FY24 LOCAL CULTURAL COUNCIL GRANT ROUND
Grant awards are determined by the merit of the proposal and the funds available. For last year's grant cycle, the Northampton Arts Council awarded $27,094 of grants in the following categories: Dance, Literature, Media Arts, Multidisciplinary, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts. In past grant rounds, each grant awarded has ranged from $250 to $2,000. The Arts Council rarely awards the total cost of a project. Organizations and individuals are strongly encouraged to support some expenses with applicant cash, to approach other sources for funding, and to seek in-kind donations of materials and labor. Financial support from multiple sources helps demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed project. The Northampton Arts Council will award a total of $22,705 for the FY24 LCC grant round.
- Online Application Only -
Important Grant Cycle Dates
September 1, 2023: LCC online application opens
October 19, 2023: LCC application deadline
January 17, 2024: LCC grant decisions due
Important Grant Cycle Dates
September 1, 2023: LCC online application opens
October 19, 2023: LCC application deadline
January 17, 2024: LCC grant decisions due
More Information and Resources
How to apply for a Local Cultural Council Grant
Tips: Writing a Grant Application
Database of Local Venues
MCC credit policy for LCC grant recipients
Tips: Writing a Grant Application
Database of Local Venues
MCC credit policy for LCC grant recipients
I have another question that isn’t answered here.
If you have a technical issue or a question about the online application, please email grants.team@mass.gov.
If you have a technical issue or a question about the online application, please email grants.team@mass.gov.
The Northampton Arts Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the nation's largest grassroots cultural funding network, annually supporting thousands of community-based arts, sciences, and humanities projects. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency that allocates funds to each community. https://massculturalcouncil.org
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ArtsEZ GRANT ROUND - SPRING 2023 (APPLICATION CLOSED)
The Northampton Arts Council is pleased to announce the opening of our ArtsEZ 2023 SPRING GRANT ROUND on April 14, 2023, with a deadline of Friday, May 19, 2023. Individuals, schools, and arts organizations are encouraged to seek funding for creative projects in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds. The grants are funded by the proceeds from the Northampton Arts Council’s signature events and series: Four Sundays, Performance, and First Night Northampton.
The Northampton Arts Council is pleased to announce the opening of our ArtsEZ 2023 SPRING GRANT ROUND on April 14, 2023, with a deadline of Friday, May 19, 2023. Individuals, schools, and arts organizations are encouraged to seek funding for creative projects in Northampton, Florence, and Leeds. The grants are funded by the proceeds from the Northampton Arts Council’s signature events and series: Four Sundays, Performance, and First Night Northampton.
To apply, please complete the ArtsEZ Spring 2023 Online-Only Application Form. The link to the application will be live on our website on April 14th. It is a simple form with short questions, a place to upload supporting materials, and a required project budget. Only one grant application per person or organization will be considered. Please review the Arts EZ Spring 2023 guidelines for criteria and eligibility requirements. Projects must start by July 1, 2023, and be complete by June 30, 2024. This local round of funding would not have been possible without the support of numerous local businesses, arts organizations, and artists who helped make our fundraising efforts successful.
***ArtsEZ Spring 2023 Grant Guidelines are here.***
List of Local Venues/Spaces here.
***ArtsEZ Spring 2023 Grant Guidelines are here.***
List of Local Venues/Spaces here.
A list of past grant recipients is here.
Funding for project proposals that will be completed between 7/1/23 - 6/31/24
Funding for project proposals that will be completed between 7/1/23 - 6/31/24
THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO THE ARTSEZ GRANT ROUND. WE WILL SEND NOTIFICATIONS BY THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF JULY 2023.
What Happens if You Receive an ArtsEZ Grant in the Spring?
ArtsEZ Spring Grant Distribution Information
ArtsEZ Spring Grant Distribution Information
Northampton Arts Council Logo
How does the Arts Council decide which grant proposals get funded?
The members of the Arts Council review each grant. Each council member is assigned a grant category and carefully reads every proposal, following up with the artists for additional information if necessary. During the grant review meeting, each designated council member presents the grants in their category to the entire council. After hearing presentations on all the grant submissions, each council member scores each grant proposal. More information is here.
Northampton Arts Inc. has initiated a Direct Grant Program for our ArtsEZ grant round. Approved grantees will receive their award funding upfront.
