Organizations | Arts Council of Fay

support for Organizations

Making Art Possible for Organizations in Cumberland County

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is committed to strengthening Cumberland County through investment in arts and cultural organizations. Through the Mission Based Grant, Grassroots Art Project Grant, Rapid Response Funding, and professional development opportunities, we provide funding and resources that help organizations expand access to the arts, engage the community, and build long-term sustainability. Whether supporting ongoing operations, innovative projects, or emerging opportunities, these programs are designed to help organizations grow their impact and contribute to a vibrant creative community.

mission based grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s (ACFCC) Mission Based Grants provide general operating support to 501(c)(3) organizations whose primary services provide programming, community services, and/or educational activities which are of high artistic, cultural, or historical merit and are executed through artistic disciplines. This funding program supports organizations whose missions and programming support the ACFCC's mission to Cumberland County, to:

Connect our Communities
Embrace Diversity
Promote Individual Creativity
Foster Lifelong Learning Through the Arts
Advance Tourism & Economic Development

The overall grant request should not exceed 25% of your prior year’s total operating expense as reported on prior year’s audit/990 or $250,000, whichever is less. Organizations with total operating expenses of less than $50,000 should apply for funding via the Grassroots Art Project Grant.

Download the Mission Based Grant Guidelines:

DOWNLOAD

Apply for a Mission Based Grant:

APPLY

MANAGE

Application Process

A full application is required initially and every two years thereafter. Current recipients submit streamlined updates in alternate years, though continued funding is subject to financial assessment (see application process).

Example, if awarded:

Year One: Apply with a full application process
Year Two: Update and revise funding request
Year Three: Apply with a full application
Year Four: Update and revise funding request

FULL APPLICATION

Organizational Details
Mission Statement
General Organizations Programs and Services
Charitable Solicitation License
Other organizational documents as requested for first time applicants (e.g., Bylaws, Staff Chart, etc.)
Finance
Prior Year 990
Three Year Budget Comparison, highlighting ACFCC funds
Prior Year-End budget
Current Year-to-Date budget
Proposed upcoming FY Budget
Narrative Questions
Planned Scope of Service
Marketing/Cultural Tourism plans
Community Impact, historical and planned
Management Excellence and Transparency
Financial Stability and Accountability
Work Samples
Organizations should provide three (3) examples of programs and services of high artistic quality.
Both Images and Video are acceptable.
Work Samples should be from the prior five (5) years.
Include brief narrative description to include:
Date of work
Title/Event Name/Program Name
Key Artists/Personnel
Audience reach/participation

UPDATE APPLICATION

Returning entities will complete an "Update Application" for the cycles between years when full applications are completed. Sustained funding during update application cycles is contingent on financial assessment.

Update applications include:

Year to Date Budget Update & Proposed Next FY Budget
Year to Date Scope of Services Update & Proposed Scope of Services for Next FY
Year to Date Participation Log & Next FY Marketing Strategies
Annual Work Samples
Annual Impact Story
Board Engagement Narrative

Apply for a Mission Based Grant:

APPLY

MANAGE

Evaluations

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County assess and evaluates funding request through a multi-tiered process:

1. Staff Review for Eligibility and Completeness

2. Board-level Grants Assessment Committee review and funding recommendations

3. Full Board-level review and vote to adopt or amend committee level-recommendations

Requests are evaluated along the following review criteria :

Mission Alignment & Innovation: Organization's programming and services clearly support two or more tenets of the ACFCC mission (Connect Communities, Embrace Diversity, Promote Creativity, Foster Lifelong Learning, Advance Tourism & Economic Development) through innovative artistic approaches for Cumberland County. Program Quality & Expertise: Organization demonstrates high-quality programming consistent with current industry standards, supported by strong work samples and professional staff expertise in their artistic discipline(s).

Program Quality & Expertise: Organization demonstrates high-quality programming consistent with current industry standards, supported by strong work samples and professional staff expertise in their artistic discipline(s).

Economic & Tourism Impact: Programs create opportunities for positive economic impact on local arts professionals while

demonstrating measurable cultural tourism impact through visitor attraction, attendance data, and economic metrics.

Organizational Sustainability: Evidence of year-to-year sustainability in audience development, income diversification, and

program management.

Community Impact & Accessibility: Programming creates measurable impact through sustained audience engagement while ensuring equitable access that addresses socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, geographic, and physical barriers to reach all

Cumberland County populations.

Financial Management: Budget demonstrates realistic planning, strong management, diversified income sources, and internal controls ensuring financial accountability.

