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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same login user name/password
as last year?
Yes
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I've forgotten my username and/or password – how do I find
out what it is?
You can click "Forgot
Your Username or Password" link on the online application.
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What should I know about filling out
a new user profile?
Create a user profile at http://mass.gosmart.org/agreement.php
by clicking "Yes, I agree", then by selecting 'Organization' at
the top of the next page. (If you select 'Individual' by mistake
you will need to create a new profile to be able to access the
STARS application once it's open.)
- Primary Contact Information: This is the
information for the person in charge of the project who MCC
can contact.
- Applicant Information: This is the information
about the SCHOOL, which is the legal applicant:
Legal Name: enter the SCHOOL's name.
FEIN/TAX ID:
- Public Schools: Enter 00-0000000
- Private, Charter, and Parochial Schools: Enter the 9-digit
employer ID number for your school
Organization Type: Select "Elementary," "Middle,"
or "Secondary" school
Applicant Status:
Public Schools: Select "Gov't – Municipal"
Others: Select "Organization – Non-Profit"
Applicant Discipline: Select "Multidisciplinary"
Grantee Race: Choose the selection that reflects
the race of the school's staff. In most cases this will be
"No single group."
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What do I enter in the FEIN/Tax ID box?
Public Schools: Enter 00-0000000
Private, Charter, and Parochial Schools: Enter the 9-digit employer ID number for your school
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In the user profile, who is the “organization”? The cultural partner or the school?
The SCHOOL is the organization in the user profile, even if you are a cultural partner filling out the application for the school.
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Can I see the application before creating
a user profile?
Yes. You can preview a sample
application (PDF).
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What should I know about filling out
the narrative questions?
Look at the sample application (PDF) for the questions and character limits - which include spaces.
We recommend that you develop your narrative in word processing software and then copy and paste it in the appropriate narrative boxes once the online application opens.
Before you copy and paste responses from word processing software into the online application, save the file as "text only." After you've entered the text, be sure to click "View PDF” at the bottom of the screen to make sure your narrative looks the way you want it to and is complete.
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Can I make changes to my application?
You can make changes to your application any time up until you
hit "Submit." After you hit "Submit," you will need to email Diane
Daily to ask her to re-open the application for you.
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Who can apply?
Any Massachusetts school – public, private, independent, or parochial – serving students K-12 may apply.
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Is there a minimum length for a residency or a limit on how long it can be?
To be eligible, a residency must have each artist, scientist, or scholar work with each group of students for a minimum of 3 sessions over 3 days.
There is no limit to how long a residency can be under this program.
We encourage schools to design residencies that provide as in-depth
and meaningful a creative learning experience for students as
possible.
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How large a grant can we receive?
The maximum grant is $5,000. Your grant amount is determined by the number of sessions with students and the cultural partner.
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How long is one "session"?
One session is 40-60 minutes contact time with the same group
of students. A class 90-120 minutes long counts as two sessions.
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Do culminating event sessions count toward the grant amount calculation?
Only if the cultural partner is present.
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Can residencies take place afterschool or in the summer?
Afterschool residencies are eligible. Afterschool programs must
apply through the host school. Summer residencies are not eligible.
Residencies must be completed by June 30.
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Can we apply for a second STARS Residencies grant in this school year?
No.
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How can we make sure the residency is a high-quality learning experience?
- Be sure to choose a cultural partner with the right experience and expertise for your learning objectives. Ask for a resume and references from previous residencies.
- Meet with the cultural partner before and during the residency
to discuss learning objectives, connections to the curriculum
and extensions, and how best to engage the students.
- Stay in the classroom. This signals to students that the residency
is an important learning opportunity. It also helps with classroom
management. After the session, talk with the cultural partner
about what worked and what could be improved for the next session.
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Is there an application deadline?
The online application will open at 4:00pm (ET) on Thursday, October 6. The application will close when the demand for funds exceeds the funding available. Note that this can happen in the same day the application opens. Applications are reviewed within
six weeks of submission in the order in which they are received,
as long as funds last.
