Your Local Council

What is the Local Cultural Council Program?

The Local Cultural Council Program, administered at the state level by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, provides state funds to cities and towns to regrant at a local level. Municipally-appointed volunteers meet and decide how to distribute the money to projects in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences. While the majority of towns and cities have their own local cultural councils, there are several regional councils made up of members from two or more communities. Every area of Massachusetts is directly served by an LCC.

How do I apply?

You need to send in your application form to the LCC by the October 15 deadline. While all LCCs use the same basic application forms, some may require additional information from their applicants. It’s a good idea to speak with the chair of the LCC in the towns where you plan to apply. The Dennis Arts & Culture Council schedules a public meeting in September for the purpose of providing grant information to potential grant applicants; the meeting date will be published in the local newspapers. The Council requires that the applicant send a typed original and seven copies of the form to: The Dennis Arts & Culture Council, P.O. Box 2060, South Dennis, MA 02660. If you have any questions, call 508 394-8300.

What is the deadline to apply to a local cultural council?

The statewide, yearly deadline to apply to LCCs is October 15.

Can I apply to more than one LCC?

An applicant may apply to any number of LCCs. If you do apply to more than one LCC for the same project, it is important that you indicate the amount you requested from the other LCC on the appropriate budget line. Some LCCs have guidelines regarding requests from applicants from other communities. Applicants should find out about any local guidelines before applying

What are the different types of applications LCCs review?

There are two kinds of applications that local cultural councils review from applicants: standard LCC applications, which can cover a broad range of cultural activities, and PASS applications, which are used to request money for K-12 students’ field trips to cultural performances. Suggested institutions for these field trips are designated with a “Type: P” in the MCC Roster. Click here for more information about the PASS Program.

How do I find out if I received a grant?

LCCs will send preliminary notification to all applicants shortly after they vote on grants. Disapproved applicants are notified first to allow for the reconsideration process. Approved applicants generally receive letters from LCCs in December or January. Final approval from the state is given in March/April and money is available to reimburse applicants in April.

What is reconsideration?

An applicant whose request was not approved for funding by an LCC may request that the council review the application again if the applicant can demonstrate that the LCC failed to follow published local or state review procedures. Disapproved applicants have two weeks after the notification letters are mailed out to request reconsideration by the LCC. Please note that even if the reconsideration request is granted, the application may again be disapproved. Additionally, reconsideration requests may not be made on the basis of dissatisfaction with the amount awarded or disagreement with decisions made on the basis of artistic quality.

When and how do I get my grant money?

The LCC Program is designed to reimburse an applicant for the award amount once the project has occurred, or the money has been spent on the project. Grantees indicate that this has happened on a reimbursement form (pdf) that is sent with the award letter. Please check with the chair or treasurer of the LCC from which you received a grant for information on local reimbursement requirements, as this process may vary from community to community. If you have any questions, call 508 394-8300.

Where can I get more information about applying to the LCC Program?

Please see our Tips for Applicants section for additional hints on applying for LCC grants.

Click below for LCC Frequently Asked Questions – LCC FAQ:

http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/lcc_faqs.html

Local criteria and funding priorities vary by town. Contact your LCC before applying.

Interested applicants (artists, cultural and community-based organizations and schools, residing or organized in Massachusetts) are strongly encouraged to contact each LCC to inquire about any relevant local guidelines before sending in an application. LCCs have a fair amount of autonomy and can determine particular funding guidelines or priorities based on the specific cultural needs of their community. In fact, LCCs receiving $20,000 or more from the MCC are now required to develop local guidelines. It is the applicant’s responsibility to investigate how the application process may vary from town to town.

Average grants tend to be modest ($200-$500).

The MCC provides an annual allocation to each local or regional cultural council. The amount of regranting funds available in a community depends on the size (population) and tax-base of the municipality. A majority of LCCs have a total of less than $3,000 to regrant. Average grant sizes tend to be modest ($200-$500).

The LCC application process can be quite competitive.

Because of the large number of requests and the limited regranting funds available, many LCCs receive far more applications than they can fund fully or even partially. As an applicant, you should be prepared not to receive full funding and plan on securing additional financial resources. Documenting other resources in your application budget will help you compete more successfully.

All LCC grants are reimbursement-based.

You must complete the project for which funding was approved BEFORE requesting payment of the grant amount from the LCC. Grant recipients submit a reimbursement request form, accompanied with documentation that the project occurred (receipts, cancelled checks, program books), to the LCC awarding the grant. Once the LCC approves the reimbursement request, it is then forwarded to the appropriate municipal employee for payment. The earliest date that an applicant may request reimbursement is affected by the particular LCC’s streamlined status.

Some LCCs may be streamlined, which would allow them to receive their funds earlier than non-streamlined LCCs. (Streamlined LCCs receive their money in January. Non-streamlined LCCs receive their money in April.)

To receive an LCC grant, you must demonstrate a public benefit.

One of the cornerstones to the LCC Program is that all funded projects must demonstrate a public benefit component. This is particularly important for applicants approaching a community other than the one they live in. You must explain how your project will engage residents.

Don’t apply for activities that should be part of a town budget.

The MCC provides criteria that LCCs must follow when awarding funds. One of these criteria is the “No Substitution” rule. Schools and libraries should pay special attention to this rule, which prevents LCCs from funding activities that should be paid for through the town budget, such as school bands, drama clubs, and newspapers, or books and audio/video supplies for libraries.

Certain kinds of grant requests will require additional information.

Some projects, such as scholarships and capital expenditures, must meet additional criteria to be eligible for LCC funding. Individuals may NOT submit LCC applications for scholarships. However, organizations may request support for scholarship programs and must provide evidence that they will ensure a public benefit component in which the scholarship recipient “gives back” to the community in the form of a lecture, exhibit, master class, performance, etc. Applications requesting funds for capital expenses must show a 2:1 match in the income section of the LCC Application Form and must include responses to supplemental questions.