Power of Culture Blog
Government Support, Rising Costs & the Road to Recovery in Massachusetts’ Arts Sector
New SMU DataArts study examines financial and operating trends of a cohort of cultural organizations from 2019-2022
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.)
Upcoming Mass Cultural Council grant opportunities:
The City of Boston‘s S.P.A.C.E. (Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises) Grant Program seeks to fill vacant storefronts and help small business owners secure new storefront space or expand to a space by subsidizing the costs associated with operating expenses. This program has a priority for industries that were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including art, entertainment, and creative economy. Virtual office hours: Fridays 12-1pm. Deadline: Nov. 10, 2023 at 5pm.
Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants of $100K enable US-based nonprofits and government agencies to work directly with local stakeholders to transform public spaces or co-create new ones. Informational webinar is Nov. 3. Deadline: Nov. 13, 2023.
Mass DOER Green Communities Division:
The New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC) is accepting applications to its NB100! program offering aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to apply for a kick-starter grant of up to $10,000. Deadline: Nov. 30, 2023. Email NBEDC to learn more.
New England Foundation for the Arts is supporting public artmaking through the Public Art for Spatial Justice Grant. Office hours available. Deadline: Dec. 4, 2023.
The Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) is looking for arts organizations who want to support the next generation of brilliant, creative minds. To be a part of their DYS Arts Partner Roster, submit a bid by Dec. 11, 2023 at 4pm. There’s an information session for organizations that are new to state business on Nov. 6, 2023 at 11am. Questions? Contact Sandra Stearns (sandra.r.stearns@mass.gov) or Phillip Davis (phillip.w.davis@mass.gov).
Applications are now open for grants up to $20,000 to support the National Endowment for the Arts‘ Big Read projects between September 2024 & June 2025 around the theme “Where We Live.” Register for an information session on Nov. 15. The Intent to Apply deadline is Jan. 10, 2024. Learn more.
National Endowment for the Arts’ Our Town Creative Placemaking Technical Assistance Program Webinar: Strategies for Funding and Expanding Creative Community Work will take place on Nov. 1, 2023 from 2-3pm.
New England Foundation for the Arts’ Idea Swap is the annual event for New England-based nonprofit cultural organizations and touring artists to network and share ideas for touring projects. The cost is $80. $25 for post-event online access. The event will take place at Nashua Center for the Arts on Nov. 13, 2023 from 10am-4pm. Register by Nov. 7, 2023.
Philanthropy MA is presenting a virtual webinar, A Sampling of FREE Nonprofit and Foundation Research Resources. Join them for an overview of free research resources such as impala, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, and more. In this demo-rich session, highly experienced presenters will work through a variety of research scenarios and address your questions in an informal, working group format. Nov. 8, 2023 from 10-11:30am.
Access/VSA at The Kennedy Center is hosting a webinar, From Checklist to Culture Shift: Crafting an Anti-Ableism Training on Nov. 8, 2023 from 3-4:30pm. Participants will engage in discussion and planning for creating an anti-ableism training for institutions, shifting from access as add-on to true inclusion and belonging. Free for members, $10 for non-members.
Mass NonProfit News is partnering with Insource Services to present a webinar on how to best utilize IT Automation for HR through Microsoft Office Suite and benefit from Microsoft’s Nonprofit Discount. Nov. 9, 2023 at 11am.
Arts & Business Council of Boston is holding a Nonprofit Incorporation Seminar, designed to better help organizations navigate the process of becoming a nonprofit. This workshop will be held in person at the offices of Goodwin Procter (100 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210) and presented by Luke Blackadar (A&BC/VLA), Susan Abbott (Goodwin Procter), and Shifrah Halevi (Lawyers Clearinghouse). Nov. 9, 2023 from 4-6pm.
National Guild for Community Arts Education is hosting Organizational Liberation: Shifting Towards Human-Centered Policies, a virtual workshop on Nov. 9-10, 2023 where participants will engage with the highly skilled team at Healing Equity United to learn the historic and current complexities of Human Resources and organizational management, uncover harmful workplace ideologies, examine one’s organization handbook and policies, and ways to begin building new drafted practices that are human-centered and anti-‘isms’.
The Attorney General’s Community Engagement Division, in collaboration with our Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division, is offering Live Support: How to use the Massachusetts Online Registration and Filing Portal for Public Charities. The next session will be held Nov. 14, 2023 at 10:30am.
Candid is presenting a webinar, From scarcity to abundance, with PEAK Grantmaking that will explore the norms in the philanthropy field that have lead to a scarcity mindset and discuss how practices must shift and adapt to break this mindset and move into an abundance mindset. Nov. 14, 2023 from 2-3pm.
Join M&T Bank Nonprofit Consortium: Workshop Series Transform Your Nonprofit Website presented by Essex County Community Foundation and Jennifer Belanger of JennyB Designs on Nov. 16, 2023. 8-10am at The House of the Seven Gables. Belanger will help nonprofit leaders learn how to transform a nonprofit website into a donor and client attracting machine. This in-person workshop is free for nonprofit staff, but advance registration is required.
Register for Philanthropy Massachusetts and the Social Justice Funders Network’s virtual session Supporting Grassroots Organizations Through Philanthropic Intermediaries on Nov. 16, 2023 from 10:30am-12pm. This session is for funders and organizations interested in learning more about collective, collaborative, and participatory grant making approaches and on-ramps to supporting the grassroots in a robust way.
artEquity is building their next BIPOC Leadership Circle Cohort. Complete their interest form by Nov. 17, 2023.
Payette, a multidisciplinary architecture firm based in downtown Boston that works with community partners all over the region to provide design services pro-bono on MLK day, has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for MLK Day of Service 2024. Their final deliverables vary depending on the project but in the past have included plans, renderings, and physical mockups for organizations to use in near term or future projects. Due Nov. 17, 2023.
The National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response encourages arts administrators to apply to be coaches in its Crisis Analysis & Mitigation Coaching Program. Applicants should be employed in a national, state, or local arts agency or organization with the ability to add arts responder duties to their job responsibilities for at least one year. Application deadline: Nov. 20, 2023. Learn more.
Springboard for the Arts’ Art-Train is an agency/organization training for staff at government agencies, tribal councils, community nonprofits and arts councils to develop strategies to reach and engage more people, increase community relevance and connection, and find innovative ways to be more effective – and create authentic, equitable and lasting change. Trainings are offered on an ongoing basis. Pricing is based on organizational size. Next session is Nov. 28, 2023 from 2-5pm.
The Kennedy Center’s Office of Accessibility is seeking proposals for the 2024 LEAD® Conference that approach accessibility from a human and civil rights perspective; provide practical information addressing current trends and opportunities in this field; actively engage participants through discussion and/or hands-on activities; explore accessibility for a variety of cultural arts organizations, including performing arts centers, museums, theaters, state arts agencies, parks, zoos, and arenas; and are designed for new, mid-career, and/or seasoned professionals. Deadline: Dec. 11, 2023.
The online dPlan|ArtsReady planning tool guides you through steps of creating elements of your performing arts organization’s emergency plan. Request a free year of access. Begin your plan today by visiting their web site.
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.
