Festivals & Projects

Application Process

The Festivals & Projects application is currently closed. FY25 grants will be announced in Fall 2024. FY25 marks the final round of Festivals & Projects grants.

Please note: In FY26, a new program, Creative Experiences, will award grants to organizations (including schools) to fund festivals, projects, residencies, and other cultural activities in the arts, humanities, and sciences. This new program will cover activities taking place July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026.

 

Festivals & Projects provides one-year grants of $2,500 to fund activities that provide public benefit using the arts, humanities, or sciences, taking place between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Además, usted también puede solicitar la traducción de los materiales de la aplicación y que estos se le sean enviados digitalmente. Este proceso tardará de 5 a 10 días hábiles.

Mass Cultural Council is happy to offer alternative formats, auxiliary aids, translation, interpretation, and other services necessary so that any individual can participate in Mass Cultural Council’s programs and services. Contact staff for help. To facilitate your request in a timely manner, please contact us at least three weeks before any Mass Cultural Council event or grant deadline.

Mass Cultural Council aims to build a diverse and equitable creative and cultural sector in the Commonwealth. To that end, historically underfunded organizations are encouraged to apply, including but not limited to Native American, Indigenous, or Urban Indian organizations, BIPOC organizations, d/Deaf & Disability organizations, and organizations serving vulnerable populations.

How to Apply

Questions? Email program staff or call 617-858-2821.

Program Guidelines

Who Can Apply

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Nonprofit Organization: registered to do business in the Commonwealth, in good standing with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth at time of application (not dissolved or revoked) and listed in the Corporate Division’s Business Entity database, OR is a Massachusetts organization registered with the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Nonprofit Organizations/Public Charities Division.

 

• For-Profit Organization: organized or registered to do business in the Commonwealth, in good standing with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth at time of application (not dissolved or revoked) and listed in the Corporate Division’s Business Entity database, AND is one of the following: A Profit Corporation, Multiple-Member Limited Liability Company (including C Corporation, S Corporation, and Partnership LLCs), Limited Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership. Single Member Limited Liability Companies and Sole Proprietorships are not eligible for this program.

 

• Government Entity: a federally recognized Tribal, State, or Municipal government entity in Massachusetts.

 

• Unincorporated Organization: with a Massachusetts address, conducting 50% or more of its programming in Massachusetts, operating with an eligible fiscal agent. (Refer to Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)

Please note:

• Each organization can only submit one FY25 Festivals & Projects application.
• Organizations receiving funding from Mass Cultural Council’s YouthReach, or Cultural Districts Initiative in FY24 are not eligible to apply.
• Organizations receiving funding from Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Investment Portfolio may only apply for Festivals & Projects if FY24 is their last year of Portfolio funding.
• Organizations may apply for Operating Grants for Organizations and Festivals & Projects but will only receive a grant from one program, not both. (Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)
• FY24 Festivals & Projects grantees who were approved for an extension into FY25 are not eligible to apply.

If you have any questions about whether your organization is eligible for this grant, contact us before starting the application.

Program Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you have a festival, project, or activity that:

• Incorporates the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences. (Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)
• Is community-based and/or publicly available. ‘Publicly available’ means any cultural activity that is available to the general public by paid or free admission. For this program, ‘Community-based’ means any cultural activity that focuses on serving the needs of:
  • A geographic community, ethnic heritage, or cultural/tribal tradition and may include events, education, performances, conservation, or cultural revitalization efforts

or

• • Portions of the general public requiring specific accommodations (i.e. seniors in care centers, incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, people in recovery programs, etc.).

Projects benefiting any private individual or group are ineligible. For FY25, festivals, projects, and activities primarily serving a school are not eligible. (Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)

• Has 50% or more of its programmatic activity taking place between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. (Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)
• Has a minimum project budget of $2,500 in cash expenses (including all indirect costs and overhead).
• Takes place in Massachusetts, whether in person or virtually.
• Is accessible to people with disabilities. (Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more guidance.)
• Does not include activities that are ‘inherently religious’ such as religious worship, instruction, and proselytization.
• Is not an event for a political candidate running for office.
• Does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Any festival, project, or activity will only be funded once per cycle. If you have a recurring festival, project, or activity that happens every year, you will be able to apply once per grant cycle.

