Presented by the Worcester Cultural Coalition
Let’s help more people discover what you do.
Artists, cultural organizations and creative businesses give Worcester its energy, identity and reasons to explore. Apply for marketing support to share your story, reach new audiences and help residents and visitors discover the creativity you bring to Worcester.
Marketing Support
Up to
$2,000
per recipient. Up to 10 recipients to be selected.*
Apply by November 30 at 11:59 PM EST. Selected applicants will be notified by December 6, 2026.
*Funding is limited. Eligibility requirements apply, and submitting an application does not guarantee an award. Awards support approved marketing services, expenses or equipment and are not unrestricted cash grants.
Find What WOOs You
Find What WOOs You is Worcester’s Cultural Marketing and Storytelling Campaign, celebrating the people, places and creative experiences that make this city unique. The Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) is investing in local creativity to help residents and visitors discover more of Worcester’s cultural life.
These microgrants help artists and cultural communities tell their stories with professional marketing support and the tools to create content of their own. Every recipient will contribute original content to the campaign.
Eligibility
Individual artists and creative professionals, cultural and arts organizations, creative businesses, and community-based cultural groups and initiatives with a meaningful connection to Worcester are welcome to apply.*
That connection may come through where you live, where your organization is based, your creative activities or the communities you serve. WCC membership is not required.
Your project must address a clear marketing need, benefit your work or the communities you serve, and be achievable within the approved award and program timeline.
*This program uses federal pandemic recovery funding. WCC must verify your connection to Worcester, who will benefit from your project and whether the proposed support qualifies under the funding rules. A Worcester address alone does not establish eligibility. See the eligibility details below or contact Culture@worcesterma.gov for guidance.
Your work deserves to be seen. Jade Marketing Agency, Worcester Cultural Coalition’s partner marketing agency, is helping bring the Find What WOOs You campaign to life and offering three marketing support packages for selected microgrant recipients.
Whether you want to tell your story through video, promote an upcoming event or strengthen your visual identity, choose the package that fits your next step.
Each standard package is valued at approximately $2,000 and includes up to 20 hours of professional support, with the final scope tailored to your needs and approved grant award.*
Give people a closer look at what you do.
Introduce the artist behind the work, share your organization’s story or show audiences what makes your creative practice unique. This package helps turn your story into short-form video content for your social media and digital channels.
* Filming must be scheduled Monday through Friday, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. This package is for planned brand content and does not include live event coverage or event footage.
Help your next event find its audience.
Give one upcoming event a clear message and a coordinated set of promotional materials. Jade Marketing Agency will help you communicate what your event offers and develop creative assets to support awareness and audience engagement.
The final asset mix and quantities will be determined with you based on your event, marketing priorities and approved award. The examples above are possible deliverables, rather than a guarantee that every asset type will be included.*
Make your work easier to recognize and remember.
Bring more consistency to the way you present your work. Jade Marketing Agency will tailor branding and graphic design support to your existing identity and highest-priority marketing needs.
Your package will focus on the combination of deliverables that best addresses your needs within the available hours and award amount. Specific assets and quantities will be confirmed before work begins.*
01
Select your preferred package in the application, or let WCC know you would like help choosing.
02
If selected, WCC will share your application with Jade Marketing Agency.
03
The agency will review your needs and recommend a scope with specific deliverables, estimated hours, timing and included revisions.
04
Once you and WCC approve that scope, work can be scheduled. WCC pays Jade Marketing Agency directly for approved services.
* Each package is limited to the recipient’s approved award and a maximum of 20 total service hours, including planning, meetings, production and revisions. Final deliverables require WCC and recipient approval. Additional requests or significant changes outside the approved scope may require separate approval and are not guaranteed under the grant.
You can also propose eligible services, materials, equipment or digital tools that help you promote your creative work. Choosing a Jade Marketing package is optional. All proposed expenses require WCC approval before purchase.*
Explain the marketing need behind your request and how the purchase will help you create content, improve visibility or reach audiences. Equipment must be used primarily for the approved marketing purpose.
* Expenses must be reasonable, necessary, documented, within the approved award and authorized by WCC before purchase. Unapproved spending, general operating costs unrelated to the approved marketing project, and expenses outside the authorized scope are not eligible. Expenses already paid for or reimbursed through another funding source cannot receive duplicate reimbursement. Equipment may be subject to additional documentation, inventory and use requirements.
WCC reviews applications, selects recipients, approves expenses and administers all payments. Jade Marketing does not select award recipients.
