2026-27 GUIDELINES FOR GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM APPLICANTS

Since 1977, the N. C. Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program has provided North Carolina citizens access to quality arts experiences. The program distributes funds for the arts in all 100 counties of the state primarily through partnerships with local arts councils. The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) serves as the N.C. Arts Council’s partner in awarding subgrants to local organizations for arts programs in Orange County, as well as additional local grant funds approved by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.

2026-27 AVAILABLE FUNDING

• FY26-27 NC Arts County Grassroots Arts Program Allocation: $48,448.50 
• FY26-27 Orange County Outside Agencies Allocation: $29,711 (pending FY27 budget approval)
• FY26-27 Orange County Local Arts Grants Allocation: $28,800
• TOTAL: $106,959.50

ELIGIBILITY

• All organizations must have been in operation for at least one year, and must be either a nonprofit organization or have a nonprofit sponsor to receive funds on their behalf. (Unincorporated artist groups are encouraged to apply through the Artist Project Grant Program)
• All organizations must physically reside in Orange County. (Organizations serving more than one county should apply for Grassroots funding through the county in which they are physically located)
• Applications and support materials must be submitted electronically by the due date.
• Prior grantees must have submitted a completed grant report for prior funding in order to be eligible for new funding. 

TIMELINE

• Monday, June 1, 2026: Application Period opens
• Tuesday, June 30, 2026: Applications due by 11:59PM
• August, 2026: Applicants will be notified
• September or October, 2026: Presentation at Board of County Commissioners meeting (date TBD)
• All projects must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027 (this means you can apply for a project that may have already happened before you are notified).

FUNDING GUIDELINES

Grassroots Arts Program funds may be used for expenditures to conduct quality arts programs or operate an arts organization. Typical uses of Grassroots money include:

• Program expenses such as professional artists’ fees and travel, space rental, advertising, marketing and publicity, website and electronic media, scripts, costumes, sets, props, music and theater equipment rental. Program-related requests have a maximum request limit of $5,000.
• Operating expenses for qualified arts and cultural organizations not already receiving operating support from the N.C. Arts Council or N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. These can include salaries, telephone, office supplies, printing, postage, rent, utilities, insurance and equipment rental. Organizations must have an arts-based mission and an annual operating budget of less than $2M in order to request operating funds. Operations-related requests have a maximum request limit of $5,000.

Funding Policies

• Tribal organizations that receive Grassroots funds must represent state or federally recognized tribes. North Carolina’s state-recognized tribes are Coharie Tribe, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, Lumbee Tribe, Meherrin Tribe, Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation, Sappony Tribe, and the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. An approved list of tribes can be found at www.doa.nc.gov/divisions/american-indian-affairs/nc-tribes.
• Colleges, universities, and libraries may receive grants for arts programs that are community- based or generate regional arts involvement. Grants may not support their internal programs, administration, or operating expenses (e.g., library books, band activities, equipment purchases).
• Religious organizations or churches may not receive Grassroots funds unless the programs are presented outside regular church services, engage the larger community, and do not contain religious content.
• Grassroots funds may not be used for activities associated with a school’s internal arts programs, such as in-school student performances, the purchase of art supplies, or student arts competitions and publications.
• Grassroots funds may be used for student transportation to regional arts exhibits and programs on a limited basis. Prior approval from the Arts in Communities director is required, and documentation of the expense must be included in the organization’s final report.
• Municipalities (city/county government) and community organizations may receive grants for arts programs that use qualified artists to conduct programs that involve the greater community. Grants may not support internal programs, administration, or operating expenses.
• Because the N.C. Symphony is a state agency and receives state funds, including funds specifically for its touring and education programs, no Grassroots funds may be granted to the N.C. Symphony or the N.C. Symphony Foundation or to pay for performances or education programs of the N.C. Symphony.
• Organizations with an annual operating budget of more than $2M may not request operations support, only programmatic support.

