Where do the funds come from?

Once a year, the legislature votes funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).  The funds come directly from Lottery revenue and not from tax dollars. The MCC also receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. The MCC divides the monies over the entire Commonwealth using a formula which includes factors such as population and others. It is the job of the local cultural council, in our case the ACC, to allocate these funds for the purpose of presenting cultural events for the citizens of Acushnet. This money is a grant (gift) to the town and is not included in the tax rate. In September, the council is notified of the amount of money that will be available for grants for the following year. Artists, musicians, organizations and schools are offered the opportunity to participate in the application process to receive a portion of the funds. The ACC reviews the applications for suitability and then votes on the use of the funds. The applications are submitted to the MCC and funds are received by the Town Treasurer and put in a separate interest bearing account.