For approved Jade Marketing services, WCC pays Jade Marketing directly. For other approved expenses, WCC coordinates payment to the approved vendor or recipient, as applicable, under the program’s payment and documentation requirements.
Keep the receipts, invoices and other records WCC requests. Your award must be used for its approved purpose.
ARPA funding
ARPA stands for the American Rescue Plan Act, federal funding created to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because this program uses ARPA funds, WCC must confirm both your connection to Worcester and the qualifying benefit of your proposed project.*
01
Explain which of the following describes you or your organization:
Include the relevant location, activities or communities in your application. You do not necessarily need to live in Worcester if you can demonstrate another meaningful connection under the program guidelines. WCC membership is not required.
02
Describe the Worcester residents, neighborhoods or communities your project will reach, the need you are addressing, and how the requested marketing support will help.
WCC’s guidelines identify potential qualifying benefits involving low-income communities, communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic, or people and organizations with qualifying negative economic impacts from COVID-19. They also identify cultural access in underserved neighborhoods and representation of underrepresented groups for consideration. WCC will review how your specific project fits the approved funding rules.*
03
Describe your location or Worcester activities, the communities you serve and the expected benefit of your project. Include relevant links, work samples, promotional materials or other supporting information that helps explain your connection and work.
WCC may request additional documents to verify your location, community benefit or funding eligibility. For guidance on what to provide for your circumstances, contact Culture@worcesterma.gov.
You may see the term Qualified Census Tract (QCT). This is an area designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development based on income or poverty levels. Serving residents of a qualifying Worcester census tract may be relevant to eligibility. You do not necessarily need to live in one yourself.
* WCC makes final eligibility decisions under the approved funding category and applicable City of Worcester and federal requirements. A Worcester connection or one of the examples above does not guarantee eligibility or an award. Supporting materials help explain an application; WCC determines whether the evidence is sufficient and what additional documentation is required.
Recipient requirement
Your work is part of Worcester’s cultural story. Every recipient must produce and publicly share at least one original piece of marketing content that promotes their creative work and incorporates Find What WOOs You.*
A reel, promotional video, podcast or audio feature, photo carousel, artist spotlight, interview or behind-the-scenes story could be your contribution.
Make the campaign recognizable through at least one of these approaches:
Say “Find What WOOs You” in your video or audio.
Include the official campaign logo in your visual content.
Incorporate the campaign name or messaging into the content itself.
WCC will provide the campaign logo and branding guidance.
Produce and publicly publish your content between January 1 and September 30, 2027 on at least one of your public social media platforms. Send WCC the published content or a direct link by September 30, 2027 to confirm completion.
Reporting to WCC is due September 30, 2027. Provide required supporting documentation and, if requested, a brief summary of your completed project and its anticipated or demonstrated impact.
* This requirement applies to every recipient, including those receiving equipment or digital tools. Recipients are responsible for producing and publishing their campaign content. For Jade Marketing recipients, content may be incorporated into approved deliverables when appropriate; it does not add services beyond the approved project scope. Recipients must participate in their project and provide materials, information and approvals on time. WCC may request additional information to verify eligibility, expenses, equipment use and compliance. Failure to meet requirements may result in award cancellation or other corrective action under the grant agreement.
Tell us what you create, who you want to reach and how marketing support could help. Submit the official online application with all required information by November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.*
* Late or incomplete applications may not be considered. Funding is limited, and an application does not guarantee an award.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | November 1, 2026 |
| Application deadline | November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST |
| WCC application review | December 1–5, 2026 |
| Award notifications | By December 6, 2026 |
| Content production and publication | January 1–September 30, 2027 |
| Reporting and content confirmation due | September 30, 2027 |
WCC reviews applications for eligibility, demonstrated marketing need, potential impact, project feasibility, applicant readiness and alignment with Find What WOOs You.
Selected applicants will receive their approved award amount, type of support, next steps and any additional documentation requirements. If you select Jade Marketing services, WCC will share your application and project details with Jade Marketing to develop a scope for approval. If you request other expenses, WCC will coordinate the approved purchase, payment and documentation process with you or the vendor.
Contact the Worcester Cultural Coalition at Culture@worcesterma.gov.
Let’s help Worcester discover it.
Up to $2,000 per recipient. Up to 10 recipients to be selected.*
* Eligibility requirements apply. All awards and expenses are subject to WCC approval and program requirements.
Add events and programming to discovercentralma.org at least one month prior to each event.