How does the Arts Council decide which grant proposals get funded?
The members of the Arts Council review each grant. Each council member is assigned a grant category and carefully reads every proposal, following up with the artists for additional information if necessary. During the grant review meeting, each designated council member presents the grants in their category to the entire council. After hearing presentations on all the grant submissions, each council member scores each grant proposal. More information is here.
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The J. Scott Brandon Grant Fund has been created to ensure that all interested students at Northampton High School will receive music lessons and supplies for their instruments throughout their high school careers. During the school year, a musician would provide weekly classes at a local music school (Downtown Sounds or Northampton Community Music Center - student’s choice). Ninth and tenth-grade Northampton High School students needing financial support would be eligible for scholarship funds to receive music lessons. Students would be nominated for the grant by Paul Kinsman, Claire Williams, and one board member of the Northampton Arts Councils’ Schools sub-committee each year in mid-March as course selection wraps up.
For more information, click here.
_________________________________________________________________ BJ GOODWIN MEMORIAL FUND - We are not accepting proposals currently.
In honor of BJ Goodwin--performer, dancer, and educator--the Northampton Arts Council has formed a new grant program for the arts community. The BJ Goodwin Grant is designed to provide direct assistance to a Northampton-based artist, writer, or arts organization in recognizing exceptional work and supporting the further development of artistic talents. We hope this grant opportunity will also provide artists with recognition and affirmation from their peers and the public. Individuals or organizations that are considered for this grant have already demonstrated their exceptional work within our community. They are looking for supplemental funding to bring their work outside our region to another country or another area within the U.S. If you are interested in applying for the BJ Goodwin Grant, please email bfoote@northamptonma.gov or call (413)587-1069.
An excellent example of a BJ Goodwin proposal is here
History of BJ Goodwin Fund here
BJ Goodwin Donation Sheet here
The Northampton Arts Council accepts donations from the community to build this fund. To donate to the BJ Goodwin Fund, click here. Please write "BJ Goodwin" in the note section to define the donation. Donations are tax-deductible.
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PERFORMANCE MUSIC BENEFIT was established to support Northampton’s most promising young artists. Every year, the Northampton Arts Council directly donates a portion of the proceeds from Performance to the Parent Teacher Organizations of Northampton High School, JFK Middle School, RK Finn Ryan Road, Leeds Elementary, Bridge Street School, and Jackson Street School. The funds are earmarked for arts education and enrichment. Donations are tax-deductible.
In honor of BJ Goodwin--performer, dancer, and educator--the Northampton Arts Council has formed a new grant program for the arts community. The BJ Goodwin Grant is designed to provide direct assistance to a Northampton-based artist, writer, or arts organization in recognizing exceptional work and supporting the further development of artistic talents. We hope this grant opportunity will also provide artists with recognition and affirmation from their peers and the public. Individuals or organizations that are considered for this grant have already demonstrated their exceptional work within our community. They are looking for supplemental funding to bring their work outside our region to another country or another area within the U.S. If you are interested in applying for the BJ Goodwin Grant, please email bfoote@northamptonma.gov or call (413)587-1069.
An excellent example of a BJ Goodwin proposal is here
History of BJ Goodwin Fund here
BJ Goodwin Donation Sheet here
The Northampton Arts Council accepts donations from the community to build this fund. To donate to the BJ Goodwin Fund, click here. Please write "BJ Goodwin" in the note section to define the donation. Donations are tax-deductible.
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PERFORMANCE MUSIC BENEFIT was established to support Northampton’s most promising young artists. Every year, the Northampton Arts Council directly donates a portion of the proceeds from Performance to the Parent Teacher Organizations of Northampton High School, JFK Middle School, RK Finn Ryan Road, Leeds Elementary, Bridge Street School, and Jackson Street School. The funds are earmarked for arts education and enrichment. Donations are tax-deductible.
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Conflict of Interest Policy
To ensure that members of the Northampton Arts Council are free from conflicts of interest, board members are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. “Affiliations” applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. Arts Council board members and staff who apply for a grant recuse themselves entirely from participating in their grant application's review process and allocation determinations.
Conflict of Interest Policy
To ensure that members of the Northampton Arts Council are free from conflicts of interest, board members are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. “Affiliations” applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. Arts Council board members and staff who apply for a grant recuse themselves entirely from participating in their grant application's review process and allocation determinations.
