Grassroots Arts Program

Grassroots Arts Project Grants are made possible by the North Carolina Arts Council and dispersed to each county by their local arts council. Non-profit organizations who implement arts projects in Wayne County may apply for the Grassroots Arts Project Grant.

Important Dates

Timeline: This year's grant cycle is open. To be on our notification list, please email anna@artsinwayne.org.

1:1 Conference Calls: September 8th-12th, 2025
Applications Open: Monday, September 15th, 2025
GAP Webinar : TBA
Deadline Date: Thursday, October 17th 2025 at 11:59 pm digitally submitted to anna@artsinwayne.org.

ARTS COUNCIL OF WAYNE COUNTY AWARDS OVER $40,000 IN GRANTS

The Arts Council of Wayne County is proud to announce the distribution of the North Carolina Arts Council's Grassroots Arts Program Grants to a diverse array of local arts organizations and nonprofits. This year, a total of $37,692 has been awarded, reaffirming our commitment to ensuring the arts thrive across our community. This cornerstone program provides arts funding to all 100 counties through an extensive network of local arts councils and partners. Funds are distributed on a per capita basis, ensuring that every citizen has access to quality arts experiences and benefits from the important role the arts play in our communities.

Arts Council of Wayne County Executive Director, Anna Hinson, states: “This is my third year overseeing the distribution of the North Carolina Arts Council's Grassroots Arts Program Grant to Wayne County arts organizations and nonprofits. I’m committed to ensuring every applicant has the best opportunity to secure funding, and seeing this list reaffirms that we are on the right track. I’m especially delighted to recognize a couple organizations from Mt. Olive this year.”

This cycle’s grant recipients are:

The Paramount Theatre Foundation – $15,000

Goldsboro Ballet – $6,500

StageStruck – $6,792

III Century Singers – $500

Starlight Dance Band – $500

Mt. Olive Downtown Development Corporation – $3,000

NC Pickle Festival – $2,500

The Well CDC – $1,000

Peggy Seegars Senior Center – $1,200

Wayne County Public Library – $700

The Arts Council of Wayne County is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that provides arts opportunities and experiences for all residents. As the county’s lead agency for the arts, it supports local artists and arts organizations to help them succeed. Its mission is to keep the arts thriving throughout Wayne County.

The North Carolina Arts Council builds on our state’s long-standing love of the arts, leading the way to a more vibrant future. The Arts Council is an economic catalyst, fueling a thriving nonprofit creative sector that generates $2.12 billion in annual direct economic activity. The Arts Council also sustains diverse arts expression and traditions while investing in innovative approaches to art-making. The North Carolina Arts Council has proven to be a champion for youth by cultivating tomorrow’s creative citizens through arts education.

Guidelines for Grassroots Grants Subgrants

Eligibility for Application

All organizations must have been in operation for at least one year, and must be a 501(c)3 non profit organization.
All organizations must reside and carry out projects within Wayne 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, not postmarked, by the due date.

Application Submission & Deadline

All projects must take place between July 1, 2025 and May 30, 2026. (this means you may apply for a project that has already happened) Grant amounts range from $500 to $15,000.
All applications must be received by: Thursday, October 17th 2025 at 11:59 pm digitally submitted to anna@artsinwayne.org. This is the receipt date. Applications must be emailed and fax submissions will not be considered.

What does the Grassroots Grants fund?

Grassroots Arts Program funds may be used for expenditures to conduct quality arts programs, or operate an arts organization. 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 are sometimes funded but rarely. We do not fund overhead or facilities and administration expenses.

North Carolina Arts Council Priorities for 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

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).
Subgrants may not be awarded to individuals or to organizations for prizes, including scholarships and financial awards.
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 such as in-school student performances, the purchase of art supplies, or student arts competitions and publications.

Grassroots Arts Programs Money May NOT be Used for the Following Kinds of Expenditures:

Fundraising events
Artifacts
High School band activities or equipment
Purchase of Artwork
Interest on loans, fines or litigation costs
Capital expenditures
Lobbying expenses
Contingency funds
Oral history and history projects
Deficit reduction
Tuition for academic study (scholarships)
Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions

Matching Requirements

All subgrantees are required to match their grant amounts dollar for dollar. The funds must come from other public or private sources. Other N.C. Arts Council funds or state funds (i.e. public university dollars) cannot be used as a match.

Meeting the Racial and Cultural Diversity Requirement

The NCAC works to provide a representative portion of grant funds for arts programming that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of the state. As a central strategy for achieving this objective, we require that each Grassroots partner spend a percentage of its annual county allotment for programming that reflects African American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American cultures. The percentage is determined by calculating the portion of each county’s population made up of African American, Asian American, Latino, and Native American people.

North Carolina Arts Council Recognition

Subgrantees must acknowledge the N.C. Arts Council and the Arts Council of Wayne County's support of their event or projects by including the N.C. Arts Council and the Arts Council of Wayne County's logo, and funding credit line in all print and promotional materials related to the grant. The N.C. Arts Council’s Web site offers information and downloadable logos, at www.ncarts.org.

Reporting Requirements

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 N. C. Arts Council credit line and logo, and copies of their legislative letters. The Subgrant Report form can be downloaded from the N. C. Arts Council Web Site at www.ncarts.org. Final reports must be emailed or hand delivered to the Arts Council of Wayne County by May 31st, 2026.

Legislative Letters: Applicants are required to write their 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, the community impact of the event, and credit to the N.C. Arts Council and the Arts Council of Wayne County. A copy of all letters to legislators must be included in the subgrantee’s final report.

How Subgrant Applications are Evaluated

Subgrant applications are reviewed by a diverse panel of community members including artists, county and public officials and board members of the Arts Council of Wayne County. The panel evaluates applications based on the subgrant guidelines and the following criteria:

Artistic quality of proposed project or programs
Community impact of project or programs
Multicultural aspect of the program, if applicable
Educational impact of the project
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 the Arts Council of Wayne County's board of directors. The board of directors votes and gives final approval to the subgrant panel’s recommendations.