Grants of $30,000 to organizations in Appalachian Regional Commission counties in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee to support non-programming expenses that are often not fundable by most grants or are financially out of reach for organizations.

The In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture FY24 Infrastructure Grants advance the goals of the In These Mountains (ITM) initiative by supporting organizations that promote sharing, teaching, learning, preserving, documenting, and supporting the continuity of the folk arts and traditional culture of Central Appalachia. The ITM initiative specifically seeks opportunities to support the work of traditional artists and organizations engaged in handcrafts/material culture, foodways, and music.

ITM Infrastructure Grants are designed to support non-programming expenses that are often not fundable by most grants or are financially out of reach for organizations. These grants are intended to provide improved tools and resources to organizations so that they may advance their work in supporting the folk arts and traditional culture of Central Appalachia.

Salaries and benefits, and fundraising events are not eligible expenses for ITM Infrastructure Grants.

This funding program is open to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, including community cultural organizations, libraries, museums, performing arts presenters, community festival organizations, faith-based organizations, etc. Organizations must be located within and serve at least one Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) county in Kentucky, North Carolina, or Tennessee.

Eligible organizations may work with artists and communities who practice longstanding, deeply rooted African American, Anglo American, or Native American traditions, and/or newer immigrant traditional artists and communities who continue the practice of traditional handcrafts/material culture, foodways, and music who now make Central Appalachia home.

Two organizations from each eligible state (Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee) will be selected, for a total of six recipient organizations.

Please note: Previous or current In These Mountains Partners (FY19-FY24) are not eligible to apply. Colleges and universities are not eligible to apply.

We strongly advise you to contact South Arts traditional arts staff to discuss your application prior to your submission. Please contact Teresa Hollingsworth (Director, Traditional Arts) at thollingsworth@southarts.org or 404-874-7244 x814.

Click here for more information, eligibility and to apply.