The Grant Cycle

Grant Decisions

Following the grant cycle voting meeting, LCCs must notify denied applicants of their decisions. The process works in this order:

Denial letters are automatically sent through the grants management system once the LCC marks the application as denied in the system.
LCCs wait a 15-day reconsideration period.
LCCs complete their Annual Report to Mass Cultural Council.
A brief approval notification is automatically sent through the grants management system, then LCCs send the full approval letter to grantees outside of the system.

Denials

Denial letters are sent through the grants management system and provide applicants with clear reasons for the council’s decision based on published state guidelines or local priorities. “Insufficient funds” does not provide applicants with adequate rationale for disapproval. The letter also includes information on the reconsideration process.

Because these are public dollars, denied applicants are entitled to request reconsideration if they believe the LCC did not follow published state guidelines and/or local priorities.

Reconsideration Period

After sending out denial letters, LCCs must allow for a 15-day reconsideration period before notifying approved applicants. This waiting period is necessary because a request for reconsideration can result in a change in the amount of funding approved grants receive.

An applicant may request reconsideration of the LCC’s decision on their application if the applicant can demonstrate that the LCC failed to follow published state guidelines and/or local priorities. Dissatisfaction with the denial of an application or with the amount of an award does not constitute grounds for reconsideration.

A denied applicant has 15 days (including Saturdays and Sundays) from the date of their letter to request a reconsideration.

The request is evaluated by the LCC’s Mass Cultural Council staff contact, taking into consideration the application components, the LCC’s posted priorities and guidelines, reason for denial, and the denied applicant’s argument for reconsideration.

Reconsideration requests should be made via email. The request must be sent to Mass Cultural Council at our email address (communities@mass.gov) within 15 days of the notification date on the disapproval letter (timestamp on email). Business days, weekends, and holidays count toward the 15-day period. The applicant should also send a copy of the request to the LCC.

The request should include:

The LCC’s disapproval letter to the applicant.
The applicant’s reason for requesting reconsideration stating how the LCC failed to follow published state guidelines or local priorities.

If Mass Cultural Council staff approves the reconsideration request, the LCC must schedule another public meeting to deliberate on it again – that’s why it’s best practice to send all denials on the same day and wait the 15 days before sending approval letters. An approved reconsideration request is not a guarantee of funding, but an agreement that the LCC will meet again to give the project another evaluation before making a final decision.

If a decision is changed and the reconsidered application is given a grant, the amounts awarded to other approved applications will need to be adjusted. Therefore, it is important to first send denial letters and wait the requisite 15 days before sending out award letters.

If Mass Cultural Council staff denies the reconsideration request, the LCC’s initial denial stands. Mass Cultural Council staff will notify both the applicant and the LCC of the decision.

A decision on any requests for reconsideration should be made before LCCs finalize funding decisions and complete the Annual Report to Mass Cultural Council. Approved applicants will receive a notice through the grants management system alerting them of their approval. Then, outside of the grants management system, a member of the LCC needs to email grantees their detailed approval letter with proper forms for reimbursement and Mass Cultural Council credit policy.

Approval Letters

Approval letters are sent after the 15-day reconsideration period has passed and the LCC has submitted their annual reporting to Mass Cultural Council.

LCCs send a brief approval notification through the grants management system, then send the full approval letter to grantees outside of the system. The full approval letter includes the details of their award, reimbursement forms or direct granting agreements, and W-9 forms.

Partial vs. Full Funding

Many LCCs receive an abundance of good proposals and try to fund as many as possible by awarding a portion of the original request. Although this is a reasonable way to spread limited funds, there is a danger in making the award so small that the project cannot go forward at all. This results in the LCC repeating their efforts to reallocate the unspent funds in the next cycle and can discourage those applicants from applying again. For this reason, the LCC application form specifically asks applicants to address how they will adjust the project if the LCC cannot fund the entire amount requested. Some LCCs call the applicant to discuss the feasibility of supporting the proposal with a partial award and request a modified budget.

Conditional Approvals

Conditional approvals can allow an LCC to extend the impact of its funding to focus on community needs that are otherwise not being addressed (e.g., the applicant must hold the proposed program during the town festival, or the performing group must provide free tickets to senior citizens, etc.). Conditions may also require submission of specific documentation related to receipt of grant funds or with final reports. LCCs must communicate any/all conditions to the applicant in writing (email or hard copy) and note them in the minutes for the voting meeting. The applicant has the right to refuse the condition and forfeit the grant.

Approval Package Contents

Approval Letter

You can modify our approval letter template (for LCCs who follow the reimbursement process) to suit your LCC’s needs. Some LCCs include a calendar of all grantee events or other supplemental material.

Be sure to include any conditions on the approval and the date by which the LCC expects the project to happen.

Credit and Publicity Requirements

Grantees must acknowledge the financial support of the specific Local Cultural Council who granted them funds and Mass Cultural Council. Grant recipients are vital partners in raising the visibility of the role these funds play in cultural organizations, audiences, and communities across the Commonwealth. For more information about acknowledgement requirements for grantees, please review the credit and publicity kit. There’s also a grantee Credit & Publicity enclosure template.

Be sure to include any additional publicity requirements your LCC has.

Forms – Reimbursement & Direct Grants

Grant recipients do not automatically receive payment if an LCC approves their grant request. The LCC Program is reimbursement-based; recipients need to spend the money and then be reimbursed from LCC funds. Beginning once the LCC completes their reporting to Mass Cultural Council (November – January) and continuing throughout the year, grant recipients can submit their reimbursement requests. To avoid complications, LCCs should specify exactly what kind of documentation a grantee needs to provide to be reimbursed in the approval letter. LCCs should also check with their town/city to see if they have specific requirements.

Be sure to include documentation needed to receive payment and any additional forms the municipality may require.

Documents of note:

Reimbursement Form (PDF)

or for Direct Grants

Final Report – Direct grants (Word)
W-9 Form (PDF)

Procedure for Requesting Grant Modifications and/or Extensions

If your LCC has specific protocols for grant modification/extension requests, these policies must be posted on your council profile by September 1. Clearly state your policies so applicants can understand their options.

Be sure to include the procedure for requesting a project extension or modification.

Grant Extensions & Modifications

Grant recipients have one year from the date of their approval notification to request reimbursement. Grant recipients need the LCC’s written permission (email or hard copy) to make changes to their projects. At their discretion, LCCs can approve reasonable extensions and modifications for projects. The modification should not significantly alter the original purpose of the approved application.

Extensions and modifications must be requested in writing and responded to in the same manner. To review an extension or other modification of an approved grant, a subcommittee of a minimum of two LCC members can review and approve the request. The joint decision should be documented and later reported to the full LCC at the next meeting. If the subcommittee is unsure whether to approve the request the LCC must convene a quorum of LCC members and vote. The LCC must inform the applicant of their decision in writing and ensure that the vote is reflected in the meeting minutes.

Mailing and Printing Costs

Costs incurred for printing and mailing throughout the grant cycle can be reimbursed as administrative expenses; LCC members can submit a reimbursement form to the town accountant with proof of expenditures. Each municipality may have additional requirements.