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New Capital Investments of $706,000 Awarded for 4 Cultural Facilities
Christian Kelly, Public Relations & Events Manager
Mass Cultural Council and MassDevelopment today announce that four organizations will receive a combined $706,000 through the Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF).
CFF provides capital and planning grants to nonprofit organizations, colleges, and municipalities that own or operate facilities primarily focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences. These awards invest in the acquisition, design, repair, renovation, expansion, construction, and long-term planning of nonprofit and municipal cultural facilities. All selected projects are subject to a 1:1 matching requirement.
The Cultural Facilities Fund is funded annually through the Governor’s Capital Spending Plan. In FY27 the Healey-Driscoll administration invested $10 million into CFF, which supports this grant round and the additional awards that the Agencies anticipate making in the spring.
“Arts and culture are a huge part of what makes Massachusetts a great place to live, work, and visit, and it’s an important part of our economy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “That’s why we’re investing more than $700,000 to help these organizations renovate and restore their facilities, improve accessibility, and create new spaces for people to come together. We’re proud to support the organizations that create jobs, bring people into our communities and make Massachusetts such a special place to call home.”
“To be successful in their mission, a cultural organization needs an effective space to do their work,” said David T. Slatery, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. “Through these investments, we are helping organizations address real facility needs, welcome more people through their doors, and ensure that communities across Massachusetts continue to have places to gather, create, learn, and connect.”
“Massachusetts is fortunate to be home to a distinguished network of world-class museums, theaters, historical societies, and other cultural facilities that fuel our creative economy,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “MassDevelopment is proud to jointly administer the Cultural Facilities Fund with Mass Cultural Council, and we thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration and legislature for supporting this investment in the future of our cultural institutions.”
Four new FY27 CFF grant awards were approved by a vote of the MassDevelopment Board of Directors, totaling $706,000:
- Illuminate Creative & Theatrical Arts Co. in Attleboro received a $200,000 capital grant to support phase one of the restoration of the Union Theatre.
- Orleans Historical Society in Orleans received a $200,000 capital grant to create the Ocean Rescue Museum of Cape Cod to house the historic CG36500 motor lifeboat known for “the greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history”.
- Hyde Square Task Force in Boston received a $200,000 capital grant to support the construction of a Community Performance Space in the former Blessed Sacrament Church building.
- Montserrat College of Art Gallery in Beverly received a $106,000 capital grant for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades and elevator restoration.
“For more than 20 years, the Union Theatre has been Attleboro’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ – a beloved historic theater, remarkably intact, filled with the memories of generations who gathered there for movies, performances, and community events,” said Jennifer Keating, Founder & Executive Director, Illuminate Creative & Theatrical Arts Co.
“Our dream has always been about more than reopening a building; it is about creating a cultural hub where new generations can gather and make memories of their own. This generous investment from the Cultural Facilities Fund brings us significantly closer to the moment our community has been waiting for: turning on the lights at the Union Theatre once again.”
“Receiving support through the Cultural Facilities Fund is a significant milestone for the Ocean Rescue Museum of Cape Cod,” said Liz Adams, Campaign Director, Orleans Historical Society.
“This grant provides critical momentum as we work to preserve the CG36500 and honor the remarkable courage of the four coast guardsmen who carried out one of the greatest small-boat rescues in history. It not only advances our efforts to build a permanent home for this iconic vessel but also reinforces the importance of preserving and sharing Cape Cod’s maritime heritage.”
“We are grateful to the Mass Cultural Council and MassDevelopment for investing in our community and our youth,” said Celina Miranda, Executive Director of Hyde Square Task Force.
“Investing in Hyde Square Task Force’s infrastructure allows us to continue what we do best – empower youth through Afro-Latin arts, culture, and educational programming. Not only does this grant help elevate our programming, but it also helps to ensure that Boston’s Latin Quarter remains an invested in and growing community – not just for the youth we serve, but for the entire city.”
“This support from the Cultural Facilities Fund will provide vital improvements to Montserrat’s Hardie building, an anchor of Downtown Beverly’s Arts District that welcomes thousands of visitors from the North Shore community and beyond,” said Brian Pellinen, President, Montserrat College of Art.
“Through this funding, the college strengthens our commitment to removing barriers to the arts and preserving cultural spaces, allowing improved and expanded access to our year-round arts programming, including exhibitions, lectures, and workshops.”
FY27 CFF Application Now Open
Applications are now open for the FY27 CFF grant cycle. Nonprofits, municipalities, and colleges with cultural facilities seeking capital or planning assistance are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is December 10, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced in June 2027.
Three types of awards are available:
- Capital Grants, which support the acquisition, design, construction, repair, renovation, rehabilitation or other capital improvements or deferred maintenance of a cultural facility.
- Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grants, for costs and expenses related to overall planning and feasibility for a proposed eligible project.
- Systems Replacement Plan Grants (SRP), A 20-year capital needs assessment conducted by a preselected contractor hired by the Cultural Facilities Fund to assess the facility’s structure and its mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems.
Applicants seeking more information are encouraged to review the program guidelines, register for an information session, and/or attend virtual staff office hours.