The Rochester Cultural Council met at Town Hall on Monday to gear up for the 2026 state grant-funding award season.
Council Chair Kate Duggan began the meeting by announcing that the list of Rochester grant recipients for 2025 has been posted on the state council website (massculturalcouncil.org/local-council/rochester), and a press release on the announcements will soon go to local media.
For 2025, the Rochester council awarded grant funding totaling $5,800. The largest single award was $900 for the Rochester Council on Aging’s Outdoor Summer Concert Music Series.
For 2026, the cycle to start applying for the town’s allotment of Massachusetts Cultural Council grant monies will open on September 1, Duggan said. The deadline to submit an application will be October 15.
The council agreed Monday that it will schedule an informational session on how to apply for a local council grant at the Plumb Library sometime in September and send press releases announcing the new cycle in August. It also agreed its next meeting will be held in November or December to decide on Rochester grant recipients for 2026.
Its first vote of the night, however, was a half-successful move to reorganize. Sarah Hasbrouck was approved as council secretary and Erin Lewis as council treasurer. But the decision of who will become chair was put on hold. Duggan said this is her last year on the council “and it would be nice to transfer the job this year to someone else.” The other members, however, declined to volunteer. “I’m on too many committees,” member Mary McCann said. The board agreed to reach out to new members for someone who might be interested in the post. Duggan said she will remain de-facto chair until then.
In other action, the council approved continuing to offer Direct Grant awards over the option of reimbursement-based grants. McCann said the latter options allow the council to make the recipient do what it planned to do. Another member pointed out many of the town grant applicants are repeat recipients and have built up the council’s trust in them.
The board approved issuing a 2025 survey seeking townspeople’s input on the council’s mission, using the same form as the 2024 survey.
The board agreed to send press releases seeking new members in September.
The Cultural Council did not set a specific date for its next meeting before adjourning.
Rochester Cultural Council
By Michael J. DeCicco