achievement. We would be most honored if you would say a few words at our gala event.

Thank you again for this investment in the Mass Cultural Council and in our organization. We will be in touch with news about our organization and to make arrangements for our spring celebration.

Sincerely,
Jane Monet
Executive Director

Get Legislators Involved

It may be helpful to think about our state legislators as another stakeholder in your institution—like a member or corporate donor. Here are some ways to connect your work with their public policy agenda:

• Meet with legislators in your institution’s district to talk to them personally about the importance of funding cultural activities.
• Give your legislators posters from your organization or arrange to set up revolving exhibits in their offices.
• Invite legislators to performances, openings and classes. Publicly recognize them at the events, and give them an opportunity to speak.
• Add legislators to your mailing lists for events, media announcements, and newsletters.
• Include legislators in your social media work. ‘Like’ your legislators on Facebook. ‘Follow’ them on Twitter. Then, be sure to acknowledge their support/attendance with a post on your wall/feed and their wall/feed.

Next: Acknowledging Mass Cultural Council Support