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The Orange County Board of Commissioners designated $100,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for arts organizations to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19 and provide programmatic support as they begin to re-welcome audiences. The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) will be distributing the funds through grants to the local arts community.
The application period is Monday, August 2 through Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Eligibility for Application
The primary purpose of the Restart the Arts program is to assist the nonprofit arts industry that has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Therefore, nonprofit arts organizations will receive funding priority. However, we also invite other organizations to apply, particularly those whose operations have a high impact in our community through employment, tourism, or services offered to county residents or artists.
The following groups are eligible to apply for funding. All applicants must be physically located in Orange County, NC.
- 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organizations
- Community or cultural-based 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 nonprofit organizations whose arts-related programming expense equals or exceeds 25% of the organization’s total budget
- Unincorporated arts groups and artist co-ops
Applicants must have been fully operational as of March 1, 2020 and must be currently operating (even if in a reduced capacity). Fiscal agents are not permitted for this grant program.
Eligible Expenses
Restart the Arts grants are intended to offset business disruption and/or expenses incurred due to COVID-19 since March 1, 2020, and/or support programmatic expenditures. All funded expenses must be incurred before June 30, 2022.
The following expenses can be considered:
- Operations expense including paid salaries and benefits (including contractors), on-going overhead expenses, marketing, and COVID-related safety measures.
- Programming expense including costs associated with canceling programs and creating virtual programs, as well as new and existing in-person programs and associated costs including artist fees, production, and marketing.
Applicants must provide documentation as evidence for expenses with their final report. Documents such as receipts, bill/invoices, monthly financial statements, and payroll ledgers will be considered.
Ineligible Expenses
- Supplementation of revenue losses
- Deficit reduction
- Art, music, and dance therapists
- Artifacts
- Capital expenditures
- Contingency funds
- Deficit reduction
- Fundraising events
- Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions
- Interest on loans, fines or litigation costs
Restart the Arts funding cannot support expenses already paid for by other relief funds such as PPP loans, direct grants from the NEA, and stimulus grants issued by the North Carolina Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, or other local/state government bodies.
Awards and Reporting
Grant amounts will vary depending on the size of the organization, the number of eligible applications received, and funding availability.
Restart the Arts grant awards can be used towards the ongoing operations and programming of grantees through June 30, 2022, and do not require a match. If a grant is issued, grantees will be required to submit a report with documentation in July, 2022.
For questions or more information, contact Katie Murray at kmurray@orangecountync.gov.
