Mass Cultural Council: Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Program

Deadline: 11-Dec-20

Mass Cultural Council has announced the Cultural Organization Economic Recovery Program to support Massachusetts nonprofit cultural organizations negatively impacted by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

Culture is a major contributor to economic growth and opportunity in Massachusetts, investing in the recovery of Cultural Organizations is an investment in the economic recovery of the Commonwealth.

Funding is intended to help non-profit cultural organizations adversely impacted by the pandemic. Preference will be given to cultural organizations:

That have been unable to reopen or have been unable to fully reopen.
Whose mission is primarily focused on:
- Presenting, promoting, and/or preserving the cultural traditions, art, history, and creative expression of people of colour, women, people with disabilities, veterans, immigrants, people who are LGBTQIA+, and members of other historically underrepresented and underfunded groups, or
- Advancing and/or supporting artists who are people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQIA+, and members of other underrepresented and underfunded groups.
That have not received aid from other federal programs related to COVID-19.
That operate a cultural facility they own or lease.
That are located in a Gateway City or in an under-resourced rural town.
That support economic recovery through their participation in State Designated Cultural District, Organization Improvement District (BID), Transformative Development Initiative District.
An amount equal to at least $2 million will be awarded to “Small Organizations.”

Funding Information

Organizations can request a grant of up to the lesser of $100,000 or 3 months of supported operating expenses.
The maximum grant amount an organization can request is $100,000. Mass Cultural Council and EOHED reserve the right to award less than the amount requested.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be a Massachusetts cultural organization, which is defined as a non-profit corporation:
- Whose mission is primarily concerned with the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences, including but is not limited to, museums, historic sites, zoos, aquariums, theatres, concert halls, exhibition spaces, classrooms, and auditoriums;
- That offers public cultural programming in Massachusetts annually and maintains year-round operations in Massachusetts; and
- Has a 501(c)3 designation with the Internal Revenue Service which is currently active.
Applicant must be able to document a loss of revenue due to COVID-19 between March 10, 2020 and December 31, 2020 equal to or greater than requested assistance.
Applicant must be currently in operation or, if not in operation, must have an intent to reopen.
Applicant must have been incorporated prior to 06/30/2019.
Ineligible applicants include but are not limited:
- For-profit entities;
- Unincorporated associations;
- Colleges and Universities;
- Private/Non-profit secondary schools;
- Nonprofit organizations whose mission is not primarily concerned with the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences;
- Municipal entities.