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2021 Funding for Arts and Culture Organizations in the US

Deadline: 15-Oct-21

The City of Boston has launched its 2021 Funding for Arts and Culture Organizations.

Funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act for arts and culture organizations that need financial relief as a result of COVID-19.

Types of Grants

Boston Cultural Council

  • The Boston Cultural Council (BCC), under the umbrella of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, helps to ensure that grant making responds to the needs of the cultural community and that best practices for grant solicitation, review and disbursement are followed.
  • The BCC annually distributes funds allocated by the City of Boston and the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, to support innovative arts, humanities, and interpretive science programming that enhances the quality of life in our city.
  • The council members are Boston residents appointed by the mayor for up to two consecutive three year terms. Council members are selected on the basis of their demonstrated commitment to Boston’s cultural community and their knowledge of various arts disciplines.
  • The BCC reviews applications to evaluate the quality of proposed programming and potential benefit to diverse audiences in Boston.
  • The BCC actively encourages the creativity and engagement of all. They do this through our grantmaking guided by the Boston Creates cultural plan. Our grants emphasize fair opportunity, accessibility and understanding of Boston’s arts and cultural communities. Their programmatic,financial, and informational resources also pro-actively encourage equity and inclusion within the organizations they support.

Strategy

  • Ensuring BCC grants contribute towards the goals above requires intentional effort to fund organizations that promote cultural equity in the Boston arts ecosystem. It is for this reason that the BCC made a shift in its grant making strategy in 2019. Rather than grant to organizations within any budget range, the BCC will be more intentional in supporting small to mid-sized arts organizations in the Boston arts ecosystem by focusing on organizations with annual budgets under $2 million.
  • Beginning in 2021, the BCC is further supporting small organizations by committing the majority of grant funds to those with the smallest budgets.

Reopen Creative Boston

  • Reopen Creative Boston is a $3M grant program to cover expenses related to reopening the arts and culture sector and resuming cultural programming and services.

Funding Information

  • Boston Cultural Council
    • Organizations may apply for grants up to a set limit, based on their organizational size (total expenses from the most recently completed fiscal year). If an organization is selected as a recipient, they will receive the total amount they are eligible in their budget category. The categories are:
      • Organizations with budgets less than $100,000 may apply for a grant of $5,000
      • Organizations with budgets between $100,000 and $500,000 may apply for a grant of $3,500
      • Organizations with budgets between $500,000 and $2,000,000 may apply for a grant of $2,000
  • Reopen Creative Boston
    • Up to $50,000 for non profit arts and cultural organizations to cover costs for reopening and restarting programs. Eligible costs include payroll, debt service, rent, and costs related to ongoing organizational shifts in response to the negative economic impact of COVID-19 such as consulting services and new technology costs.
    • Arts and Cultural non profit and for profit organizations that operate and own cultural facilities will be eligible for an additional grant up to $50,000.
    • Please note that while grants are up to $50,000 grant amounts will be determined based on demonstrated financial need and number of applications.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Boston Cultural Council
    • Non-profit cultural organizations with budgets under $2 million whose mission and programming is focused in the following disciplines: Music, Film and Video, Traditional and Folk Art, Visual Art, Theater, Dance, Humanities, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Social/Civic Practice, Multidisciplinary Arts.
    • Organizations not based in the City of Boston, but whose primary programming takes place in Boston, are eligible.
    • Unincorporated groups can apply with a fiscal sponsor as long as they meet the rest of the eligibility criteria. This includes: artist collectives, volunteer groups, publications, and any other group jointly working toward common goals.
    • Organizations can submit only one proposal per funding cycle.
    • Non-profits with L3C designations are eligible to apply.
  • Reopen Creative Boston
    • Arts and cultural organizations of any budget size that can demonstrate that they have been negatively economically impacted by COVID-19, such as: performing arts facilities, music venues, creative youth development organizations, and presenting organizations.

For more information, visit https://cityofbostonartsandculture.submittable.com/submit/21156ec2-dda9-4d35-917d-1fbd4bc196a5/2021-funding-for-arts-and-culture-organizations