Sustaining Support grants are reviewed and awarded on a 3-year cycle by discipline. Each year, a third of the disciplines will be open for new applications on the following schedule:

Music, folklife, and arts in education organizations will submit applications for panel review and award determination on March 3, 2025. The award will cover the 3-year cycle of FY2025-26, FY2026-27, and FY2027-28.

About

Sustaining Support provides flexible funding to arts organizations in North Carolina that consistently produce arts programs and services that engage audiences and reflect their communities. These organizations provide work opportunities for artists and arts professionals, are well managed and financially accountable, are committed to diverse and inclusive practices, and contribute to the state’s creative economy.

Application dates

Open: January 6, 2025 Due: March 3, 2025

Grant amount

Range: From $7,500 to $65,000

Who may apply

• Arts organizations* that meet the North Carolina Arts Council’s general eligibility criteria and have maintained an average organizational expense budget of at least $75,000 over the past three fiscal years

• Arts organizations that employ at least one half-time equivalent staff person**, as demonstrated in the organizational financial statement for the most recent fiscal year Colleges, universities, and arts organizations that are part of another entity (such as a municipality) are not eligible to apply in this category.

Generally, organizations that receive funding through the Statewide Service Organizations grant category or that receive the county Grassroots allotment as a Designated County Partner or Provisional County Partner are not eligible to apply in this category.

Applicants are not allowed to use fiscal agents to apply for Sustaining Support for Arts Organizations.