Providing resources to support artists and organizations in presenting their projects at the Jean McDonough Arts Center.

The Jean McDonough Arts Center, in partnership with Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and thanks to the support of the Barr Foundation, is pleased to announce the continuation of the JMAC Access Grant Program.

The JMAC strives to ensure that every cultural organization, large and small, can have a home in downtown Worcester. The venue has proven especially critical for Worcester’s BIPOC and underserved artists – by helping artists create new work, generate income, and positively impact their community. Through the Access Grant Program, selected nonprofit cultural organizations and individual artists will receive the resources needed to create their stories and programs at the JMAC to share with Central Massachusetts audiences.

Through a two-phase application process, organizations and artists can apply for financial support to present their projects at the JMAC in the near future. The grant covers project development, implementation and marketing costs incurred by the organizations and artists, as well as the usage costs of the JMAC space desired for the project.

Application Timeline

Application Round 1: Letter of Intent

• LOI form opens online on Friday, November 22, 2024 [Download copy of LOI questions]
• Deadline for submission is Thursday, January 2, 2025, at midnight
• Notification to applicants if they are moving to Round 2 by Friday, January 17, 2025

Application Round 2: Project Narrative in Detail

• Application Form opens online on Friday, January 17, 2025
• Deadline for submission is Monday, February 17, 2025, at midnight

Possible Applicant Interviews

• Week of March 3 through 7, 2025

Awardees will be notified by Friday, March 14, 2025.

Selection Criteria

General Criteria

• Creativity of project and space usage
• How the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are reflected in the project
• Demonstration of ability to execute the project with coaching support as needed
• That the project is somehow transformative for the organization or individual

Selection Priority (in order)

• New projects from new or returning presenters
• New projects already scheduled to occur in the JMAC after 6/30/25, but not fully conceived or funded
• Returning projects with demonstrated intention to evolve or iterate 

Geographic Priority (in order)

• Worcester County based nonprofit organizations or artists
• Nonprofit organizations or artists with authentic ties to Worcester County
• Nonprofit organizations or artists with a compelling reason for wanting to present in Worcester

About the Application Process

• For Application Round 1: Letter of Intent, applicants will submit a broad strokes overview of their project, including estimated projected expenses.
• If invited to Application Round 2: Project Narrative, applicants will answer a series of short-form questions in detail, and provide a detailed budget.
• For Finalists: If identified as a finalist, applicants may be asked to be interviewed by the JMAC Access Grant Committee, which will consist of five members of the community – two appointed by Greater Worcester Community Foundation, two appointed by the JMAC, and one appointed by the Worcester Cultural Coalition. 

In both application rounds, the requested budget will reflect only the organization’s or artist’s discretionary expenses, and exclude expenses related to rental or usage of the JMAC. When grants are awarded, recipients will receive direct payment for their discretionary expenses. Concurrently, the JMAC will receive payment for their rental and usage expenses, at the following rates:

• Worcester PopUp, One Day: $2,500 
• Worcester PopUp, One Week: $3,500 
• BrickBox Theater, Half Day (6 Hours): $3,750 
• BrickBox Theater, Full Day (Up to 12 Hours): $6,250 
• BrickBox Theater, Two Days: $8,750 
• BrickBox Theater, Four Days: $14,250

Note: Ticketed events taking place in BrickBox Theater must use the JMAC’s online platform. After the event, the organization or individual will be provided with a roster of all ticket buyers, including their contact information.

For more information about the grant program, email: teamjmac@jmacworcester.org