Above: The Southborough committee for the state agency that awards grants for culture and arts program is advertising its soon-to-open application window. (images of councils’ logos)
The Southborough Cultural Arts Council is again encouraging individuals and groups to apply for grants to support artistic projects and activities to benefit the community.
The window to apply will open Tuesday, September 2nd through Thursday, October 14th. In between, they’ll hold an office hour to answer any questions. (Worth noting, there will also be a later window for additional “local projects” this year.)
Mass Cultural Council has allocated $6400 to SCAC to award grants from $250 to $1,000 each.
The announcement clarifies that in addition to supporting “unique events and programs”, “the flexible programmatic grants [can be] used for operational costs for ongoing initiatives”.
The announcement highlights the other window to stay tuned for news on:
Additionally, the SCAC will be announcing an second grant opportunity for local projects in the fall- details will be announced in early October.
For the soon-to-open window, here are the details from SCAC’s announcement:
Dates / Deadlines
- LCC Grant Program Application becomes available on September 2nd, 2025 (click here to access the application portal)
- LCC Grant Office Hours hosted by the SCAC will take place following our committee’s September meeting on Tuesday, September 16th at 7PM (meeting agenda and location will be posted on the Town website in the next few weeks)
- LCC Grant Program closes on October 16th, 2025
- Grant review begins in November, with decisions issued by December 31st, 2025
Grant Criteria
With the objective of amplifying access to arts and culture and resources for artistic endeavors in and around Southborough, the SCAC’s LCC objectives prioritize applications providing artistic programming for residents of Southborough. Specifically we review for the following:
- Programs to be held in Southborough and surrounding communities.
- Individuals and organizations that live and work in Southborough and surrounding communities.
- Service organizations that benefit the town of Southborough.
- Funding for programs that focus on the natural world and environment in our community.
- Overall: Funds used should serve the largest possible number of people in the community with a diversity of age groups and artistic disciplines, including the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.
Guidelines for Applicants
Applicants to the SCAC’s LCC annual grant program should adhere to the below guidelines when submitting their application:
- If the applicant’s project involves another institution or organization, a letter of agreement from that institution or organization’s representative must be submitted with the application. Applications that indicate only that the project is available to any interested organization will not be considered.
- Applicants must specify the venue for the performance or project in the application.
- Applications must specify a date for the project. Projects must take place during the calendar year (January – December) following the October application deadline.
