Power of Culture Blog
Card to Culture Shout Out – Oct
We are grateful to these 50 cultural organizations committed to a more accessible cultural sector
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 US Department of Transportation’s Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program funds projects for planning and design phase activities for developing transportation projects in rural or tribal communities. Estimated deadline: Oct. 8, 2925.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation offers Education Enrichment grants, artist grants and grants for nonprofits across four counties. Deadline: Oct. 15, 2025 unless otherwise noted.
A. J. Muste Foundation for Peace + Justice’s Organizing Grants of up to $10,000 are available to U.S.-based activist projects fighting for systemic change, especially those challenging militarism, economic injustice, and mass incarceration. They prioritize smaller groups with bold, creative strategies and limited access to mainstream funding. Deadline: Oct. 20, 2025.
D’Addario Music Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that provide free or affordable music instruction to communities that would not otherwise have access to this opportunity. Grants up to $5,000. Learn more and apply. Deadline: Oct. 31, 2025.
Metro Credit Union Foundation’s 2025 Invested In Our Communities grant program is open to nonprofit organizations with a mission or focus on Community Development, Securing Safe & Affordable Housing, or Financial Wellness & Advancement. Deadline: Oct. 31, 2025.
The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation supports organizations and programs for which a relatively small amount of funding might make a large difference. Funding priorities include museums, arts and cultural programs, schools, hospitals, youth and senior services, disability programs, environmental and wildlife protection, and other local initiatives. Deadline: Nov. 10, 2025.
The Alliance for Digital Equity is providing an opportunity to advance digital equity through its Community Space Public Wi-Fi Program. Entities must be ready and able to expand public internet access, and have primary operations in western Massachusetts or municipalities in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, or Hampshire counties. The overarching intent is to provide access to the internet for low-income or otherwise digitally disenfranchised people. Deadline: Late Fall 2025.
Join Mass Cultural Council for a regional grant celebration. Network with staff, LCC members, and partners in the cultural sector.
Save the Dates:
Register for Mass Cultural Council’s Spotlight Series webinar on the Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub where Open Door Arts will provide an overview of their new resource for cultural organizations looking to continue their accessibility journey. Oct. 8, 2025 at 3pm.
Are you a current or aspiring PK-12 arts leader looking for a free way to boost your leadership to advance arts education in Massachusetts? Join the 2025-26 Arts Leaders Network (now in its sixth year) and find a community committed to leading in arts education, explore opportunities to collaborate, and share resources and strategies for addressing various arts content priorities across MA. Virtual gathering are Oct. 5, Nov. 12, Jan. 6 Mar. 3 and May 5 from 4-5pm. Register for the network.
Register for Access/VSA International Network’s webinar The Act of Accessibility Intelligence: Creativity, Mindset, and Institutional Impact on Oct. 7 from 2-3pm. In celebration of Disability Employment Month, this employer-focused webinar is free and open to all. Learn from thought-leader, business educator, strategist, and disability advocate Jonathan Kaufman.
American Alliance of Museums’ Museum Summit is a global, virtual event exploring urgent questions about values, mission, and participation in the museum field. Building on their Future of Museums Summit, this virtual event is attended by hundreds of museum professionals across the field and around the globe. Oct. 15-16, 2025.
The BEST Initiative has upcoming trainings for Parent/Caregiver Engagement (Oct. 16, 2025 from 10am-1pm) and Youth Development 101 (Nov. 13, 2025 from 10am-2:30pm).
New England Foundation for the Arts’ 23rd Annual Idea Swap is an opportunity to network and share ideas for performing arts, literary arts, and film projects that will develop harmonious partnerships and collaborations. Nov. 6, 2025 in Worcester.
The City of Boston’s Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement offers a professional development series of no-cost workshops designed specifically for youth-serving professionals employed or affiliated with a Boston-based youth-serving organization.
The Coalition for an Equitable Economy has partnered with The MassINC Polling Group and MassDevelopment on a new survey to understand the current state of Massachusetts small businesses. Help inform policy and programmatic decisions by completing their survey by Oct. 5, 2025.
The DeVos Institute Global Executive Fellowship is a three-year, fully-subsidized program for arts and culture executives. Fellows attend a four-week residency in July/Early August for three consecutive years and engage in activities between residencies. Deadline: Nov. 6, 2025.
The Commonwealth Corporation is now accepting applications for both the Express and General Programs of the Workforce Training Fund Program. While available to Massachusetts businesses of all sizes, the Workforce Training Fund Program focuses on small to medium-sized businesses that would not be able to invest in improving employee skills without the assistance of the Fund.
Massachusetts Health Connector for Business offers paths for Massachusetts businesses with fewer than 50 employees to offer health and dental insurance to their employees. Small businesses now have the ability to control health insurance costs, find exclusive savings on premiums, and offer significant flexibility to their employees.
Americans for the Arts’ Arts Action Fund maintains a breaking news timeline of how federal administration actions are impacting arts and culture.
Metropolitan Area Planning Council has released a Climate Resilience Playbook offering implementation guidance and resources for Massachusetts municipalities, including ideas, tools, and examples from Massachusetts communities that’ve tried different approaches and learned from them. Watch their webinar recording.
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.
