News & Events
NBCC 2012 Grant Cycle Information:
All grant applications and accompanying materials are due by Oct. 15, 2011. These may be mailed to the NBCC P.O.Box 40158, New Bedford, MA 02744, postmarked no later than October 15, 2011, OR may be hand delivered to the Mayor’s Office on the 3rd floor of City Hall, before 12 noon on October 14, 2011. No late applications will be accepted.
Amount Available for Granting in FY 2012
$51,930
Applications for field trips are accepted. (Formerly known as PASS applications.)
LCC Program Guidelines (PDF)
The postmark deadline for applications is October 15
Funding Priorities
SAMPLE BALLOT
[100] Total Points Maximum
Community Benefit:
[15] Project reflects an encouragement of New Bedford arts and artists
[15] The project promotes community building by clearly involving other people, groups, and organizations within the city of New Bedford
[10] Project highlights and/or serves specific ethnic and socioeconomic groups, as well as collaborates between diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups with an emphasis on the preservation of cultural identities and activities
Applicant History:
[5] New applicant (has not applied for a NBCC grant within the last 5 years)
Summary of Project
[15] Who: Qualifications and experience of the artist, humanists, and/or interpretive scientists. The partners or collaborators involved in the planning for this project are listed, all roles clearly defined and their resumes reflect ability to do this project.
[10] What: The description is clear and realistic and reflects artistic and cultural excellence
[10] Where and When: Dates, times and locations are detailed and are appropriate for the project for reaching the widest audience.
[10] How: The planning process is thorough and detailed and the promotion, publicity and marketing plan is carefully detailed and appropriate for the project. For school-based projects, there is evidence that the planners will publicize this project to the greater community.
Budget Information:
[10]
Addition is correct and expenses equal income.
Amount of request is appropriate and vague categories are absent.
Budget reflects attempt to find multiple funding sources.
Local Guidelines
NEW BEDFORD CULTURAL COUNCIL
The New Bedford Cultural Council (here-after referred to as NBCC) is a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and, as such, supports programs that promote education, diversity, and excellence in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences to benefit the New Bedford Community. All NBCC grant projects must take place within the city of New Bedford.
Members administer and distribute funds received from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for LCC grants (Local Cultural Council) program. Grants are awarded to individuals and organizations, with a maximum amount of $4,000.00 per individual or organization, or $1,500.00 per school for field trip grants.
This is a reimbursement program; no money is given up front. Award money will be available to you only after you have completed your project. Funds will be expended within 12 months of award notification. Food, lodging, fund-raising and capital expenditures are not funded by NBCC. Any changes in location or date must be approved in writing by the NBCC.
Local council funds may only be used to support programs in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. This definition includes the study, pursuit, performance, exhibition, and appreciation of cultural activities in the broadest sense.
ARTS refer to the creation of work in the crafts and performing, visual, media, folk, design, literary, and inter-disciplinary 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.
INTERPRETIVE SCIENCES engage people of all ages in learning about 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.
Review Criteria for LCC Grant Applications
1. Project must benefit New Bedford citizens and must take place in New Bedford.
2. Maximum grant request allowed is $4,000.00 per organization or individual.
3. In accordance with state law, the NBCC may not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, gender, religion, creed, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or age. The NBCC may not fund projects which discriminates on the basis of any of the above.
4. Funded activities must be accessible to the general public by exhibit, performance or other means. All sites used for exhibitions or performances must be handicapped accessible.
5. The qualifications of the individual or organization, and the quality of the work are considered by the NBCC.
6. NBCC funding may not be used as the sole means of support for projects of a continuing nature. The NBCC looks more favorably on applicants who pursue other funding sources to support their projects.
Review Criteria for Field Trip LCC Grants
NBCC funds cultural field trips for children, grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12, by subsidizing the cost of admission to attend programs in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences (including performances, educational tours and exhibits). Applicants may be parents, teachers, administrators, PTA/PTOs, neighborhood centers or civic organizations. Public, private, and parochial schools are all eligible for funding. Tickets for events must be purchased in advance by the applicant, who is later reimbursed by the local cultural council.
1. Maximum grant request allowed per school is $1,500.00.
2. Funds must not be used for programs that take place in school during school hours.
3. Admission to the event or institution must be $12 or less. A portion of the grant may be used for transportation.
4. A school may submit one application for all classes attending a single event. A separate application must be submitted for performances or programs to be attended on different dates or venues.
5. If a large number of applications are submitted in a given cycle, schools and organizations submitting multiple applications must prioritize their requests in order of desired importance or need.
6. Applicants MUST include date, time, location and name of performance or program to be attended on application.
Checklist for Completing Grant Applications
• Use the attached application form or download an application. An editable PDF is available on the MCC website at http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/applications/lccapp.html Applications must be typed, legible and complete: You may continue your answer on an attached sheet, but short answers for every question should appear on the form itself. Include only supportive materials which are necessary to prove the merits of your project.
• Attention to the budget is essential. It must be balanced. All necessary items must be filled in, so that the total in Line G Expenses must equal the total in Line G under Project Revenue. List other funding sources in the Revenue column of the budget section.
• Project must be accessible to the general public, and venues must be handicapped accessible. The location and date of your presentation must be confirmed in writing in a site confirmation letter. This document must be on the organization’s letterhead and be signed by an officer of the organization. This written approval must be attached to the original application at the time of submission.
• Your application packet should include 1 signed original plus 13 copies of application forms and 1 copy of supporting materials and 1 copy of a site confirmation letter (if required.) All applications must be signed. All materials become property of NBCC.
All grant applications and accompanying materials are due by Oct. 15, 2011. These may be mailed to the NBCC P.O.Box 40158, New Bedford, MA 02744, postmarked no later than October 15, 2011, OR may be hand delivered to the Mayor’s Office on the 3rd floor of City Hall, before 12 noon on October 14, 2011. No late applications will be accepted.
Two informational meetings will be held for anyone that has questions about the NBCC grant application process:
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Grant Slam Info Jam
7:00-9:00
ArtWorks! 384 Acushnet Ave.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
6:30-8:00
New Bedford Free Public Library