The Operating Grants for Organizations supports cultural organizations that celebrate, preserve, and inspire creativity, and use the arts, humanities, and/or sciences to support transformational change and strengthen communities.
Donor Name: Mass Cultural Council
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/17/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Operating Grants for Organizations is the primary funding program to support cultural organizations. It incorporates aspects of past Mass Cultural Council programs for organizations, including the Cultural Investment Portfolio, which is being phased out. The program was designed following an evaluation of the funding for cultural organizations, and in response to the Agency’s Racial Equity Plan, and is strongly linked to the Agency’s values expressed in the FY24-26 strategic plan.
Funding Information
Mass Cultural Council anticipates the minimum grant amount in FY26 will be $6,000.
Grant Period
July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organization types are eligible to apply:
- Nonprofits that are independent and have active:
- 501(c)3 status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth (SOC) as incorporated in MA.
- Incorporated as a Nonprofit Corporation in another state, but registered with the SOC as a foreign corporation in MA, with a MA address
- Registered as a Public Charity with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s (AGO) office.
- Cultural Affiliates: This is the name that is given to semi-independent programs that operate under a non-cultural parent organization
- Cultural Affiliates can include:
- 501(c)3 organization that is not eligible to apply on its own (including private colleges, universities, or conservatories)
- MA branch/program of a national 501(c)3 organization
- Cultural Affiliates must also meet both of the following criteria:
- Manage their own budget
- Have at least one full-time (min. 30 hours per week) compensated administrative staff position dedicated solely to operation of the cultural entity. This is only a requirement for Cultural Affiliates.
For more information, visit MCC.
