The Creative County Initiative (CCI), a program of the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF), is offering Special Projects Grants for the 2025 funding cycle. These grants are designed to encourage bold, transformative, and experimental artistic endeavors that advance arts and culture across Essex County, Massachusetts. The goal of this grant program is to elevate cultural activity as an essential component of community well-being, economic vitality, and innovation.

Grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 will be awarded to support a distinctive and innovative element of a broader program in areas such as cultural planning, diversity and inclusion, public art or placemaking, arts leadership, creative space development, or organizational capacity building. Projects must demonstrate potential for lasting or systemic change, and applicants are encouraged to propose work that introduces new ideas or strengthens cross-sector collaboration through the arts. Examples include inaugural events, pilot programs, or sustained additions to existing events, particularly when these support a broader strategic or community-based goal.

Applicants may request non-financial support in the form of technical assistance, communications promotion, and collaborative partnerships provided by ECCF/Creative County. Grantees are expected to maintain engagement throughout the grant period, which includes participating in periodic meetings with the Program Director, utilizing the CreativeCounty.org communications platform, and crediting ECCF/CCI in all public promotion. A final report summarizing outcomes, lessons learned, and documentation of the work is required at the end of the grant term.

Applications open in January 2025 and may be submitted during one of two cycles. Cycle 1 runs from January through March, with award notifications in April. Cycle 2 runs from April through June, with notifications in July. Projects should be designed for completion within a 12-month timeline and result in a presentation to the public either virtually or in person. Grants cannot be used for operational expenses, single productions, or support for projects that have already occurred.

Each applicant may only submit one proposal to one of the three annual CCI grant programs (Special Projects, ALAANA, or Last Mile Fund) per calendar year. This restriction ensures equitable distribution of funds and program access across the county's 34 communities. Funding decisions are made with an eye toward geographic distribution, innovation, and alignment with CCI’s mission.

Grant payments can be issued directly to a nonprofit organization or via a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Once funding is approved, payments are expected within four weeks. For more information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact Sabrina Boggio, CCI Program Assistant, at sgb.marketing.design@gmail.com.