NEFFA Grants

ver. 10/2023

About the Committee

The New England Folk Festival Association, Inc. (NEFFA) is a non-profit, educational and cultural organization. NEFFA was formed to preserve folk traditions in New England and elsewhere, to encourage the development of a living folk culture, and to encourage high standards of quality and performance in the folk arts. One of the ways NEFFA achieves its goals is by funding projects that meet its objectives within the guidelines set up by the Grants Committee.

The NEFFA Grants Committee is established with the purpose to evaluate folk art projects in dance, song and music. It makes financial assistance recommendations regarding these projects to NEFFA Board members. The Committee makes its own decisions on smaller grants and prepares presentations to the NEFFA Board for larger proposals.

Funds Availability

The amount of money available for grants, loans and risk-sharing opportunities (a loan which need not be paid back if the given project is not successful) will vary from year to year. Projects may receive a combination of these three kinds of assistance. NEFFA does not feel it must commit all available funds.

If the requested amount is above $1,000, it requires a recommendation from the Committee and Board approval to be granted. A request for $2,000 or less may be granted by the Committee.

NEFFA may periodically announce grants and loans awarded and those who were a party to a risk sharing venture.

How Proposals are Considered

Each proposal will be reviewed by the standing Grants Committee. The Grants Committee will determine how well it meets NEFFA’s objectives and the level at which it should be funded.

Each proposal will be considered individually as to how it meets NEFFA objectives as stated in our bylaws: “To preserve folk traditions in New England and elsewhere; to encourage the development of a living folk culture; to encourage high standards of quality and performance in the folk arts.”

Project evaluation is subjective. The following will be considered:

• effective use of NEFFA funds
• size and type of audience that will be reached
• long term benefits
• chance of meeting the projects objectives
• new approach/creativity
• qualifications of people involved

What Types of Proposals are Considered

Projects have a better chance of being funded it they are:

• continuing rather than a one-time event
• instruction of others
• will in time be self-supporting
• mainstream vs peripheral
• timing appears correct
• the results have a wide dissemination
• risk-sharing vs outright gift

What We Don’t Fund

NEFFA is not interested in funding:

• Projects that when combined with other grants and expected revenue exceed the projected expenses
• Bailouts: funding after the project has been completed and did not meet budget
• One-time parties
• Admission to dance camps
• Overhead and/or living expenses
• Annual grants to existing organizations

Obligations of the Grantee

The recipient of the NEFFA funds is obligated to:

• provide NEFFA with a copy of any publications/recordings that are a direct result of the award
• be available to present or be part of a session at a NEFFA Festival or other appropriate event
• notify NEFFA membership (via newsletter or our calendar) of public presentations and/or provide an article for a NEFFA publication
• make a financial report to NEFFA (copies of receipts to be sent to NEFFA treasurer)
• credit NEFFA on your web site and in any publications/recordings that are a direct result of the award

The Application – What Needs to be Included

All requests for a grant, loan or risk-sharing opportunity must be submitted to NEFFA in a standardized format using either the online form or its downloadable version. If you have questions, please contact the Grants Committee at grants@neffa.org. We encourage applicants from all cultural branches.