FY24 Framingham Cultural Council Priorities
Priority for funding will be given to projects that meet one or more of the following listed items in addition to the eligibility and other criteria documented by the Mass Cultural Council: https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/lcc-toolkit/the-grant-cycle/eligibility-criteria/.
Projects that provide substantial or unique benefit specifically to the Framingham community, particularly live performances (music festivals, concerts, plays) and events celebrating diversity.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access (DEIA): Projects that create opportunities for or celebrate the diversity of Framingham, particularly including previously marginalized communities based on race, national origin, culture, language, gender, economic condition, disability, or sexual orientation. Refer also to the Mass Cultural Council statement on DEIA: https://massculturalcouncil.org/about/racial-equity-work/dei-plan/.
Projects that seek to enhance the vitality and esthetic appeal of Framingham’s downtown and older manufacturing centers.
Applicants who have not had previous grants and whose projects provide something different from others that have been approved in the past.
Grants that do not have substantial funding from other sources.
FY24 Guidelines
Projects must take place between January 1 and December 31 of the year following the application deadline. Any funds not used during the year must be returned to the FCC.
The applicant must be a Framingham resident, a Framingham-based organization, a partnership that includes a Framingham-based organization, or be held in a Framingham venue or location (see #3 below).
Except for field trips, projects must be held or performed at least once at a Framingham site. A letter of commitment is required from the venue unless it is owned or controlled by the applicant. If this letter is not included with the application, it must be provided no later than March 1. Grant funds cannot be dispersed until it has been received.
The application must indicate what will be done if it is not awarded 100% of the amount requested since limited FCC funds often require partial funding. For example, would the scope of the project be reduced, or would other funding sources be obtained?
The application must include the intended number of sessions and the location of each to the extent that they have been identified. Lack of this information could impact funding or become a contingency before funds are provided. The final report must specify the actual attendance at the event.
Grants will not be awarded for more than two projects for an individual organization unless that organization has different physical addresses.
For field trips, transportation expenses must be included in the grant application budget.
Budget salaries/stipends must be listed as an expense but salaries, or prorated portion of salaries, cannot be for an employee who would be paid independent of the project. FCC funds may not be used for institutional overhead on salaries.
The FCC does not provide funds to the receiving organization to grant scholarships (defined as a grant or payment made to support a student's education). However, fee reductions are acceptable, especially if they are designed to promote the DEIA priority above.
To provide funds to both large projects and small projects, it is expected that there will be a cap on the amount of a project award.
Grants with funds provided by the Mass Cultural Council are paid after the funds have been received by the city and after the applicant has returned all required forms. Grants with funds from local fundraising are paid on a reimbursement basis.
Expectations for projects that receive FCC grants:
Provide a description of the project, preferably with icons and pictures, for use on the FCC website.
Acknowledge both the Mass Cultural Council and the Framingham Cultural Council in advertising, marketing and social media posts.
Submit a final report for the project using the official report form provided by the FCC. Grants will not be considered if the applicant did not submit a required final report in a previous year.
If possible, participate in the awards ceremony planned for May or June. Information about past receptions: https://sites.google.com/view/framinghamcultural/award-receptions.