Is your organization or school planning an arts project in Moore County? Do you need some funds to help get an arts project off the ground? The Arts Council of Moore County can help as the N.C. Arts Council’s Designated County Partner for distribution of Grassroots Arts Program funds!

In 1977, the North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) created the Grassroots Arts Program to provide 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 Arts Council of Moore County (ACMC) serves as the N. C. Arts Council’s partner in awarding subgrants to local organizations for arts programs in Moore 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 Moore 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 an eligible organization 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 ACMC.
• All organizations must reside and carry out projects within Moore 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, but may apply for a Regional Arts Project Grant.
• 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 operate an arts organization. Examples of arts programs that are commonly funded with Grassroots funds include: performances, festivals, art exhibitions, after-school arts programs, artist residencies in schools, arts camps, classes, workshops, research, 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

PRIORITIES OF FUNDING:

The first priority of the Grassroots Arts subgrant program is to provide operating or program support to qualified arts organizations including theaters, symphonies, galleries, art guilds, choral societies, dance companies, folk arts societies, writers groups and arts festivals, among others. Grassroots funds are not generally awarded to arts organizations that receive funding through the N. C. Arts Council’s General Support Program.

The second priority of the Grassroots Arts subgrant program is to support arts learning and arts in education programs conducted by qualified artists. These can be artist residencies in schools, after school summer camps or adult arts learning classes.

The third priority of Grassroots Arts subgrants is to support community organizations that provide quality art experiences for the greater community. These programs must be conducted by qualified artists.

FUNDING POLICIES FOR GRASSROOTS FUNDS:

• Tribal organizations that receive grassroots funds must represent state or federally recognized tribes.
• Colleges, universities and libraries may receive grants for arts programs that are community-based or generate regional arts involvement. Grants may not support their internal programs, administration or operation expenses (library books, band boosters, equipment purchases).
• 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.
• Grassroots funds may not be used for activities associated with a school’s internal arts programs (e.g. purchase of books, art supplies, instruments, instrument repair, and music).
• Grassroots funds may not be used for the following kind of expenditures: art, music and dance therapists; fundraising events; artifacts; high school band activities or equipment; artwork; interest on loans, fines or litigation costs; capital expenditures; lobbying expenses; contingency funds; oral history and history projects; science programs; deficit reduction; tuition for academic study; food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions; acrobatics; aerobic dance; beauty/scholarship pageants; clowning; comedy; cosmetology; essay contests; fashion shows; juggling; magic shows; martial arts; mineralogy/gemology; modeling; nature presentations; prizes, scholarships or financial awards; quiz bowls; or travel presentations.

GRANT AMOUNT: Grant amounts range from $150 to $2,000. 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.

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.

NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL & ARTS COUNCIL OF MOORE COUNTY RECOGNITION:  Subgrantees must acknowledge the NCAC and ACMC’s support of their event or projects by including the NCAC’s logo, ACMC’s logo, and the following funding credit line in all print and promotional materials related to the grant:

This project was supported by the Arts Council of Moore County and the North Carolina Arts Council with funding from the state of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

Download NCAC’s logo here. Email ACMC to receive its logo.

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 ACMC board of directors. The board of directors votes and gives final approval to the subgrant panel’s recommendations.

2013-14 GRANT PERIOD: ACMC holds one grant period each year–July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. The arts program must take place and all grant and matching funds must be spent during the granting period.

2013-14 GRANT PAYMENT: All grant payments are contingent upon availability of funds from the State of North Carolina.

2013-14 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.

• 2013-14 Subgrant Application Form – WORD or PDF [All grant applicants.]
• 2013-14 No Overdue Tax Dept Form – WORD [Non-government organizations only.]
• 2013-14 Model Conflict of Interest Policy – PDF [Non-government organizations only.]

Please complete the forms and submit to the ACMC according to the directions below.

SUBMITTING GRANTS: Organizations may submit up to two (2) applications per year. Once your application(s) is complete, please submit five (5) copies of the full applications and all attachments to Arts Council of Moore County, Attn: Grassroots Committee, P.O. Box 405, Southern Pines, NC 28388 or hand-deliver to the Arts Council offices at Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, NC.

2013-14 GRANT DEADLINE: By 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 19, 2013.
[NOTE: This is not a postmark deadline; Applications and all attachments must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered for funding.]

SUBGRANT REPORT FORMS: Each subgrantee 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 NCAC & ACMC credit line and logos, and copies of their legislative letters. For your convenience, we have provided links for downloading the report forms you will need to be submitted within 30 days after your program is complete. If you need to download Acrobat Reader, click here.

Legislative Letters: Grant recipients are encouraged to write their state representatives to thank them for appropriating Grassroots funds. The letters 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.

Office of State Budget & Management (OSBM) Report: Non-government subgrantee organizations must also submit OSBM Report and Certification forms to ACMC with their NCAC report form.

Links to REPORT forms for 2012-13:

• 2012-13 NCAC Subgrant Report Form – WORD or PDF [All grant recipients.]
• 2012-13 OSBM Report Form – WORD [Non-government organizations only.]
• 2012-13 OSBM Certification Form – WORD [Non-government organizations only.]

For additional information, please contact Jeanne Zimmerman at 692-2787 or jeanne (at) mooreart.org.