Spark the Arts Grants

Who may Apply

To be eligible for Spark the Arts funding, applicants:

• Must be an North Carolina-based nonprofit organization
• Must have a track record of producing quality arts programs for at least two years
• Must have prior-year organizational cash operating expenses of at least $20,000

OR

• Must apply with a fiscal agent* that meets the above eligibility criteria

Designated and provisional county partners who receive the Grassroots Arts Program allocation for their county are not eligible to apply for Spark the Arts project grants. However, these organizations are allowed to serve as a fiscal agent* for an applicant who requires that service.

Organizations that received a direct ARPA line-item in the state budget for general operations are not eligible to apply for Spark the Arts project grants.

Scope and allowable expenses

The creation and curation of arts activities is fundamental to all arts programs; however, the Spark the Arts category places a special emphasis on strategies to engage audiences and participants in the work. Grant applications will be considered in two tracks based on the applicant’s audience goals: 1) reengagement (bringing audiences back/reimagining engagement with audiences); and 2) inclusion (seeking new audiences/investing in new voices). 

Examples of reengagement projects may include:

• Artistic programming selected to encourage audiences to reengage
• Enhanced marketing campaign for the upcoming season
• Enhanced safety protocols and/or staffing related to audience engagement

Examples of inclusion work projects may include:

• Projects designed to reach previously under-engaged communities, such as communities of color, disability communities, rural communities, economically disadvantaged communities, and other underserved communities, that include collaborative planning with the community served.
• Artistic programming that uplifts the work of artists from underserved communities described above.
• Programs that focus on creative aging, military and veterans, and arts in healthcare environments.

Grant amounts will range from $3,000 to $30,000. Applicants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 counties may apply for up to two-thirds of the overall project expenses and must provide a cash match for the remaining third. Applicants from economically distressed Tier 1 counties are eligible to waive the matching requirement. 

Grant funds may be used for artist fees, marketing, interpretive materials, contractual fees (including contractual personnel), equipment, and other costs specifically related to the project. Applicants may use up to 50 percent of the grant amount for organizational overhead expenses including salaries that are directly related to the project. 

Projects that involve school-age children outside of the classroom can apply for Spark the Arts grant funds; however, projects that take place as part of the school-day experience should refer to Arts in Education grant guidelines.

Project period

The project period for funding is July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

In some cases, Spark the Arts funding can support projects that span two years. To be considered for a two-year proposal, the applicant must 1) make a compelling case why two years of funding is needed to achieve the goals of the project, and 2) provide detailed plans for the full scope of the project.

For example, Spark the Arts grants can support commissioning projects that span two years, with the creation of the new work in year one and the premiere in year two.

Organizations funded for a two-year project will receive notification of the full amount at the time of the award; however, payments will be split between the two fiscal years.   

Applicants who believe that a two-year funding request best suits their engagement and/or inclusion needs must submit a letter of intent to their Arts Council staff contact no later than April 20, 2022. 

How we make funding decisions

Advisory panels will review applications using the following evaluation criteria:

• Artistic and cultural value of the program;
• Benefit of the program for the audience, participants, and broader community and relevance to applicant’s audience engagement goals;
• Involvement of artists and representative community partners, as appropriate to project intended audiences, themes, and content;
• Feasibility of project and organizational capacity to implement program.

Application information

Submit your application through the GO Smart grant portal. New users to the grant portal will need to create a profile before applying for the Spark the Arts grant.

The following questions and documents will be required for the application.

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. Identify the primary engagement goal for your project:
   • a. reengagement (bringing audiences back/reimagining engagement with audiences)
   • b. inclusion (seeking new audiences/investing in new voices). 
2. Provide an overview of the project. Include details about the scope of the work and the anticipated dates and locations where the program(s) will take place.  Specifically, how will you use Spark the Arts grant money?
3. Provide information about the intended audience/participants for the project and describe the strategies you will use to engage those audiences in a meaningful way (enhanced marketing, community partnerships, education and outreach, etc.).
4. Who are the key people who will implement the project? Provide names and general responsibilities as well as any connections they have to intended audiences. Include details about any artists involved in the project. Describe how artists will be supported through payment of fees, services, and other appropriate benefits.
5. Describe your planning process for the project and indicate how artists and key community partners are or will be involved in audience and program development. Summarize how you will raise matching funds and your progress so far. What comparable projects have you successfully produced in the past?
6. Explain how you will measure the project’s impact in terms of creative goals, audience engagement, community and economic benefit, and other tangible and intangible tracking methods you use. Provide details about your evaluation methodologies and how you use the information you've gathered.
7. Upload letters of support from key partners representing the community or audience you will serve. 
   NOTE: Other materials including business and marketing plans, strategic plans, reviews of past programs, or brochures may be included but are not required.

Additionally, you will be required to submit an itemized project budget and artist work samples that demonstrate the proficiency of the artist(s) involved in the project.

*Fiscal Agency for Spark the Arts Grants 

If an applicant based in North Carolina does not meet the following criteria, they may use a fiscal agent:

1. 501(c)(3) organization
2. Most-recent organizational expense budget of $20,000 or more
3. Track-record of programming for at least two years (not necessarily arts programming)

North Carolina Arts Council's fiscal agency policy for the Spark the Arts grant category
Fiscal agents must meet the aforementioned eligibility criteria and must be willing to accept legal and fiduciary responsibility for the grant funding if awarded. Typically, fiscal agents receive the grant payment and pass the funding directly to the applicant. While fiscal agents can charge a service fee up to 10% of the grant amount if they wish, the management of the Spark the Arts project is the responsibility of the applicant who will conduct the project.

If grant funds are awarded, both the fiscal agent and the applicant group will sign the grant award contract and submit contracting paperwork. The fiscal agent and the applicant will both be required to sign off on the final report at the end of the project period.

Organizations applying directly to the Spark the Arts category cannot act as a fiscal agent for another applicant. Organizations that receive their county’s Grassroots Arts Program allocation are allowed to serve as a fiscal agent for one application to the category. Organizations are allowed to provide fiscal agency for only one applicant per granting cycle/fiscal year.

Please note that grant funds received by entities that are not 501(c)(3) are considered taxable income.