The Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant Program is an annual grant opportunity for organizations in the arts and human services.
Donor Name: John William Pope Foundation
State: North Carolina
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/01/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Through two grant funds, the Foundation seeks to foster innovation and attract attention to solutions that are making a difference.
- The Arts Fund
- As North Carolina continues to grow and evolve, so have the state’s art traditions. Today, North Carolinians from Murphy to Manteo celebrate, host, and create in venues of all sizes and varieties. Through the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant in the Arts, they hope to support innovative ideas and highlight the valuable contributions arts make to the communities.
- Pope Foundation will award up to $100,000 annually. The process and requirements are the same for both the arts and human services grant funds. Scroll down to learn more about the grants and to start an application. This grant fund is open to nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina.
- Human Services Fund
- Across North Carolina, nonprofits extend a hand up to those in need and, in doing so, directly contribute to the flourishing of self-empowered citizens. Through the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant in Human Services, they hope to support innovative ideas and highlight the creative projects that are making the communities stronger, better places to live, work, and play.
- Pope Foundation will award up to $100,000 annually. The requirements are the same for both the arts and human services grant funds. Scroll down to learn more about the grants and start an application. This grant fund is open to nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina.
Funding Information
Each grant fund will offer up to $100,000 in grants – potentially resulting in more than one award for both the human services grant and the arts grant. Organizations should apply for an amount between $20,000 – $100,000.
Guidelines for both Grants
Pope Foundation designed the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant Funds to recognize innovative projects across all spectrums of arts and human service work. However, the grants are not intended for medical research. Your proposed project could be an entirely new creation, something that changes how things are done (ex: improving processes, procedures, equipment, facilities, etc.); an endeavor that expands your scope of work (ex: reaching new populations). Regardless of your proposed project, the result should be a quantifiable gain for the organization and the people it serves.
- Organizations are limited to one project-specific proposal.
- Eligible projects include capital improvements (new or existing), program development and execution, equipment, and technology. This list is not exhaustive, and they will consider other grant purposes.
- Pope Foundation will not consider requests that amount to general operating support.
- Proposed projects should not be endowment, debt relief, or crisis funding requests.
- Projects should be complete by the end of the granting year, and they will ask grant recipients to submit a final report.
- Applicants can be located anywhere in North Carolina but should be serving North Carolinians (locally or broadly).
Evaluation Criteria
Pope Foundation staff reviews grant proposals and make recommendations. The board of directors makes the final decision. Evaluation questions they ask are:
- Is the project consistent with the mission and values of the Pope Foundation?
- Does the proposed project create something new, do something better, or do something differently?
- Does the proposal detail the need and explain the quantifiable gain for the organization and its clients?
- Is the project a good use of one-time funds?
- Is there a viable funding plan if costs continue past the first year of the project?
- Is the budget practical and necessary?
- Does the organization seem to implement best practices in their work?
- Does the organization have the qualifications to do the work?
For more information, visit John William Pope Foundation.
