Cultural Facilities Fund
About the Fund
The Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF) is an initiative of the state of Massachusetts that makes grants to support the acquisition, design, repair, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, or construction of nonprofit cultural facilities statewide.
The Fund was created as part of a major economic stimulus bill that was approved by the Massachusetts Legislature in July, 2006. Since then:
The goal of CFF is to increase investments from both the public and private sector to support the sound planning and development of cultural facilities. All grants from the Fund have a 1:1 cash match requirement.
Nonprofit cultural organizations, municipalities, and colleges or universities that own cultural facilities are eligible to apply.
Demand for CFF grants continues to outpace supply. In a 2023 survey, 276 organizations reported $1.6 billion in capital projects through 2025.
CFF grantees also reported on the economic impact of their grants:
- 2,535 full-time jobs and $188 million in wages and salaries
- 36,830 total architects, engineers, contractors, and construction workers working on Cultural Facilities Fund projects over time
- 3,220 new permanent jobs projected in Massachusetts as a result of CFF projects
Cultural organizations of every size benefit from CFF: More than half of CFF grants go to nonprofit cultural organizations with budgets of less than $1 million.
CFF supports working artists: From Provincetown’s Fine Arts Work Center, to the Essex Art Center in Lawrence, and the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, CFF grants have created and restored vital studio, rehearsal, and performance space.
CFF supports arts education: Every day children and teens explore their creativity and learn about the arts, history and sciences in buildings restored with CFF grants. These include the Discovery Museum in Acton, Springfield’s Community Music School, and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. CFF has funded buildings that house nationally renowned programs for vulnerable adolescents such as RAW Artworks in Lynn, and Shakespeare & Co. in the Berkshires.
CFF benefits every region of the Commonwealth: Seven out of every 10 grants awarded have gone to cultural organizations outside of Boston. Read the 2024 CFF Fact Sheet.
Download the 2023 Cultural Facilities Fund Annual Report
Advisory Committee Members
Dan O’Connell, Ex-officio Member
Acting Executive Director and President/CEO
MassDevelopment
Boston
Michael J. Bobbitt, Ex-officio Member
Executive Director
Mass Cultural Council
Boston
Kate Fox, Ex-officio Member
Executive Director
Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Boston
John C. Stowe, Gubernatorial Appointee
President and CEO
LUTCO, Inc.
Worcester
Michael Halperson, Gubernatorial Appointee
Foxborough
Jennifer Harrington, Gubernatorial Appointee
Hatch Marketing, LLC
Bedford