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What is a "cultural partner"?
A "cultural partner" is the artist, scientist, or scholar who will be doing the residency. A cultural organization is not the cultural partner - the artist, scientist, or scholar working for the cultural organization is the cultural partner.
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How do we find a cultural partner? Do we have to work with an MCC-approved cultural partner?
You can work with whomever you choose. Be sure that the artist, scientist, or scholar has the experience and expertise needed to engage the students in a high-quality learning experience.
Many schools find their cultural partners through recommendations
from colleagues in other schools. Or, to get started, you can visit CreativeGround.org.
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Can we work with more than one cultural partner?
Yes, a residency may involve multiple artists, scientists, or scholars; however, the cultural partners must collaborate on the same project with the same students. Each cultural partner must meet the three-day minimum with all students. The application must show that cultural partners will plan together both before and during the residency.
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If we work with more than one cultural partner in each classroom, do we receive an additional $100 per artist?
No. You will receive $100 per session to spend any way you wish to support the residency – cultural partner fees, materials, culminating activity, etc. (but not teacher salaries.)
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Do we have to have a signed contract with the cultural partner before we apply?
A signed contract is not required for the application or to be eligible for a grant. However, MCC encourages schools and cultural partners to enter into a contract for the work to be performed before the residency begins to enable all parties to know what is expected and agreed-upon.
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Can we apply if we don't know yet exactly when the residency will take place?
Yes. When filling out the application, just make your best guess as to when the residency will start and end.
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When can a residency start?
The residency may start on or after November 13, 2017. Residencies that start prior to November 13, 2017 are ineligible.
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Can a residency involve more than one grade?
A residency may involve more than one grade; however, all grades must work on the same, unifying theme and explore the same content (adjusted for grade level). For residencies with a total of five days or more in the school, all participating grades must be involved in the same culminating event whenever possible. If this is logistically impossible, then the culminating events must be clearly linked together.
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Can we use the grant to fund more than one residency in the school?
No. Grants may be used to fund only one residency per school so that we can fund residencies in as many schools as possible.
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Do we need to come up with a match?
No. There is no match required for this grant.
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Several schools in the district are working with the same cultural partner. Can we submit a joint application?
No, each school needs to submit its own application. However, you can indicate that the schools are collaborating on the same project.
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How soon will we hear whether we will receive a grant?
We will notify you by email within six weeks of submission as
to whether your application has been approved or not. Be sure
your email is set to receive messages from the Massachusetts Cultural
Council (diane.daily@art.state.ma.us).
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We submitted our contract but have not yet received our payment. Where is the money?
Your grant funds will be electronically transferred within 45 days after we receive your completed contract. The funds will be sent electronically as a direct deposit as follows:
Public schools: grants are sent to the town treasurer.
Please keep a copy of your signed contract. Your town treasurer
will likely need it for their records and to help them get your
school’s reimbursement onto a warrant. You must contact the town
treasurer to access your funds.
Charter schools, schools within a regional school district,
parochial, or private schools: grants will be sent directly
to the school or school district.
Boston Public Schools: grant payments are forwarded
to BEDF at 2300 Washington Street, 5th Floor, Roxbury. Contact BEDF at 617-635-9019.
Worcester Public Schools: contact Linda Nowosacki at the WPS Grant Office at 508-799-3112.
Note: The Mass Cultural Council does not have the ability to write checks to schools.
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Do we have to complete a Final Report? When is it due?
Yes, every grantee must complete the online Final Report on the grant activities and expenditures. The report is due within 30 days after the residency is completed or no later than July 17, 2018.
Schools that fail to submit a Final Report will not be eligible
to apply for another Mass Cultural Council grant in a future school
year until the report has been completed or until two years have passed.
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Where do I find the Final Report?
The Final
Report is accessible from the same site as the application.
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Contact Diane Daily at 617-858-2709 with questions.
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