2021-22 GUIDELINES FOR GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM APPLICANTS
Since 1977, the N. C. 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. The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) serves as the N. C. Arts Council’s partner in awarding subgrants to local organizations for arts programs in Orange County, as well as additional grant funds approved by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
ELIGIBILITY FOR APPLICATION
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All schools must reside within Orange County.
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Organizations that receive general support funds through the N.C. Arts Council OR the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources are not eligible for Grassroots funds.
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Individuals are not eligible to apply for Grassroots Arts funds.
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Applications and support materials must be submitted electronically by the due date.
TIMELINE
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Tuesday, December 7, 2021: Application Period opens
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Friday, January 7, 2022: Applications are due by midnight
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No later than Friday, January 14, 2022: Applicants will be notified
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All projects must take place before June 30, 2022
FUNDING GUIDELINES
Grassroots Arts Program funds may be used for expenditures to conduct quality arts programs in public or private schools. Typical uses of Grassroots money include program expenses such as professional artists’ fees and travel, space rental, advertising, marketing and publicity, website and electronic media, scripts, costumes, sets, props, music and theater equipment rental.
Schools wishing to hire teaching artists or in-school (in-person or virtual) performances are encouraged to utilize the following partner resources:
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Carolina Theater Arts Discovery Educational Series: virtual offerings include The Movement and February One.
Schools booking artists in conjunction with our partners will not be required to provide work samples/artist resumes in this application.
Funding Policies
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Tribal organizations that receive grassroots funds must represent state or federally recognized tribes.
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Grassroots funds may not be awarded to individuals.
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Grassroots funds may not be used for art supplies or equipment purchase.
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Grassroots funds may be used for student transportation to regional arts exhibits and programs on a limited basis.
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Grants may not be awarded for prizes, competitions, scholarships, tuition or financial awards.
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Religious organizations or churches may not receive Grassroots funds unless the programs are presented outside regular church services, engage the larger community and do not contain religious content.
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Grassroots funds may not be used for activities associated with a school’s internal arts programs, such as in-school student performances, the purchase of art supplies, or student arts competitions and publications.
Grassroots Arts Program money may not be used for the following kinds of expenditures:
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Art, music, and dance therapists
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Artifacts
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Purchase artwork
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Capital expenditures
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Contingency funds
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Deficit reduction
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Fundraising events
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Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions
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School band activities or equipment
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School choral activities
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Lobbying expenses
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Oral history and history projects
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Tuition for academic study
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Interest on loans, fines or litigation costs
Matching Requirement
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All grantees are required to match their grant amounts dollar for dollar. The funds must come from other public or private sources. In-kind donations of goods or services may be used as matching funds.
Racial and Cultural Diversity Requirement
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The N.C. Arts Council works to provide a representative portion of grant funds for arts programming that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of the state. The OCAC is required to spend 33% of its annual county allotment for programming that reflects African American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American cultures, based on the percentage of each population in Orange County.
APPLICANT EVALUATION
Applications are reviewed by panels of experts in the visual, performing, and literary arts, comprised of members of the OCAC Advisory Board and members of the artist community. Panelists discuss and score the grant using an established rating system. The highest scoring applications are funded and the dollar amount granted to each applicant is determined by the OCAC Advisory Board. The panel evaluates applications based on the NCAC Priorities for Funding (below) and the following criteria:
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Artistic quality of proposed project or programs
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Community impact of project or programs
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Multicultural aspect of the program
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Educational impact of the project
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Ability to plan and implement project
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Stability and fiscal responsibility of the organization
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Integration into curriculum and/or enrichment (schools only)
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Need (schools only, based on percentage Free and Reduced Lunch)
GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS NCAC/OCAC
Recognition: Grantees must acknowledge the N. C. Arts Council and Orange County Arts Commission’s support of their event or projects by including their logos and funding credit lines in all print and promotional materials related to the grant. The OCAC’s website offers information and downloadable logos at www.artsorange.org. Proper acknowledgment will be considered during future funding requests. Reporting Requirements Each grantee is required to submit a final report providing a detailed description of the funded project, participation statistics and demographics, sample marketing and program materials using the N. C. Arts Council credit line and logo, and copies of their legislative letters. The Report Forms will be sent to you by OCAC director Katie Murray and will be due by Monday, July 11, 2022. Organizations who have not submitted reports for prior grants are not eligible to apply for future requests.
Legislative Letters: Grantees are asked to write state representatives to thank them for appropriating Grassroots funds. The letter should provide information about how Grassroots funds were used to support your program or project, and the community impact of the event. A copy of all letters to legislators must be included in the subgrantee’s final report.
QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Be sure to check out our F.A.Q.’s for Schools page. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Katie Murray at 919-245-2335 or kmurray@orangecountync.gov.