Grassroots Arts Program Grants - Designated County Partners

Grassroots Arts Program Grants - Designated County Partners is sponsored by North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC). The North Carolina Arts Council offers Grassroots Arts Program Grants to support local arts councils across the state. These grants provide essential funding for arts programming, ensuring communities have access to diverse cultural experiences.

Grassroots Arts Program Grants | NC Arts Council Reminder: Please review General Grant Information and Eligibility Requirements before proceeding. Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1977, the Grassroots Arts Program (GAP) provides arts funding to all 100 counties through an extensive network of local arts agencies and partner organizations.

Funding is distributed on a modified per capita basis to ensure that all North Carolinians have access to high-quality arts experiences and can benefit from the vital role that the arts play in their communities. The North Carolina Arts Council collaborates with one arts organization per county to receive and manage the Grassroots funds. These organizations are called Grassroots County Partners.

At the state level, the Grassroots Arts Program is an invitational category. In most cases, the Grassroots County Partner is a local arts agency. However, in some instances, a different type of arts organization, such as an arts center or arts school, may be designated to serve in this role.

When there is no strong arts organization available to serve as the Grassroots County Partner, the NC Arts Council will collaborate with a unit of county government or a school system to manage and distribute Grassroots funds. This arrangement is intended to be temporary, while NC Arts Council staff work to elevate an arts organization to serve as the Grassroots County Partner.

Note: County governments and school systems are subject to additional restrictions on the use of funds. Scope and allowable expenses Grassroots County Partners may use up to 50 percent of their grant funds for general operating support.

The remaining 50 percent is to be used for arts programming and/or subgranting, based on the following guidelines: Grassroots County Partners in counties with populations OVER 50,000: At least 50 percent of the grant funding must be subgranted to other organizations Grassroots County Partners in counties with populations UNDER 50,000: 50 percent of the grant funding must be used for self-conducted arts programs or subgrants to other organizations Note: County governments and school systems serving as temporary partners may not use any grant funds for general operating support.

The Grassroots Arts Program is subject to a comprehensive set of requirements and guidelines that can be found in the Grassroots County Partner Guidebook [DOCX] .

The most noteworthy of those requirements are: Grants must be cash-matched dollar for dollar Standardized subgranting processes must be followed All Grassroots County Partners must submit an annual spending plan that is reviewed and approved by NC Arts Council staff before being considered for funding. For efficiency, the spending plans are due on the same date as the previous year's Grassroots final report.

The North Carolina Arts Council affirms its partnership with local arts agencies across the state through a recurring accreditation process held on a four-year cycle. This accreditation serves as a stamp of approval — an indicator assuring the public, local governments, and funders that a local arts agency (LAA) has the capacity and quality necessary to manage state Grassroots funds for its county.

For more information about the accreditation process, contact the NC Arts Council’s Arts in Communities program administrators. Arts in Communities Western Regional Director janelle. wienke@dncr.

nc. gov Arts in Communities Eastern Regional Director Grant application assistance Accessibility questions or accommodation requests