Managed in collaboration with MassDevelopment, the Cultural Facilities Fund provides major improvement grants to nonprofit cultural organizations, in recognition of their profound economic impact on communities across Massachusetts.
Donor Name: Mass Cultural Council
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/14/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Grants to support the acquisition, design, repair, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, or construction of nonprofit cultural facilities.
Grant Categories
- Capital Grants: For the acquisition, design, construction, repair, renovation, rehabilitation or other capital improvements or deferred maintenance of a cultural facility. Any of the following would qualify for consideration under this description:
- Acquisition of a cultural facility or site.
- New construction.
- Additions to an existing structure.
- Renovations or repairs to an existing structure.
- Fixed/integrated equipment.
- Any combination of the above.
- Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grants (FTA): For the overall planning and feasibility for a proposed eligible project. Any of the following would qualify for consideration under this description:
- Architectural & engineering plans, designs, or studies.
- Energy efficiency/green building assessments.
- ADA accessibility assessments.
- Capital campaign feasibility studies.
- Business and operations planning for opening or expanding a cultural facility.
- Any combination of the above.
- Systems Replacement Plan Grants (SRP): A 20-year capital needs assessment conducted by a preselected contractor hired by the Cultural Facilities Fund to assess the facility’s structure and its mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems.
- Applicants may only apply for one grant per round, with the exception of:
- A Systems Replacement Plan Grant may be applied for in tandem with any other grant category.
- Applicants may apply for a Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grant in tandem with a Capital Grant, if the feasibility grant is for the purpose of planning for energy efficiency, green building, or the reduction of carbon emissions.
- Applicants may only apply for one grant per round, with the exception of:
Funding Information
- Capital Grants – up to $200,000
- Feasibility & Technical Assistance Grants – up to $35,000
- Systems Replacement Plan Grants – start from $8,000 (depending on the size of the facility)
Eligibility Requirements
The following entities (“Cultural Organizations”) are eligible to apply for grants for cultural facilities:
- Nonprofit cultural organizations: 501(c)(3) organizations that are primarily concerned with the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences. Eligible facilities must be owned, leased, or used by one or more nonprofit cultural organizations, and must be accessible to the public.
- Municipalities that own cultural facilities: provided that the cultural facility is at least 50,000 square feet in size, and at least 50% devoted to cultural purposes provided. However, if such building, structure, or site is 125 years old or older and is significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of the nation, the commonwealth, or the community in which it is located, it may be of any size.
- Public or private institutions of higher education that own cultural facilities: provided that the cultural facility provides service and open access to the community and the general public beyond its educational mission and can demonstrate financial need.
Ineligibility
The following may not be used as matching funds:
- Operating funds expended by the organization for:
- Mortgage interest
- Fundraising costs
- Staff salaries
- Other operating activities;
- Loan Proceeds;
- Selling capital assets including the deaccessioning of museum collections;
- Funds already expended on the eligible project prior to September 1, 2023; and
- Funds received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
For more information, visit Mass Cultural Council.
