Sample Watertown Cultural Council Grant Application
A guide to completing a grant application, along with a link to the application, is available at https://massculturalcouncil.org/communities/local-cultural-council-program/application-process/
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Enter your personal and contact information.
Project Information
Amount Requested
How much money are you requesting from the Watertown Cultural Council? Because requests for grants always exceed WCC’s available funds, most grants provide partial funding for a project and range between $250 and $1000. Projects typically seek additional funds from other sources.
Project Discipline
Music, dance, photography, painting, history, theater, story-telling, science education, public art, etc.
Project Title
This is the title your project will be known by, for both WCC and the general public.
When will the project take place?
If you already have a commitment from a venue for a specific date, include it here. Otherwise identify the month or season that you intend the project to take place.
Where will the project take place?
WCC funds projects that take place in Watertown. Will your proposed project take place in a school auditorium, a public park, the library, the Boys and Girls Club, etc.? Get a commitment from the venue where your project will take place prior to submitting your proposal, and tell us about it, even if you do not yet have a specific date.
Estimated number of people served
Provide a realistic estimate. If you are combining a training or class with a performance, the people served will include student performers and audience members.
Does this project primarily serve schoolchildren (grades pre-K to 12)?
Be sure to let us know.
Project Overview
Summarize the proposed project or program.
This is a place to provide details about your project that are not already addressed in another part of the application.
Who is the target audience for this project?
Is your target audience the elderly, families, adults, some other group, or the general population?
What is the cost of participation for attendees (if any)?
Will you be selling tickets? What is the price?
How does the proposed project provide public benefit and contribute to the cultural vitality of the community as a whole?
How is it unique or serving an important need or population? Are you serving a large number of people? Are you providing a new experience for people? Are you addressing an underserved population? Are you providing a unique experience? Is the project supporting collaborations within Watertown’s cultural community? Why is it worth being funded?
Please describe the qualifications of key artists, humanists, interpretive scientists or organizations involved with leading the cultural component of this project.
Describe prior experience, relevant education or training, awards, etc. You may also include URLs for web sites, attach fliers and/or descriptions of relevant experience, etc.—whatever will convince the reviewers of your proposal that the project will be of high quality.
If there are any other individuals or organizations that will be involved in the project as planners, partners, or collaborators, please list them below. If applicable, please distinguish between those who have made a firm commitment to the project and those with tentative or potential involvement.
In addition to the suggestions above, WCC values and encourages collaboration among Watertown’s cultural organizations and/or individuals working in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences.
How are you planning to promote the project to the community and your target audience?
Describe how you might use social media, posters, newsletters, announcements at meetings, or other means to ensure that the public is informed about your project, the location and time, target audience, etc. Publicity is an essential part of your planning.
Budget
The Project Budget section includes a dropdown menu of possible expenses to choose from. For each applicable expense, enter a dollar amount. Some possibilities are:
Salaries/Fees for Artists/Humanists/Scientists
Salaries/Fees: Administrative
Space Rental
Materials
Travel/Transportation
Other
Projected Income
Indicate all OTHER sources of income needed to complete the project, in addition to what you hope to receive from the WCC.
In-Kind Support
Could you receive free printing of your posters or flyers? Free or reduced fee for use of the venue? Are performers donating time? You may provide dollar values or just descriptions.
How will you adjust the project if the council cannot fund the entire amount you are requesting?
As partial awards are common, detail how the project may be completed if full funding is not awarded. Would you reduce the number of performances? The scope of the project? Acquire additional funding from another source? If the project cannot be completed without full funding, please state so in the application.
If you have applied to other Local Cultural Councils for funding for this specific project, please list the names of those councils below.
Additional Materials
Supplemental materials are limited to a total of 3 printed pages. All pages must be in PDF file format. Examples of supplemental materials include bios, press coverage, letters of agreement or invitations from local partner(s), testimonials, etc.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This is where you certify that the information you have entered is correct, and where you click the SUBMIT button. Once you cick SUBMIT you cannot make any changes to your application.