If you have any questions about whether your organization’s work is eligible for this grant, contact us before starting the application.

Review Process

Mass Cultural Council staff review all applications to confirm eligibility. If staff cannot verify an organization exists based on the application materials, the organization will be deemed ineligible. Mass Cultural Council will make every effort to ensure accuracy but cannot be held accountable for missing or incorrect information in the relevant sources.

If eligible applications exceed available funding, the Funding Prioritization and Equitable Distribution details below will be used to determine which applications will be funded.

Funding Prioritization: Mass Cultural Council envisions a diverse creative and cultural sector that is valued as essential in the Commonwealth. To that end, priorities have been established to support programmatic practices that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through our services to the sector. Prioritization will include the following:

• Festivals, projects, or activities that significantly incorporate, and/or are primarily focused on arts, humanities, or sciences.
• Festivals, projects, or activities that align with the agency values of public service and inclusion. (Learn how we define these values in our strategic plan.)
• Applicants that have not received funding from Mass Cultural Council in the last three fiscal years (FY24, FY23, FY22: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024), or that are applying to Mass Cultural Council for the first time.
• Applicants participating in the Agency’s Card to Culture. (Applicants may sign-up for this voluntary non-granting program in the Agency’s grants management system.)
• Festivals, projects, or activities that are free to the public.
• Applicants that self-identify as led by and serving people of the global majority — Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Latinx, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and all other ethnicities of color. Learn more about the agency’s racial equity plan. Applicants wishing to make this BIPOC Centered Organization identification will need to fill out a form in the Agency’s grants management system.
• Festivals, projects, or activities in cities and towns that are below the state’s median household income and below statewide educational attainment. This includes but is not limited to places designated as Gateway Cities. A full list of these under-resourced communities is available.

Applicants operating under parent entities are advised that, if demand exceeds available funding, Mass Cultural Council may limit the number of grants awarded to any one parent organization.

Equitable Distribution: Mass Cultural Council reserves the right to ensure equitable distribution of funding across the Massachusetts cultural sector – funding proportionate to the number of eligible applications – considering a variety of factors. This may include, but is not limited to, equitable distribution across geography, discipline, and budget size.

In the event we cannot fund all eligible applications: After prioritization and equitable distribution considerations have been applied, if several applications are tied for the final available award(s), a lottery style randomization will be used to determine how the tie will be broken.

Please note: The number of grants awarded through this program is dependent upon the Agency’s FY25 state budget appropriation and our FY25 spending plan which is expected to be approved by the governing Council in August 2024.

Timeline

Application Opens: April 2, 2024
Information Sessions: April 4 and April 9, 2024
Application Deadline: May 23, 2024 (11:59pm ET)
Applicant Notification: September 2024
Contract Sent: Late-September to October 2024
Final Report Due: July 18, 2025

Grant Payment

To receive the funds awarded through this program, grantees must complete the following documentation as three DocuSign documents:

1. Electronic Funds Transfer Form and W9 (single DocuSign form)
2. Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing Form
3. State Contract and attachments

If the information provided on the above forms is different than the information you provided in the application, and the change affects your organization’s eligibility to the program, your grant may be cancelled if it is not satisfactorily resolved. All the necessary documents will be emailed to grantees to complete. Grantees who do not have a bank account that the funds can be transferred to can notify the Contracts Officer at the time of award notification to request a mailed check. Grantees using a fiscal agent will not be paid directly, the fiscal agent will complete the contract and receive the payment on the grantees’ behalf.

Electronic deposits will be made to the grantee’s account (or a check will be mailed) 20-45 days after the grantee returns their contract. Mass Cultural Council will make every effort to expedite payments as quickly as possible.

