Mass Audubon Earns Eligibility for Additional MCC ‘Universal Participation’ Funding

LINCOLN, MA—Mass Audubon is one of 20 nonprofits designated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) to be eligible for the second round of funding through its Universal Participation (UP) initiative, which focuses on supporting organizations as they become more accessible and inclusive.

Mass Audubon, the Commonwealth’s largest nature conservation organization, was one of the first nonprofits in the state to become a designated UP organization when the  program was introduced in 2015.

Among the projects the initial UP funding helped support included accessibility training for Mass Audubon staff statewide, and work with vocational-transitional high school interns (with learning and intellectual disabilities) to create universally designed learning materials for diverse learners.

Based on its proven track record in committing to UP’s goals over the past five years, both in programming and continuous staff engagement, Mass Audubon has been invited by MCC to re-apply for continued UP designation, which qualifies us to seek funding  to further support our accessibility initiatives, beginning this year through 2025.

“Ensuring that Mass Audubon is as welcoming and inclusive as possible for people of all backgrounds and abilities is an organization-wide priority,” Director of Education Kris Scopinich noted. “So we are particularly grateful to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for creating the Universal Participation program, which directly supports the critical work of ensuring that everyone has equitable access to nature.”