Organization Support Grants

Reminder: Please review general grant eligibility and guidelines before proceeding.

About

As the arts sector rebuilds, the North Carolina Arts Council remains committed to the stabilization of arts organizations by providing flexible grant funding. The flexible funding can be used for core operations such as personnel and facility costs, or it can be used for programming.

Application dates

• Open: January 6, 2023
• Close: March 1, 2023

Grant amount

• Range: $2,000 to $15,000

Who may apply

• Non-profit arts organizations* that meet the general eligibility requirements and have received direct grant funding from the N.C. Arts Council any time during the past five fiscal years are eligible to apply.  (The five-year period includes FY 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23.) 
• Organizations that receive funding through the following N.C. Arts Council grant categories are not eligible to apply for an Organization Support Grant:  State Arts Resources, Statewide Service Organizations, and Grassroots (DCP or PCP).

Note: *Organizations that do cultural programming but have a broader mission beyond the arts are not eligible to apply to this category but may be eligible for Spark the Arts Grants. Public-facing arts organizations that are housed within a larger entity such as a university or municipality are eligible to apply. 

Scope and allowable expenses

Grant amounts will range from $2,000 to $15,000, depending upon organizational budget size and the total number of applications received in the category. It is anticipated that grant awards for independent 501(c)3 organizations will be 10% of the applicant’s most recent actual organizational expenses, up to $15,000. University-based arts organizations are eligible to receive up to $7,500. 

Organization Support Grants do not require a match and cannot be used as a match for any other project funded directly or indirectly by the North Carolina Arts Council.

Project period

The project period to spend the funds runs through June 30, 2024. Final reports will be due on July 31, 2024.

Application information

Submit your application through the GO Smart grant portal. The following questions and documents will be required for the application. Reach out to your staff contact for questions or application assistance.

Profile questions

In addition to contact information, you will be asked to submit your organization’s mission statement, an organizational history, and both an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.

Application Narrative

1. Describe your artistic programs and activities for the proposed grant period.  Include details about the artists who will conduct programs and the anticipated dates and locations where the program(s) will take place. (Upload a tentative schedule of events for the upcoming season or year of programming.)
2. Describe your educational programs for adults and schoolchildren, such as in-school performances, field trips, lecture series, post-performance discussions, publications, and other ways you interpret the artistic content you present and engage the audiences you serve. Explain how you integrate education into your overall programming approach.
3. Describe the audiences that you reach with your current programs and new audiences you plan to engage in the upcoming year, especially those with limited opportunities to experience your programs due to factors such as educational background, geography, ethnic or cultural diversity, or economic constraints. Include participation statistics and demographic profiles for your audiences.
4. Describe the qualifications of your board and/or staff who serve in leadership roles. Give recent examples of how your board actively promotes, participates in, and provides resources for the organization. (Upload a list of current staff and board members and identify with titles or professional expertise.)
5. Describe your organization’s planning process and summarize the key goals and objectives of your current long-range plan.
6. Upload your most recent audit or a 990 or financial statement for the period.

Arts Council staff will review applications for eligibility and completeness. Based on the total number of applications and available funding, grant recommendations will be submitted for approval to the North Carolina Arts Council board and the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Award announcements will be made in early August.

Staff contact

Grant Application Assistance

North Carolina Arts Council staff are here to assist with grant applications. Visit our application assistance page for resources and grants staff contact information. 

Accessibility

For accessibility questions or accommodation requests, please contact the North Carolina Arts Council's Music and Dance Director, Accessibility Coordinator Jamie Katz Court at jamie.katzcourt@dncr.nc.gov or (919) 814-6502.