Grant Requirements

• Final Report
  Grantees will be expected to complete a simple final report describing the use of their grant funds by July 18, 2025, for legislative reporting and advocacy purposes.
• Acknowledgement of Funding
  Grant recipients are required to credit Mass Cultural Council for funding. Attachment D of your contract package or the online Credit and Publicity Kit has more details.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations

Mass Cultural Council and its grantees are contractually committed to abide by state and federal regulations which bar discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and which require accessibility for persons with disabilities. Mass Cultural Council’s grantees sign a contract certifying that they will comply with ADA and Section 504. Mass Cultural Council aims to help grantees understand their obligations and recognize the opportunities that increasing access can provide for both the public and the grantee. Resources and additional information are available as part of Mass Cultural Council’s Access Policy.

Legal and Other Requirements

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination Policy

Mass Cultural Council is committed to ensure that all programs, services, policies, and practices will be formulated and conducted in a manner which will ensure equal access for all people and prevent discrimination not only as a matter of law, but also as a policy designed to encourage the participation of all segments of the Commonwealth’s population in Mass Cultural Council programs and services.

Mass Cultural Council is happy to offer applicants/grantees alternative formats, auxiliary aids, and services necessary so that any individual can participate in the Mass Cultural Council’s programs and services. Contact our staff for help. To facilitate your request in a timely manner, please contact us at least three weeks before any Mass Cultural Council event or grant deadline.

Mass Cultural Council is dedicated to creating a workplace, programs, and services that welcome, respect, and value people of all races, color, age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religions, creeds, ancestry, national origin, disability, and veteran status. Mass Cultural Council will not fund any organization or program that discriminates based on these attributes. We strive to reflect diversity in all activities, programs, and services removing any barriers to accessibility. Mass Cultural Council and its grantees are expected to comply with:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Mass Cultural Council’s grantees sign a contract (see contract requirements) certifying that they will comply with ADA and Section 504. Mass Cultural Council aims to help grantees understand their obligations and recognize the opportunities that increasing access can support both the public and the grantee. Additional information about Mass Cultural Council’s Accessibility Requirements and Compliance Tools for Grantees are located in our Access Policy.

Reconsideration Policy

An applicant may request reconsideration of a Mass Cultural Council decision on their application if the applicant can demonstrate that Mass Cultural Council failed to follow published application and review procedures. Dissatisfaction with the results of a review does not constitute grounds for reconsideration.

The first step in the reconsideration process is to consult with the appropriate program staff to discuss the review process that concluded in Mass Cultural Council’s decision. If the applicant wishes to pursue a reconsideration, a request must be sent to Mass Cultural Council’s Executive Director, in writing, within 30 days of Mass Cultural Council’s notification to the applicant of its decision.

Grants Management System

All applicants should submit their applications through the online system. To create a profile in the system you must have an email address, which will be your username.

If you have not applied to Mass Cultural Council before and/or do not already have a user profile, complete a registration in the grants management system:

• Go to the online system and click ‘Register’.
• On the next page select ‘Organization’ to register your organization, school, town, or other group.
• Your organization may already have a record in the system. Use the Organization name field to find and select your organization, then provide your contact information.
• If your organization’s name is not listed, click the link at the top of the page to register your organization manually. There you will also provide your own contact information as well.
• After completing the registration, you should receive an email to activate your account. The account must be activated within 24 hours. After clicking the activation link, you will be prompted to create a new 8-digit password.

If you have previously applied for a Mass Cultural Council grant using your email address, you may have a profile in the system already. Heres how you can check to see if you already have a user profile:

• Go to the online system and click ‘Forgot Password’.
• Once you submit your email address, you will receive an email with a temporary password and a link to the site.
• Copy the password to use on the login page, you will then be prompted to create a new password.
• If you do not receive an email, you do not have an account and you should create one (see above), or you can contact the grants help desk for assistance.

Proceed to the Online Application