 Through a citizen board appointed by the Governor, the North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) serves as the steward of state and federal funds appropriated for the arts. These grants activate partnerships between artists, arts organizations, and communities that benefit every county in the state. More than 1,300 grants are awarded each year to ensure that artists and arts organizations continue to produce rich and diverse arts experiences for the state's citizens and visitors.
The Grassroots Arts Program distributes NCAC's state grant funds on a per capita basis for local arts programming in every county. For 2007-08 year $8,233.00 is the proposed allocation for Moore County subgrantees. At the NCAC's request, the Arts Council of Moore County (ACMC) administers these funds.
Eligibility: Applicants must be not-for-profit organizations operating in Moore County with a 501(c)3 Federal tax-exempt status. (School programs are covered through their school's non-profit status.) An organization without tax-exempt status may receive indirect funding for its arts program by having an eligible organization serve as their fiscal agent, such as ACMC. 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 ACMC. Individual artists are not eligible to apply for Grassroots Arts funds. Applicant organizations may contract individual artists whose services fall within the scope of the program.
Allowable Uses of Grassroots funds: Grassroots Arts Program funds may be used for any kind of expenditure incurred in conducting an arts program or running an arts organization. Typical uses of Grassroots funds include program expenses (such as artist fees and travel, space rental, advertising, publicity, scripts, costumes, sets, props, music, art supplies, and equipment rental and purchase) and program administrative and operating expenses (such as salaries, telephone, office supplies, printing, postage, rent, utilities, insurance, and equipment rental and purchase). The use of Grassroots funds for salaries and equipment should be limited.
Unallowable Uses of Grassroots funds: Grassroots Arts Program funds may not be used for the following kinds of expenditures: Expenditures for regular internal school arts instructional costs (e.g. purchase of books, art supplies, instruments, instrument repair, and music); deficit reduction; contingency funds; interest on loans, fines or litigation costs; food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions; lobbying expenses; tuition for academic study; indirect cost rate expenses; capital expenditures; history or science programs; acrobatics; aerobic dance; beauty pageants; clowning; comedy; cosmetology; essay contests; fashion shows; juggling; magic shows; martial arts; mineralogy/gemology; modeling; nature presentations; quiz bowls; or travel presentations.
Amount of Grants: Most grant awards will be for $1,000 or less. For exceptional projects, more may be awarded. Organizations requesting larger amounts – that fail to show good planning, sound financing, and innovation – may actually be less competitive because the request overreaches the capacity to perform.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications and determine awards:
Organizational Capability:
- Only organizations that provide a copy of a valid 501(c)3 certification from the Internal Revenue Service are eligible. Individuals are not eligible for this program.
- What is the impact of project on the organization's artistic and/or administrative development?
- Does the organization document previous programming success?
Financial Stability:
- The organization must match the grant dollar for dollar. All matching funds must be documented in the Grassroots report due 30 days after the completion of the arts project. Neither the Grassroots money nor the matching funds may be used to match any other North Carolina Arts Council grant.
- How well can the organization manage responsibly the total resources of the project? The amount of its own cash that an applicant group is willing to invest in a project will be considered as strong evidence of its commitment to the project.
- As a general rule, organizations receiving other state money will be a lower subgranting priority than organizations eligible only for Grassroots support.
Innovative Project:
- Preference will be given to proposals for projects that promise to reach new audiences and to those that show strong collaborative planning.
- Projects that duplicate or repeat what is already occurring will negatively impact ratings.
Audience Development:
- The project should serve the broad-based community and not an inordinately small, self-interest group.
- Cultural diversity should be evidenced as a goal with strategies designed to involve traditionally underserved populations.
Educational & Community Outreach:
- Does the project broaden community understanding and appreciation of the arts?
- Will the project extend to traditionally underserved populations, promote off-site programming, or target programming in selected communities?
|
Program Period and Deadlines: ACMC holds one granting period each year—July 1 to June 30. The arts program must take place and all grant and matching funds must be spent during the granting period. The grant application deadline is usually near the end of August. This is not a postmark deadline; All applications must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered for funding.
Applications: The NCAC provides a Grassroots Arts Program Subgrant Application Form, available within the eGRANT program on the Council's web site at http://ncarts.egrant.org. Please complete the form online and print copies for submission. Using the online form makes final and subsequent applications easier, and applicants are encouraged to complete online. There are FAQs about the eGRANT system. However, if you can not resolve a problem in navigating eGRANT please contact: Kathryn Caler at 919-715-8283 or kathryn.caler@ncmail.net
Submitting Grants: Organizations may submit up to two applications per year. Once applications are completed (online forms should be printed and not submitted electronically), please submit six (6) copies of the full applications to Arts Council of Moore County, Attn: Grassroots Committee, P.O. Box 405, Southern Pines, NC 28388 or hand-delivered to the Arts Council offices at Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC.
Grant Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 27, 2007. [NOTE: This is not a postmark deadline; All applications must be submitted by this time.]
For more information on the Grassroots Arts Program, please contact ACMC at 910-692-4356 or kmacrae@pinehurst.net.
|
