Grassroots Grants

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The Grassroots Arts Program

Since 1977, the North Carolina 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.

Rockingham County Arts Council serves as the N. C. Arts Council’s partner in awarding subgrants to local organizations for arts programs in Rockingham County.

ELIGIBILITY FOR SUBGRANTS:

All organizations must have been in operation for at least one year.

Applicants must be not-for-profit organizations operating in Rockingham County with a 501(c)3 Federal tax-exempt status. (School projects are covered through their school’s status.) An organization without tax-exempt status may receive indirect funding for its arts project by having a 501 (c)3 serve as its fiscal agent. It is the applicant’s responsibility to see that a copy of its (or its Fiscal Agent’s) IRS tax-exempt status is on file with RCAC.

All organizations must reside and carry out projects within Rockingham County.

Organizations that receive general support funds through the N. C. Arts Council are not eligible for Grassroots funds.

Individuals are not eligible to apply for Grassroots Arts funds.

Applications and support materials must be complete and received by the grant deadline.

WHAT THE GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM FUNDS:

Grassroots Arts Program funds may be used for expenditures to conduct quality arts programs, or to operate an arts organization. Examples of arts programs commonly funded with Grassroots funds include: performances, festivals, art exhibitions, after-school arts programs, artist residencies in schools, arts camps, classes, workshops, art walks and studio tours. Typical uses of Grassroots money include:

Program expenses such as artists’ fees and travel, space rental, advertising, marketing and publicity, website and electronic media, scripts, costumes, sets, props, music and equipment rental or purchase.

Operating expenses such as salaries, telephone, office supplies, printing, postage, rent, utilities, insurance and equipment rental or purchase

MATCHING REQUIREMENT:

All subgrantees are required to match their grant amounts dollar for dollar. The funds must come from other public or private sources. Other North Carolina Arts Council funds cannot be used as a match.   GRANT EVALUATION CRITERIA: Subgrant applications are reviewed by a panel of community members including artists, county and public officials and board members of ACMC among others. The panel evaluates each application based on the subgrant guidelines and the following criteria:

Artistic quality of proposed project or programs

Community impact of project or programs

Ability to plan and implement project

Stability and fiscal responsibility of the organization

Panelists discuss and score the grant using an established rating system. The subgrant panel’s funding decisions are then presented as recommendations to the RCAC board of directors, who vote and give final approval to the panel’s recommendations.   SUBGRANT APPLICATION FORMS: For your convenience, we have provided links to download the Grassroots Grant application and other forms you will need to submit by the deadline. If you need to download Acrobat Reader, click here.

FY 2015-16 Application forms for Grassroots SubGrantees:

Application links to forms for 2015-16 are available now. Please note the amount of our county’s allocation may change, depending on decisions made by the General Assembly. You can help to influence these allocations by writing to our representatives concerning your support of the Arts in NC.

Guidelines for Grassroots Arts Program Subgrant 2015-16 Word doc

Grassroots Arts Program Application 2015-2016Word doc

No Overdue Tax Debt Form

Organization – Word document

Individual – Word document

Model Conflict of Interest Policy

PDF document

GRANT DEADLINE: 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2015

NOTE: This is not a postmark deadline; Applications and all attachments must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered for funding.

For 2014 -15 Subgrant Reports, due June 15, 2015

FY 2014-15 Report forms for Grassroots SubGrantees:

SubgrantReportForm14-15 – Word document