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Partner Guidelines
Partners in the Cultural Investment Portfolio (CIP) have a long funding history with the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) and a proven track record of strong organizational capacity and public programming in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to their communities. MCC invests in the mission of these organizations by providing a predictable stream of unrestricted general operating support.
Eligibility Requirements
To be classified as a Partner, organizations must have:
- an established track record of programmatic excellence, demonstrable public benefit, and organizational capacity as evidenced by favorable MCC panel reviews
- at least eight general operating support grants with no more than one panel denial
- a minimum of 10 years providing public cultural programming in Massachusetts
- at least three paid full-time equivalent positions.*
- tax-exempt status under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service tax code or be an agency of local government (ex. local arts agency, historical commission)
- incorporation as a not-for-profit organization
CIP Partners runs on a four-year cycle. Eligibility will be reconfirmed at the beginning of each cycle.
*The U.S. Government Accountability Office defines full-time employment as comprised of 2,080 hours annually. Partners are required to have three FTE's – which means the organization must pay for at least 6,240 hours of work by professional staff annually. These hours do not have to be performed by three staff members; rather, the cumulative total of hours can be distributed among any number of employees. For example, a full-time development director plus two half-time development associates would combine to comprise two FTEs.
Partner Requirements
To maintain full funding as a CIP Partner, each organization must:
- Generate a MCC Funder Report through the MA Cultural Data
Project annually. Learn more.
- Actively advocate for increased state resources, and report two activities
each year. Learn more.
- Host one Site Visit in a four-year period. Learn more.
- Participate on two Site Visit Teams to other Partners, in a four-year period.
Learn more.
- Acknowledge MCC funding in all printed and online materials, and confirm compliance
annually. Learn more.
- Maintain the resources and infrastructure to carry out your stated mission.
In cases where a Partner experiences serious organizational
capacity issues, rather than take punitive action we will work
with that organization to address the challenge. Only in the most
extreme cases – when we or the organization determine it is no
longer able to carry out its stated mission – will we consider
rescinding funding.
Grant Awards
CIP provides unrestricted multi-year grants using a formula scaled
to the organization's operating budget. Funding for Partners is
expected to range from $5,000 to $50,000 each year for four years.
Funding range and specific award amounts are based on total funds
allocated to the CIP by the MCC board based on the agency’s annual
legislative appropriation.
Funding Decisions
Once the formula has been applied grant recommendations are sent to the MCC board. The board considers funding recommendations and makes all final funding decisions.
Cultural Data Project
CIP Partners are required to enter financial data into the Massachusetts
Cultural Data Project (CDP) annually, and then generate a
Massachusetts Cultural Council Funder Report based on this data.
Organizations must generate an MCC Funder Report in order
to be eligible for the following year's grant.
To fulfill the annual requirement as a current CIP Partner:
- Create a new Data Profile(s) and enter data through your most
recently completed fiscal year.*
- Complete the CDP Review Process – your Data Profile(s) must
achieve "Review Complete" status. (Look for this star -
 )
- Generate a Massachusetts Cultural Council Funder Report with
your most recent data.
*Your most recently completed fiscal year should be FY12. If for some
reason you will not be able to enter your FY12 data by the month
date you selected, please contact Kalyn
King.
Please note: Funder Reports include three years of historical
data, and should be consecutive. You may need to enter more than
one Data Profile in order to catch up.
You should fully complete the above CDP requirement by
the month deadline you have set with the MCC. CIP
organizations not up to date after May 31, 2013
will have penalties applied to their FY14
grant amount.
To check or change your organization's month deadline, contact
CIP staff.
We strongly encourage you to read
more about the annual CDP requirement. |
Back to Partner
Requirements
Advocacy
A top priority of the CIP is encouraging Massachusetts’ arts, humanities, and science organizations to see themselves as part of an important sector that speaks with a collective voice to state leadership. Advocacy involves communicating with your state legislators or members of the administration about how funding for arts and culture helps support your programming and serve your community.
Cultural Investment Portfolio grant recipients must join the MCC in actively advocating on behalf of the sector. CIP Partners are required to report on at least two advocacy activities annually.
This is an ongoing, year-round requirement which
the MCC will check monthly and report back on regularly. Organizations
who do not report their FY13 advocacy activities by May
1, 2013 will have their FY14 grant
amounts held until they do so.
Read more about the CIP's advocacy requirement.
Report on your organization's
advocacy activities using this online
form.
Additional advocacy tips and information is available from
the MCC's Advocacy
Action Center.
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Back to Partner
Requirements
Site Visits
Partner organizations in the Cultural Investment Portfolio are required to host one Site Visit in a four year period. Site Visits are not evaluations or accreditations. The visit is an opportunity to build on the existing relationship with MCC, develop new connections, and learn from those participating.
Learn more about the Site Visit, including the make-up of the
day and how to schedule one.
Senior Management of all CIP Partners are required to participate
on two Site Visit Teams in a four-year period. They attend the
Site Visits of other Partner organizations to contribute their
own knowledge and experience.
Learn more about being a Site Visitor, and how to register
for this year's Site Visit Teams.
Please note: This is the fourth year of our
visit cycle. If you have not yet fulfilled the above Site Visit
requirements, you will need to do so this year. Site Visits will
be held from November 2012 – July 2013.
Organizations who have not fulfilled Site Visit requirements
by July 31, 2013 will
have their FY14 grant amounts held until they do so.
Back to Partner
Requirements
Legal and Other Requirements
ACCESS
In accordance with state law, the MCC recognizes the importance of non-discrimination, diversity, and equal opportunity in all aspects of its programs and activities. The MCC is committed to access, not only as a matter of state and federal law, but also as a policy designed to encourage the participation of all segments of the Commonwealth’s population in MCC-funded programs. The MCC also considers low-income communities, rural populations, and citizens over 65 years old as underserved populations that should be proactively included in programs.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that persons with disabilities have access to public programs or services on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. Furthermore, federal law mandates that any program or service that receives federal or state funding must be accessible to persons with disabilities. Therefore, all events and programs funded by the MCC must be accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with visual, hearing, mobility, and learning disabilities. Accessibility includes the facility and event location as well as the content of the program.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FUNDING
Cultural Investment Portfolio Partners are required to credit the Massachusetts Cultural Council in all print, audio, video and internet materials, and all publicity materials (such as press releases, brochures, posters, advertisements and web sites).
By crediting the MCC, you are giving recognition to the state's investment in the arts and cultural sector. This is essential to our collective advocacy and public awareness efforts.
For more information on how to acknowledge MCC funding, use
the Credit and Publicity Kit.
Please note: You will be asked to confirm compliance with the
MCC's Credit and Publicity Agreement when you report your advocacy
activities. (You can do so using this online form.)
Questions?
- Cultural Investment Portfolio guidelines or requirements: Kalyn King, Program Coordinator, 617-858-2700 x22718
- Grant contract: Cyndy Gaviglio, Contracts Coordinator, 617-858-2700 x22711
- MA Cultural Data Project: CDP Help Desk, 877-MASSCDP (877-627-7237)
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