New Bedford Cultural Council

News & Events

Need Some Help With Your NBLCC Grant Proposal or Have Any Questions Regarding the Grant Application Process??? Feel free to bring a draft of your proposal to our informational meetings- 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., New Bedford Public Library, 3rd floor meeting room on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, and a new date added: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009.

Amount Available for Granting in FY 2011

(information not yet available)

PASS applications are accepted.

LCC Program Guidelines (PDF)

Funding Priorities

SAMPLE BALLOT
[100] Total Points Maximum

Overall merit of project:
[15] artistic and cultural excellence
[10] qualifications and experience of artists, humanists and/or interpretive scientists

Community benefit:
[15] Project reflects an encouragement of New Bedford arts and artists.
[10] The project promotes community building by clearly involving other people, groups and organizations within the city of New Bedford.
[15] Project highlights and/or serves specific ethnic and socioeconomic groups, as well as collaborations between diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups, with emphasis on the preservation of cultural identities and activities.

Project and / or applicant history
[5] new applicant or new project

Summary of Project
[5] Who: 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.
[5] What: The description is clear and realistic.
[5] Where and When: Dates, times and locations are detailed and are appropriate for the project for reaching the widest audience.
[5] 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 both the PASS grants (Performing Arts Student Series) program and 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 PASS 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 PASS Application

The PASS Program 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 to the PASS Program may be parents, teachers, administrators, PTA/PTOs, neighborhood centers or civic organizations. Public, private, and parochial schools are all eligible for PASS funding. Tickets for PASS events must be purchased in advance by the applicant, who is later reimbursed by the local cultural council.

1. Maximum PASS 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. (A regular NBCC grant application must be used).

3. Admission to the event or institution must be $12 or less. (A standard LCC application may be used for those events or institutions with an admissions price higher than $12.) 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 PASS 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. PASS 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 Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. These may be mailed to the NBCC P.O.Box 40158, New Bedford,MA 02744, postmarked no later than Wednesday October 15, 2008, OR may be hand delivered to the Mayor’s Office on the 3rd floor of City Hall, before 4 p.m. on October 15, 2008. The Mayor’s office closes at 4 p.m. No late applications will be accepted.

Need Some Help With Your NBLCC Grant Proposal or Have Any Questions Regarding the Grant Application Process??? Feel free to bring a draft of your proposal to our informational meetings- 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., New Bedford Public Library, 3rd floor meeting room on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, and a new date added: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009.