Please visit the Massachusetts Cultural Council's web site to download and print the LCC Grant application.
Preference will be given to Brookline-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and to local individuals who work in the arts or humanities.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have been engaged in the kind of activity for which they are seeking funds for at least two years. Evidence may be of previous sale or exhibition of work, performances, reviews, etc.
Two broad categories of application are considered:
All grants are made on a reimbursement basis. Funds can only be disbursed for expenditures described in your application budget. Please keep a careful record of your expenses. Original receipts are required for reimbursement.
If the project is to defray expenses of publishing,
exhibiting, or performing
finished work, a letter will be issued to the grantee stating that
funds up to a
specified amount are available for this purpose. This letter may be
presented to
a non-profit publisher, gallery, theater, concert producer, etc. Funds
are
disbursed upon receipt by the Commission of written evidence that the
grantee’s
work has been accepted and publication, production, or exhibition
scheduled.
| Cultural Impact | Projects involving local performance, exhibition, or education must contribute to the cultural life of Brookline. Applicants must be familiar with the community’s particular needs and interests. Projects involving dissemination of artistic production must contribute to the standing of Brookline artists in the larger cultural community. |
| Potential | The project must demonstrate a high standard of quality and creativity. It must provide cultural opportunity and/or diversity in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences. It must support Brookline-based artists or art groups. |
| Quality | The applicant is expected to produce a high quality project as evidenced by resumes, references, support letters, press reviews, etc. |
| Audience | Applicants are encouraged to design their projects to reach diverse and underserved audiences. |
| Plan of work | Objectives of the project and the strategy for implementation should be sharply defined, clearly stated, and capable of realization on a feasible schedule. |
| Narrative and timing | In up to two pages, provide an in-depth description of the project and a detailed timeline for how the project will transpire. Include planning and follow-up activities, project events and activities, and marketing and promotion plans. |
| Uniqueness | If funding for similar projects has been received in the past, include a brief explanation, not exceeding one page, describing how the current grant differs. |
| Budget | The budget should be appropriate in terms of the scope and anticipated results of the project. If additional funds are needed to complete the project, plans for securing them should be in place. On a separate page, provide a detailed breakdown of the project expenses. |
| Impact of the Award | It is desirable that the project be able to go forward with partial funding. |
Note: The BCA does not provide scholarships, or grants for general subsidies or the purchase of permanent equipment.
The project must happen within one year of formal notification by the Brookline Commission for the Arts.
The project budget must balance; that is, expenses must equal expected revenues. “In kind” contributions (of time, supplies, rent, etc.) are considered legitimate sources of income.
Contact our office by voice mail at 617-730-2135 or email at brooklinearts@town.brookline.ma.us with any questions.
Complete grant applications must be received at the Brookline Selectmen’s Office, Town Hall, 333 Washington St., Brookline, MA 02445 by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 15, 2007.
The application form and required budget must be typed or legibly printed within the space provided. An original and 12 photocopies of this form (both sides) must be included.
The following material must accompany the application, or it will be deemed incomplete and ineligible:
Applications are reviewed by the Grants Committee of the Brookline Commission for the Arts and voted on in a public meeting, held in mid-November. Applicants may receive a call from a Grants Committee member if clarification or more information is desired before this meeting. You will be informed of the decision within four weeks after the voting meeting.
Some applications may be conditionally approved with a request for some modification which the Committee believes would make the project more beneficial to the Brookline community. The funding will be contingent upon this change. Applicants who do not find the request acceptable are under no obligation to complete the project.
Support materials (videos, cassettes, CDs, slides, etc.) will be returned to the Selectmen’s office after December 15, 2007, and will be held there until January 31, 2008. They should be picked up by the applicant.
Applicants receiving grants will want to refer to these guidelines as their projects progress. Keep these guidelines handy.
All published materials and announcements regarding the project must include the following statement in full
“This program is supported in part by a grant from the Brookline Commission for the Arts, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. ”
Failure to include this notice may jeopardize your chances of receiving future grants.
A member of the Brookline Commission for the Arts will be assigned to monitor your project throughout its course. This person will be a liaison between you and the Commission and will be available to answer questions or help solve last-minute problems. The liaison member will also be the one to certify that your project was completed as planned and that you therefore qualify for expense reimbursement. It is your monitor that is to receive your original receipts for reimbursement.
Important: You must inform your project liaison in a timely manner of all public events related to your project.
Not later than 60 days after the completion of the project, you must submit a narrative description of your experience with the project, plus itemized financial reports and original receipts. (A reimbursement form will be provided with your acceptance letter.) Your reimbursements hinge on this requirement.
Good Luck!
| By this Date | You Should Do the Following |
| September TBA, 2007 | Grant writing/information sessions in conjunction with Brookline Community Foundation |
| September TBA, 2006 | Deadline for early submission (allowing for notification of incomplete applications). |
| October 15, 2007 | Final application deadline |
| December 15, 2007 | Decisions mailed |
| January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008 |
Grant period |
| 60 days from completion of project. | Final narrative
and financial report due. Include original receipts.
Grantees who will be unable to complete their project during the grant period must notify the Commission before the end of the year and propose an alternate completion date. An extension may be approved or the award may be canceled, at the discretion of the Commission. |
Please check off the items to be enclosed to insure that your application is complete. Sign and return this checklist with your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 15, 2007.
| 1._____ | The original typed, completed, signed LCC application form and 12 photocopies. |
| 2._____ | Resume, or other evidence of your having worked in your field for at least two years. |
| 3._____ | Samples of creative work. |
| 4._____ | Two letters of support from professionals in your field. |
| 5._____ | If your project involves performance or exhibition, one letter authorizing place(s) and date(s) of performance(s) or exhibit(s) from those responsible for the space you are proposing to use. |
| 6._____ | Two self-addressed, stamped envelopes. |
| 7._____ | For organizations only: One copy of the 501 (c) (3) letter. |
| 8._____ | Can this project proceed with partial funding? Please write “yes” or “no” on the line at left. |
I understand that the Brookline Commission for the Arts is
under no
obligation to notify applicants if applications are incomplete.
Signed
____________________________________________________________________