The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) is pausing its Annual Awards Gala in 2027 as it meets with sponsors and other key stakeholders to reassess its fundraising strategy and consider the best path forward for the community celebration.

After 25 years of highly successful Annual Awards Galas, the organization decided not to host the event in 2027 and use the time to reconsider the Gala’s concept, support, and value to the organization and the community.

While the Gala has been instrumental in raising crucial funds to support MAPS’ work in the community and its financial growth and stability for the past almost 25 years – generating between $190K and $230K annually in recent editions – the ever-mounting logistical costs of throwing a high-level glamorous event for over 400 guests place serious constraints on its viability, pushing the organization to explore other ways of gathering community support for its mission.

“After all these years, we felt the need to take the time to evaluate our fundraising options and consider other ways of celebrating our communities,” said Paulo Pinto, MPA, Chief Executive Officer. “Our main concern lies with the countless business and community leaders who have helped us build our Gala through their generosity, and so we want them to be an integral part of our fundraising strategy going forward. We look forward to receiving their invaluable feedback and coming together to continue building on the Gala’s legacy.”

The pause will allow MAPS the time needed to sit down with each past sponsor individually through a brief survey and to schedule one-on-one meetings to better understand their suggestions, needs or concerns, and ideas regarding sponsorships, funding priorities, and the future of the Gala and MAPS’ fundraising efforts.

The MAPS Annual Awards Gala honors extraordinary community and business leaders, highlights community success and cultural pride, and provides an intimate overview of MAPS work, challenges, and victories. To learn more about the latest Gala, please visit maps-inc.org/gala2026.

MAPS has served Portuguese speakers and other immigrant communities in Massachusetts since 1970. The organization offers several free health and social services through its six offices in Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Dorchester, Lowell, and Framingham. To learn more about MAPS, please visit maps-inc.org.