Mass Cultural Council executive committee recommends FY26 spending plan that increases grant dollars

The Massachusetts Cultural Council Executive Committee recommended approval of the FY26 Budget and Program Allocation Spending Plan at its Aug. 6, 2025, meeting, sending the proposal to the Programs Committee and the full Council for final action.

Chief Financial Officer Catherine Cheng‑Anderson told the committee the FY26 plan projects $33.8 million in total revenue and exceeds the agency’s legislative grantmaking mandate. The agency’s statute requires at least 75% of Line Item 06400300 ($26,975,152) be dedicated to grants—a floor of $20,231,364. “Under the proposed plan, we are allocating $27,095,983 to grantmaking,” Cheng‑Anderson said, a figure the presentation described as roughly 134% of the statutory minimum.

The plan’s revenue sources include roughly $27.0 million in state appropriations and earmarks, an estimated $5.1 million from Chapter 23K gaming mitigation funds, $1.3 million in National Endowment for the Arts support, $354,000 from MassDevelopment for Cultural Facilities Fund administration, and a $64,000 contribution from the Harry Rice Trust. Cheng‑Anderson outlined program allocations: Organizations ($7.2 million), Artists & Youth ($4.2 million), Communities ($6.57 million), Equity & Inclusion ($4.04 million), Advancement ($687,000), and Other Grants including gaming‑funded programs ($3.46 million).

Cheng‑Anderson also briefed the committee on the Chapter 23K Gaming Mitigation Grant Program: the FY26 plan targets $5.1 million for mitigation grants (with $4.6 million for eligible nonprofit performing arts centers and $356,000 for administration and outreach). The presentation identified $2,580,414 in Chapter 23K funds available as of June 30, 2025, and $2,545,166 in anticipated new revenue by Dec. 31, 2025, with surpluses to be carried forward.

Executive Director Michael J. Bobbitt described related advancement and training initiatives that will be supported in part by the FY26 plan, including a free arts‑entrepreneurship course developed with MITx and MIT Sloan slated to launch in January. Senior Director Jen Lawless summarized equity and access priorities embedded in the plan: continued support for an Access and Disability Learning Hub, a second year of Tribal Cultural Council grants for Native and Indigenous artists, navigation assistance for individual applicants, and funding for advisory groups to guide equity implementation.

After discussion, Julie Wake moved and Ché Anderson seconded the motion to recommend the FY26 plan to the Programs Committee and full Council. By roll call vote (Cecil Barron Jensen and Iván Espinoza‑Madrigal absent), the committee unanimously approved the recommendation.

The Programs Committee and full Council are scheduled to consider the plan at upcoming meetings; the Executive Committee noted the spending plan will be included in the Council’s materials for the Aug. 19 meeting.