Grant Information
- Please read all of this page to become familiar with the NCC’s requirements beyond the Massachusetts Cultural Council requirements.
- Click on Grant Evaluation Criteria form to see how we grade each application. An NCC member may try to contact you for some of this information or any questions we may have.
- When you are ready, create an account at the MCC website by clicking on the link immediately below. Once at the MCC page, the actual application link is at the very bottom so scroll down. All applications must be submitted online through the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s grant application web portal.
http://www.mass-culture.org/newton
Click here for a video from the MCC about navigating and filling in the grant application
If you experience trouble with the account registration email, please contact our regional representative at MCC, Timothea Pham by email at timothea.tp.pham@state.ma.us
Local Criteria
Because NCC funding is not intended to be used as the sole source of funding for projects, the NCC expects to see other sources of funding in project/program budget proposals. A project should be able to proceed without funding from an NCC grant, as grants tend to be modest in nature. We also want to see examples of your work: websites, YouTubes, Social media, etc. are acceptable. A full list of grant winners and amounts awarded is available under the “Funding List” tab HERE
Basic Overview
The Newton Cultural Council awards grants to projects in the humanities, arts and sciences every year.
1) It requires all proposals to have a public benefit for Newton residents and encourages collaborative projects, novel ideas and serving underrepresented populations.
2) The Council encourages Projects that elevate the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Newton.
3) The council awards grants to Newton residents or non-Newton residents if you are a MA resident and your proposal benefits Newton. An individual or organization may apply for no more than two grants in the same year.
NOTE: The NCC does not fund programs in the Newton Public Schools. A school can be used as a venue as long as the program is open and marketed to the public.
Newton Cultural Council strives to be an anti-racist, inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible council. We seek to increase funding for programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences created by or featuring BIPOC applicants and audiences. Newton Cultural Council will create internal organizational systems, processes, structures and cultures that encourage any person to engage with us. In creating an anti-racist and equitable council, we actively seek a multitude of voices within our community.
Types of Grants
NCC approves grants for a broad range of projects and programs, ticketed or free, such as performances, public art, informational presentations, or other activities, based on local priorities and needs.
Applicant Eligibility
- The applicant, or person leading the project/program, should have been engaged in the kind of activity for which funds are requested for at least one year.
- Individual applicants must show that a public benefit in Newton results from the project for which they are applying. A public presentation of an individual’s work may provide the needed public benefit. Individual members of NCC may apply for funding from a Local Cultural Council but must observe all conflict of interest laws and regulations in the granting process.
- Incorporated private nonprofit organizations
- Unincorporated associations that can establish a non-profit objective. A group of individuals coming together with a common purpose (e.g., local community band, theater group) that do not have nonprofit status.
- Religious organizations or groups with a religious affiliation are eligible to apply for funding of cultural programming that is available to the general public. NCC can only approve applications that are primarily cultural in their intent and do not have the effect of advancing religion.
Criteria
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- Arts, Humanities, and Sciences
- Public Benefit
- Non-Discrimination
- Local Criteria
Arts, Humanities, and Science. NCC funds may only be used to support programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences in Newton. This definition includes the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and appreciation of cultural activities in the broadest sense.
How does NCC define the arts, humanities, and/or sciences?
- Arts refer to the creation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and interdisciplinary arts. In addition, they also include the presentation and preservation of, and education about works in these disciplines.
- Humanities are types of learning that deal with human values and aspirations, human thought and culture, language, and creativity. Examples include, but are not limited to, history, social studies, philosophy, criticism, and literature.
- Science is limited to its cultural, interpretive, and educational expression and refers to types of learning that deal with nature, science, and technology in ways that explain how they relate to people’s lives. Some organizations that conduct this type of activity include aquariums, botanical gardens, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, and science centers.
Public Benefit
NCC funds must be used to support activities that contribute to the cultural vitality of the community as a whole, rather than benefiting any private individual or group. However, this does not mean that a large crowd of people needs to participate in order to satisfy the public benefit requirement.
For example, an artist working with a small group of teens is a valid public benefit, or a project includes a large number of Newtonites as artists and/or audience.
Activities funded by the NCC should be available to the general public by exhibit, performance, demonstration, reading, or other means. The NCC will not give you money to start a home business. Connecting with a Newton sponsor or Newton entity that can get your project enjoyed by Newtonites is critical. For example, NewTV, Newton’s public access, requires a Newton member or producer to sponsor a submission. Like all cities, Newton has many different online communities and no one solution exists for notifying all of them. They must be contacted one by one.
Encouraging Inclusion
As part of our mission, Newton Cultural Council (NCC) desires to reach a more broad, diverse and underserved audience. The Council encourages projects that elevate the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups to highlight the current and historical diversity of Newton. If your performance requires a paid ticket, we ask that you provide a few complimentary tickets to be redistributed through Newton Cultural Development’s program “Newton Arts Pass”.
Newton Arts Pass (NAP) provides access to arts and cultural events and programs to those in need in our community, for free or at a discounted rate. Passes are available to Newton residents, or families with children enrolled in Newton Public Schools. You will find participating programs on the Newton Arts Calendar; just look for the NAP logo then email culture@newtonma.gov or call 617-796-1540 to check for availability and claim a pass.
If you are an artist or organization and would like to participate in Newton Arts Pass by providing tickets or scholarships, email culture@newtonma.gov with information about your event/program. You can also support NAP directly with your financial contributions by clicking HERE.
Non-Discrimination
In accordance with state law, Local Cultural Councils may not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, gender, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation or age, nor may they fund projects that discriminate on the basis of these attributes. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that persons with disabilities have access to public programs or services on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. Furthermore, federal law mandates that any programs or service that receives federal or state funding must be accessible to persons with disabilities. Therefore, all events and programs funded by the LCCs must be accessible to persons with disabilities, including the facility or event location as well as the content of the program. For further information on ensuring accessible programming, please refer to the Accessibility page for LCCs at www.massculture.org/accessibility.aspx.