NC CARES For Arts Program - More COVID Relief for Arts Organizations
As part of the state’s spending plan for federal CARES Act funding, $9.4 million was designated to provide direct aid to arts councils and arts organizations in an effort to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19. These funds will be distributed through the new North Carolina CARES for Arts Grant program, on a per-capita basis to all North Carolina counties with a population less than 1 million people. Wake and Mecklenburg Counties do not meet this criteria and are not included in the NC CARES program.
The purpose of the funds is to offset business disruption and/or expenses incurred due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020. The following expenses can be considered: paid salaries and benefits (including contractors), on-going operating expenses, costs associated with canceling programs and creating virtual programs, and COVID-related safety and cleaning measures. For the purpose of this grant program, revenue losses are not considered for mitigation. North Carolina CARES for Arts funding cannot reimburse any expenses already paid for by other federal relief funds such as PPP loans, direct grants from the NEA, and stimulus grants issued by the North Carolina Arts Council.
WHERE TO APPLY The North Carolina Arts Council will distribute North Carolina CARES for Arts funding in two ways: In many counties, the local arts council will take the lead in making grant awards by applying for the county allotment from the N.C Arts Council and then sub-granting to local eligible arts groups. In this scenario, grant applications from local arts organizations will be submitted to the local arts council for review. In the remaining counties, the North Carolina Arts Council will accept direct applications from arts organizations.
SUB-GRANTORS for TRIANGLE REGION -
Chatham County - Chatham County Arts Council will distribute $87,073.74. At this writing, CCAC did not have the terms of their program available, but it should be on their website soon.
Durham County - Durham Arts Council will distribute Durham County’s $358,906 in allocated funds. Organizations must be based in Durham County to apply to this program. Arts nonprofits with 501c3 status may apply. Arts nonprofits without 501c3 status may apply with a fiscal agent. Applications are due on November 9.
Orange County - Orange County Arts Commission is handling regranting of $166,510.48. OCAC invites the following groups to apply for funding: 1)501(c)3 nonprofit arts organizations Community or cultural-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose arts-related programming expense equals or exceeds 25% of the organization’s total budget; 2) Businesses whose primary operations are in the visual, performing, or literary arts (including individual artists’ businesses), 3)Unincorporated arts groups or LLC’s. Deadline to apply is October 30.
Johnston County - Johnston County Arts Council will be distributing $237,985.28. The deadline to apply is Nov. 9. The following can apply for funding: 1) Nonprofit organizations who have strong arts programming (at least 25%); 2) Unincorporated arts groups or LLC’s; 3) Individual artists.
Wake - While Wake County arts organizations aren't eligible for the statewide NC Cares for Arts grants described above, the Wake County Board of Commissioners allocated $1 million from the CARES Act and authorized United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County to create the Wake County Nonprofit Arts Relief Fund. This fund will assist arts and culture-based nonprofits in Wake County by reimbursing them for eligible expenses incurred March – December 2020. The deadline to apply for this Relief Fund is November 10. See more on the Wake County Nonprofit Arts Relief Fund here.