Grassroots Arts Program money may not be used for the following kinds of expenditures:

• Competitions, scholarships, tuition, financial awards, or prizes
• Art, music, and dance therapists*
• Fundraising events
• Purchase of artwork
• Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions
• Internal school programs such as band activities or equipment or choral activities
• Oral history and history projects**
• Interest on loans, fines, or litigation costs

* Art, music and dance therapists conducting a therapeutic program cannot be funded. However, qualified artists conducting an arts program in a health care setting may be supported with Grassroots funds.

**Oral history and history projects are not eligible for Grassroots funds. However, folklife documentation of traditional arts, including the creation of interviews, photography, videography, and other documentary media, is eligible for support through the Grassroots Arts Program.

Matching Requirement

Nonprofit organizations are required to match their grant amounts dollar for dollar. The funds must come from other public or private sources. In-kind donations of goods or services may be used as matching funds. Other N.C. Arts Council funds or state funds (i.e. public university dollars) cannot be used as a match.

Matching funds are encouraged for schools, PTO's, and school districts, but not required.

Racial and Cultural Diversity Requirement 

The N.C. Arts Council works to provide a representative portion of grant funds for arts programming that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of the state. The OCAC is required to spend 36% of its annual county allotment for programming that reflects African American, Asian American, Latinx, and Native American cultures, based on the percentage of each population in Orange County.

APPLICANT EVALUATION 

Applications are reviewed by panels of experts in the visual, performing, and literary arts, comprised of members of the OCAC Advisory Board and members of the artist community. Panelists discuss and score the grant using an established rating system. The highest scoring applications are funded and the dollar amount granted to each applicant is determined by the OCAC Advisory Board. The panel evaluates applications based on the NCAC Priorities for Funding (below) and the following criteria:

• Artistic quality of proposed project or programs
• Community impact of project or programs
• Multicultural aspect of the program
• Ability to plan and implement project
• Stability and fiscal responsibility of the organization (nonprofits only)
• Educational impact of the project (schools)
• Integration into curriculum and/or enrichment (schools only)
• Need (schools only, based on percentage Free and Reduced Lunch)

North Carolina Arts Council Priorities for Funding

• The first priority of the Grassroots Arts subgrant program is to provide operating or program support to qualified arts organizations including theaters, symphonies, galleries, art guilds, choral societies, dance companies, folk arts societies, writers groups and arts festivals, among others. Grassroots funds are not generally awarded to arts organizations that receive funding through the N.C. Arts Council’s General Support Program or the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
• The second priority of the Grassroots Arts subgrant program is to support arts learning and arts in education programs conducted by qualified artists. These can be artist residencies in schools, after-school summer camps or adult arts learning classes.
• The third priority of Grassroots Arts subgrants is to support community organizations that provide quality art experiences for the greater community. These programs must be conducted by qualified artists.

GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS

• NCAC/OCAC Recognition Grantees must acknowledge the N. C. Arts Council and Orange County Arts Commission’s support of their event or projects by including their logos and credit lines in all print and promotional materials related to the grant. The OCAC’s website offers information and downloadable logos at www.artsorange.org. Proper acknowledgment will be considered for future funding requests.
• Reporting Requirements Each grantee is required to submit a final report providing a detailed description of the funded project, participation statistics and demographics, sample marketing and program materials using the N. C. Arts Council credit line and logo, and copies of their legislative letters. The form will be sent to you by OCAC director Katie Murray and will be due by Monday, July 13, 2026. Organizations who have not submitted reports for prior grants are not eligible to apply for future requests.
• Legislative Letters Grantees are asked to write state representatives and Orange County Commissioners to thank them for appropriating Grassroots funds. The letter should provide information about how Grassroots funds were used to support your program or project, and the community impact of the event. A copy of all letters to legislators must be included in the subgrantee’s final report.

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE

Be sure to check out our F.A.Q's here. Due to time limitations, we ask that you attend or watch the training session taking place on Tuesday, June 9, 10am-11am before reaching out.  Click here to access the meeting through Microsoft Teams. If you still have unanswered questions, please contact Katie Murray at 919-245-2335 or kmurray@orangecountync.gov.