The Neighborhood Activation Grant program funds community-focused arts, cultural, and creative activations in public spaces that foster joy, strengthen community wellbeing across, and advance place-making across Boston neighborhoods.
Donor Name: City of Boston
State: Massachusetts
City: Boston
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/08/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Funding Information
- Total Funds Available: $200,000
- Cultural Festival: $5,000
- Small-Scale Activation: up to $10,000
- Mid-Scale Activation I: up to $15,000
- Mid-Scale Activation II: up to $20,000.
Grant Period
Funds will support activations starting after July 7, 2025 and take place before July 1, 2026.
Geographic Limitations
Priority will be given to activations that occur or include the following neighborhoods: Mattapan, Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, East Boston, and Chinatown.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant Eligibility
- Applicants need to meet all of the following criteria to be eligible:
- Be an individual artist, cultural worker, non-profit arts organization, or community group with a non-profit fiscal sponsor
- Have a direct relationship to the community or area in which the activation or program is taking place. This can include being from that community, having spent a significant amount of time working and building relationships in that place, etc.
- Have not received more than $20,000 in total from previous rounds of the Neighborhood and Downtown Activation Grant (former name)
- Applicants need to meet all of the following criteria to be eligible:
- Project Requirements
- All projects and related programming are located in the City of Boston and are free and open to the public
- Have a concrete location(s) in which the activation(s) will take place, even if the place(s) is not yet confirmed. Project ideas that list entire neighborhoods will not be considered.
- Demonstrate strong alignment with MOAC’s definition of creative activation
- All events and programs funded by the Neighborhood Activation Grant are required to be accessible for persons with disabilities under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including additional accommodations to be made available upon request of any person who requires alternately formatted materials, auxiliary aids, or other accommodations
- An evaluation plan to document and communicate the impact of the program to the public
- Permitting: All activations supported through this grant must secure any required permits independently, as permitting is a separate process from this grant program. Receiving a grant does not guarantee permit approval. Grantees are responsible for applying for and obtaining the appropriate permits for their project.
For more information, visit City of Boston.
