The Iredell Arts Council is Now Accepting

Grassroots Arts Program SubGrant Applications

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Since 1977, the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program (GAP) has provided communities across the state with access to quality arts experiences. Using a per capita formula, funding is distributed to all 100 counties in North Carolina through partnerships with local arts councils.

The Iredell Arts Council is proud to serve as the NC Arts Council’s partner in awarding Grassroots subgrants to organizations that bring diverse cultural arts programming to Iredell County.

Eligible Organizations

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) status is preferred, but organizations that are nonprofit in nature, or in some cases individuals, are eligible to receive subgrants. Grassroots partners may require applicants without 501(c)(3) status to have a fiscal agent to receive the funds on their behalf.
Subgrants may not be awarded to arts organizations that already receive operating support directly from the N.C. Arts Council.
All organizations must reside and carry out projects within Iredell County in which they are applying.
Projects for FY26-27 grant cycle must take place between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027, of the current fiscal year.

Only complete applications received by the due date will be considered.

Eligible Expenses Include:

Program costs such as artist fees, travel, space rental, marketing/publicity, sets, costumes, props, scripts, music, and equipment rental
Operating expenses for arts organizations (salaries, utilities, office supplies, rent, insurance, small capital projects, etc.)

Funds Cannot Be Used For:

Art/music/dance therapy programs
Artifacts or purchase of artwork
Fundraising or hospitality events (food, beverages, etc.)
School band/choral activities or equipment
Lobbying, tuition, deficit reduction, or contingency funds
Oral history/history projects
Interest on loans, fines, or litigation costs

Project Period: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027

Grant amounts range from $1,000 and up. The average range is $1,500 to $20,000.

Requirements of Grassroots Grant

Matching Funds: The Grassroots Arts Program legislation requires that the grant be matched dollar for dollar with cash from local sources during the applicable fiscal year. Neither Grassroots allocations nor the matching funds may be used to match any other N.C. Arts Council grant. All matching funds must be documented as part of the final report for the grant at the end of the fiscal year.

North Carolina Arts Council Logo Usage: All subgrant recipients are required to prominently display the North Carolina Arts Council logo with tagline and credit lines on-site at funded events and in all digital and printed publicity materials including websites, electronics newsletters and in as many materials and places as possible. To access the N.C. Arts Council logo and branding materials, visit https://www.ncarts.org/grants-resources/resources/logo-branding-materials

Reporting and Documentation Requirements: Subgrant awardees must complete a final report to document the use of the funds, share participant statistics and demographics, provide verification of matching funds and demonstrate examples of the use of the N.C. Arts Council’s logo and credit line. Subgrantees must also submit a No Overdue Tax Form.

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, and the community impact of the event. A copy of all letters to legislators must be included in the final report materials.

Panel Review

Priorities for Funding:

Applications that support qualified arts organizations, such as theaters, symphonies, galleries, art guilds, choral societies, dance companies, folk arts societies, writers’ groups and arts festivals.
Applications that support arts learning and arts-in-education programs or projects conducted by qualified artists. These can be artist residencies in schools, after-school programs, summer camps, or adult arts learning classes.
Applications that support community, civic and municipal organizations that provide high-quality arts experiences for the greater community. These programs must be conducted by qualified artists.

Criteria for Evaluation

A local and diverse panel of volunteers (i.e. community members including artists, art leaders, county and public officials and one Iredell Arts Council board member) will evaluate all applications received based on the following criteria: