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FRAMINGHAM – The Foundation for MetroWest, the only community foundation serving the 33 cities and towns of MetroWest, today, December 16, announced it has awarded grants totaling $150,000 to nine arts and culture nonprofits serving the region.
The 2020 Arts and Culture Grant Program thus resulted in the largest sum ever awarded by the Foundation to arts and cultural institutions in a single year.
The grants of up to $25,000 each are intended for general operating support, program support, and capacity building efforts, enabling each nonprofit to pursue opportunities that will help improve the quality of life across MetroWest.
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“Throughout this most challenging year, the needs of our community have been unprecedented,” said Judy Salerno, Executive Director of the Foundation for MetroWest. “While hunger relief efforts and other urgent needs have required intense focus and support, we must also recognize the critical role that arts and culture organizations play in our communities. They help define our collective character and distinguish MetroWest as a desirable place to live. These grants will help these groups continue to enrich our region for years to come.”
The nine organizations receiving grants will use the funding to add staff members, grow programming capabilities, recoup operating costs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, fund new art installations and expand existing exhibits. Several organizations also plan to use the financial support to begin or expand diversity-centric initiatives, including exhibitions aimed at celebrating diversity, incorporating the stories of enslaved individuals, and a speaker series that will tackle race and identity issues.
Following this latest round of grantmaking, the Foundation has now distributed a total of $4.75 million to MetroWest organizations in 2020. All funds awarded through its grantmaking programs help to create strong, vibrant communities, now and in the future.
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“Every year, we see new ideas, projects and programs proposed by arts and culture nonprofits that we know will improve and inspire our communities,” said Susan Kavoogian, Foundation Trustee and Chair of the Distribution Committee. “While we’re excited by how these organizations plan to use their grants, we also know there is still a great need for additional support. Despite this tumultuous year, we hope this funding helps remind our communities just how important arts and cultural institutions are to MetroWest.”
The Foundation’s Distribution Committee reviewed and carefully considered 45 applications totaling more than $780,000 in need from arts and culture organizations serving MetroWest over the past several months.
2020 Arts and Culture Grant Program Recipients:
Framingham History Center $15,000
deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum $25,000
Amazing Things Arts Center (atac) $20,000
Discovery Museum $10,000
Gore Place Society $10,000
The Center for Arts in Natick $15,000
Lexington Historical Society $10,000
The Umbrella Community Arts Center $20,000
Hopkinton Center for the Arts $25,000
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Established in 1995, the Foundation for MetroWest is the only community foundation serving the cities and towns in the region, encompassing 700,000 residents from Westborough to Waltham and Acton to Walpole. The Foundation promotes philanthropy across the area, helps donors maximize the impact of their local giving, serves as a resource for local nonprofits and enhances the quality of life for all our residents. The Foundation is supported by a wide range of businesses, individuals, community groups and other philanthropic organizations. Since inception, the Foundation has granted $23 million to its nonprofit partners and currently stewards more than $26 million in charitable assets for current needs and future impact.
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Above was a press release submitted to the digital news media outlet.
Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay
The A Cappella Singers 
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