YouthReach

Application Process

Mass Cultural Council has been working on redesigning and consolidating programs as part of the Agency’s strategic plan. While we had hoped to reopen YouthReach for FY26 funding, due to program changes, realignment of grant cycles, and staff changes, we will have decided to delay the reopening for one year.

We hope to announce an FY27 round of funding with updated guidelines in early 2026. Please check back in January 2026 for more information. In the meantime, you may be eligible for Operating Grants for Organizations or Creative Experiences funding.

To learn more about other opportunities and funding, please join our email list or register in our Grants Management System for monthly updates.

Learn More About YouthReach

For more than 30 years, YouthReach has promoted the integration of substantive out-of-school arts, humanities, and science opportunities into a collaborative response to the needs of young people and communities. YouthReach programs work best when they are youth-driven and when young people are offered opportunities to both widen and deepen their skills in creativity, self-discovery, collaboration, belonging, leadership, and advocacy for change. We also support Creative Youth Development programs in holding space to address systemic inequities while working with young people to be creative forces for positive change in their own lives and in their communities.

Please be in touch with program staff with any question about applying to YouthReach in the future. We are planning for these to be multi-year Creative Youth Development grants that support the integration of out-of-school or in-school arts, humanities, and/or the interpretive sciences. Programs that center youth voice, strengthen the artistry of young people, and provide opportunities for them to feel seen and heard as they create, connect, and catalyze change in their lives and communities will be encouraged to apply.

Read more about Creative Youth Development:

Questions? Contact Käthe Swaback.

FY26 Program Guidelines

Please note that the program guidelines and dates listed on this page are for FY25 YouthReach grantees eligible for a one-year extension of their current funding in FY26.

Eligibility for a YouthReach Extension Grant

Eligible organizations are those FY22-25 YouthReach grant recipients that:

Do not receive FY26 funding from Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations.

Receive FY26 funding from Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations that is less than the maximum FY26 operating support grant amount ($55,000 in FY25)

Receive an FY26 Gaming Mitigation Fund grant less than the maximum FY26 operating support grant amount ($55,000 in FY25)

Organizations receiving the maximum award in Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations or receive a Gaming Mitigation Fund grant over that amount, are not eligible for the FY26 YouthReach Extension Grant. These changes are part of the agency’s effort to reach more organizations by limiting the number of awards grantees can receive in a year.

FY26 funding through Cultural Investment Portfolio and Operating Grants for Organizations will be approved in August 2025.

Award Amount

Grant amounts will be determined by the money available, and the number of grantees:

Grantees not receiving FY26 operating support through Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations will receive a flat grant amount in FY25 the amount was $22,000. In FY26 if funding permits the amount could be between $22,000 and $26,000. However, should the Mass Cultural Council receive a decrease in appropriation grants could be less than $22,000.
Grantees also receiving FY26 operating support funding through Cultural Investment Portfolio or Operating Grants for Organizations will be capped at the maximum amount set for Operating Grants for Organizations ($55,000 in FY25). This means some organizations will get the full flat grant amount set for YouthReach recipients, and some will get a partial YouthReach award.

Example using FY25 maximum award amount of $55,000 and FY25 YouthReach award amount of $22,000:

Organization A: Receiving $45,000 through Operating Grants for Organizations would get a YouthReach grant of $10,000
Organization B: Receiving $11,000 through Operating Grants for Organizations would get a YouthReach grant of $22,000

Funding Period

YouthReach recipients will be eligible to receive a one-year extension on their current:

Extension: Funding period July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

All awards are contingent upon Mass Cultural Council’s allocation and receipt of sufficient funds from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and National Endowment for the Arts.

YouthReach recipients were selected based on the following review criteria, which serve as the Agency’s definition of excellence for this program per the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) partnership agreement:

Community Need and Participation
Youth Voice and Community Engagement
Quality of Program Design
Program Evaluation
Fiscal Management

Matching Requirements

YouthReach grants no longer carry a matching requirement.

Reporting Requirements

FINAL REPORT: All grant recipients are required to submit reports, annually to Mass Cultural Council, detailing the project’s progress, including any proposed changes in timeline, personnel, collaborating organizations, or content, along with annual financial information. Reports must demonstrate continued commitment to the project by all partners and be signed by officials from the primary applicant agency.

HOLDS, MODIFICATIONS, CANCELLATIONS: Mass Cultural Council has the right to withhold, reduce, or discontinue funding if a YouthReach grantee:

Misses reporting deadlines.
Does not notify Mass Cultural Council of changes in program collaborators or other significant changes in the project.
Demonstrates inadequate recruitment and/or retention of participating youth.
Fails to carry out the program as described in the approved application. Mass Cultural Council will not release the next year’s funding until complete reports are received from the primary applicant.

Grant Timeline

August 2025: Mass Cultural Council’s governing Council reviews panels’ funding recommendations

September 2025: Funding decisions announced

October 2025: FY26 Contracts due

November 2025: 80 percent of FY26 award issued

July 2026: FY26 final reports due

Legal and Other Requirements

Acknowledgement of Funding

Grant recipients are required to credit Mass Cultural Council for funding. Attachment D of your Contract Package and the online Credit and Publicity Kit have more details.

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination Policies

Mass Cultural Council is committed to ensure that all personnel and service programs, 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.

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:

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.

Contract Holds, Penalties, and Restrictions

Mass Cultural Council may apply a contract hold, penalty, or restriction if you are not in compliance with grant requirements. Mass Cultural Council has the right to hold, reduce, discontinue funding, or apply restrictions to the use of grant funds if a grantee:

Intentionally misrepresents finances, programming, or other eligibility requirements.
Does not notify Mass Cultural Council of significant organizational changes, cannot carry out the stated mission, or if it demonstrates inadequate financial management and oversight. The notification must be made in writing and must provide reasonable advanced notice. In cases where a grantee experiences serious organizational capacity issues, Mass Cultural Council will work with that organization to address the challenge.

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.