Grants Dashboard

Grants Dashboard Welcome to the North Carolina Arts Council’s grants dashboard. This is your one-stop shop for grant information, so be sure to bookmark this page for future reference.Our grants are one of the many ways we invest in sustaining and advancing North Carolina's diverse and widespread network of arts organizations and artists. Eighty percent of our funds go directly to arts organizations and artists across the state. Important updates for FY2026–27 New grants portal: OPALApplications may be submitted through OPAL beginning January 5 and must be completed by March 2.All applicants, whether they have applied to us in the past or are new to our grants, must register in the OPAL system before beginning an application. Grant Platform Guide and TutorialsPlease note: Current FY2025-26 grantees will continue to use the GO Smart platform to submit final reports, which are due July 31, 2026.Updates to Arts in Education and Project Support GrantsArts in EducationAs part of our restructuring of the Arts in Education program, the cARTwheels and Arts in Education Artist Residency grant categories have been discontinued. This change makes way for a more direct process for schools to receive teaching artist visits and other arts education resources.Stay tuned, a new teaching artist roster and step-by-step instructions for schools to request a visit will be available in Summer 2026.Project SupportThe Project Support grant category now includes a broader range of eligible projects:Projects focused primarily on children and youth are now eligible under the Project Support - Youth Arts Education option.Projects previously supported by the Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grants may now be eligible for funding through Project Support as a discipline-based grant. For example, if veterans will work with a dance company, apply through the Project Support - Dance category. Eligibility Grant categories for individuals Grant categories for organizations Deadlines Grants portal: OPAL Marketing and acknowledgement requirements Final report requirements Required documents & contracts Tab/Accordion Items Eligibility Visit our grant application assistance page to consult your North Carolina Arts Council staff contact, find FAQs, webinars, and tutorials. Eligibility informationGeneral grant information and eligibility requirements Grant categories for individuals Artist Support Grants$500 – $2,000 project grants to artists administered through local arts councils.Deadlines vary by region.Guidelines: Artist Support GrantsFolklife Apprenticeships The North Carolina In These Mountains Appalachian Folklife Apprenticeship program supports 12-month apprenticeships in the folk and traditional arts of the many cultural communities within North Carolina’s Appalachian Regional Commission counties. The program is sponsored by South Arts' In These Mountains project and administered by the North Carolina Folklife Institute, as a partnership between NCFI and the North Carolina Arts Council.Program details: Folklife ApprenticeshipNorth Carolina Heritage AwardsSince 1989, the North Carolina Heritage Awards have honored our state’s most eminent traditional artists and practitioners. Recipients of the Heritage Award range from internationally acclaimed musicians to folks who quietly practice their art in family and community settings. Nomination guidelines: North Carolina Heritage Awards Grant categories for organizations Artist Support Grants for Lead PartnersThis category funds regional consortia of local arts agencies that award project grants to artists within their area. This is an invitational category.Guidelines: Artist Support Grants for Lead PartnersGrassroots Arts Program Grants (GAP)Our cornerstone program provides arts funding to all 100 counties through an extensive network of local arts agencies and partner organizations. Funding is distributed on a per capita basis to ensure that all North Carolinians have access to high-quality arts experiences and can benefit from the vital role the arts play in their communities. This is an invitational category.Guidelines: Grassroots Arts Program GrantsLEAD Scholarship GrantsThe North Carolina Arts Council’s LEAD Scholarship Grants provides professional development for arts administrators who are new to the field of arts accessibility and who are proactively developing inclusive arts programs and experiences for artists and audiences with disabilities in their communities. Guideline: LEAD Scholarship GrantsProject Support GrantsProject Support Grants are designed to assist organizations that produce or present specific arts programs that actively engage audiences and participants. Organizations may apply for support for exemplary programs in any artistic discipline. Projects that involve young audiences and military-connected communities are also eligible under this category.Guidelines: Project Support Grants Statewide Service OrganizationsThis grant category supports organizations that provide leadership and services to a specific sector of the arts industry. Funded services include newsletters, conferences, workshops, consultations, and resource publications. Statewide Service Organizations (SSOs) must serve the entire state or a multi-state region that includes North Carolina.Guidelines: Statewide Service OrganizationsSustaining Support for Arts OrganizationsSustaining Support is a new grant category that replaces the State Arts Resources and Organization Support programs. It is intended to support North Carolina arts organizations that demonstrate a consistent commitment to producing programs and services that engage audiences and reflect the communities they serve.Guidelines: Sustaining Support for Arts OrganizationsTraditional Arts Program for Students (TAPS)This program provides community organizations (arts councils, schools, community centers) with funding for after-school programs that connect North Carolina students with local traditional artists. This is an in