The North Carolina Arts Council is seeking applications for its 2027 Grassroots Arts Program Grants.
Donor Name: North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC)
State: North Carolina
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/02/2026
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Established by the N.C. General Assembly in 1972, the Grassroots Arts Program 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 the arts play in their communities.
The N.C. Arts Council collaborates with one arts organization per county to receive and manage the Grassroots funds. These organizations are called Grassroots County Partners.
Funding Information
The minimum grant awarded by the Arts Council is $5,000.
Grant Period
Funded activities must take place between July 1 of the grant year and June 30 of the following calendar year.
Allowable Expenses
Grassroots County Partners may use up to 50% of their grant funds for general operating support. The remaining 50% is to be used for arts programming and/or sub granting, based on the following guidelines:
- Grassroots County Partners in counties with populations OVER 50,000: at least 50% of the grant funding must be sub granted to other organizations
- Grassroots County Partners in counties with populations UNDER 50,000: 50% of the grant funding must be used for self-conducted arts programs or sub grants to other organizations
Eligibility Criteria
- 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 N.C. 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 N.C. Arts Council staff work to elevate an arts organization to serve as the Grassroots County Partner.
For more information, visit NCAC.