Organizational Leadership & Accountability: Active board with representative Cumberland County membership and defined term limits; transparent operations demonstrated through accurate reporting, site visit responsiveness, and consistent past performance with ACFCC.

grassroots art project grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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

Grassroots Art Project Grants support programs and activities which proliferate the arts within the Cumberland County community. Eligible programs will produce arts, culture, or history-focused content through an artistic discipline including but not limited to visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, public art, digital and media arts, arts education, and/or other innovative artistic mediums not listed here.

Eligible entities may request up to $15,000. Total grant funds should not exceed more than 25% of organizations operating expenses.

Grassroots Art Project Grants are supported by the North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Allocation and through the National Endowment for the Arts Grants for Art Projects program.

Download the Grassroots

Arts Project Grant Guidelines:

DOWNLOAD

Apply for a Grassroots Arts Project Grant:

APPLY

MANAGE

ELIGIBILITY

ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS MUST

Be a 501c organization, Institution of Higher Education, or a Municipality.
Be based out of Cumberland County and provide arts related activities, programs, and services for the residents of Cumberland County.
Have a history of quality artistic programming.
Have Federal IRS Tax Exempt Status
Maintain a current Charitable Solicitation License (where applicable).
Be in good standing with the Federal IRS and NC Secretary of State.
Maintain a governing Board that is representative of the diversity of Cumberland County.
Have completed all prior grant requirements for ACFCC contracts (if applicable).
Not be a recipient of North Carolina Arts Council State Arts Resource Grant funds
Match operating support 1:1 (match waived for organizations operating expense under $250,000 annually)

UNINCORPORATED GROUPS, COLLECTIVES, AND GUILDS

Unincorporated Groups, Collectives, or Guilds who have been in operation for more than one (1) calendar year and who have financial history which detail near-nonprofit operations are eligible to apply using a Fiscal Agent but must first meet with the Director of Grants and Allocations to discuss operations and programs.
Fiscal Agent who does meet all eligibility requirements and must adhere to the following:
- Fiscal Agent must meet all eligibility requirements.
- Fiscal Agent Agreement must be submitted as part of application to include how finances will be tracked, how records will be kept, and through which means the Applicant will receive the funds disbursed from the Fiscal Agent.
- Fiscal Agents cannot be a recipient of NCAC funds through the States Arts Resource grant program.

Organizations may be awarded one Grassroots Art Project Grant contract per fiscal year.

Evaluations

Grassroots Art Project grant applications are evaluated by a panel composed of Arts Council Board of Trustees members and additional community members who represent the diversity of Cumberland County and who have professional experience in arts, culture, history, education, grants, marketing, finance, and project management.

The Grassroots Art Project panel reviews applications and provides a recommendation for funding to the full Arts Council Board of Trustees who decide on the final awards.

Grassroots Art Project grants are competitive. Requests are evaluated based on merit as presented in your application. All panel members’ scores are averaged to produce an aggregate score of up to 100 points. Funding is recommended to programs who score the highest.

Requests are evaluated along the following review criteria :

Artistic Quality of the Proposed Project (50 pts)

Work Samples show programming of high artistic excellence
Project/Program increases awareness of underrepresented artistic disciplines
Program/Project utilizes professionals with detailed experience in their fields

Community Impact of Project (25 pts)

Use of Cumberland County based professionals with adequate and competitive compensation
Project/Program attracts persons or groups who have limited opportunities due to educational, geographic, cultural, physical, economic, or other constraints

Ability to Plan and Implement Project (25 pts)

Effective marketing and communications strategies for the project
Appropriate evaluation strategies that are matched to program goals
Applicant organization's past performance as an Arts Council grantee (where applicable).
The organization is financially stable

When making final funding decisions, Grassroots Art Project Grant funds are prioritized in the following ways:

Requests that support qualified 501c3 arts organizations.
Requests that support arts learning and arts-in-education programs or projects.
Requests that support community, civic, and municipal organizations that provide high-quality arts experiences for the greater community.

Ineligible Projects and Costs

The following items/projects are ineligible for Artist Support Grant funding:

Scholarships for undergraduate- or graduate-level education

Projects that support or oppose a particular candidate for public office

Projects that are exclusive to members of a particular religious faith group

Nonprofit initiatives

Projects that do not have a direct effect on the applicant’s growth as an artist (e.g., the promotion of other artists’ work)

Application Process

Applications are submitted digitally through the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s grant portal accessible through the Arts Council’s website. If the digital process is a barrier for your organization, please speak with Director of Grants Michael Houck at MichaelH@theartscouncil.com.

Application Requirements

Organizational Overview

Mission Statement
General Programs and Services
Key Personnel Contact
List of Board of Directors

Organizational Finance

Prior Year 990
Three Year Budget Comparison
- Prior Year-End Budget
- Current Year-to-Date budget
Fiscal Agent Information and Documents (if applicable)

Grant Project Questions

Project/Program Specifics
Target Audience
Community Impact, historical and planned
Marketing Plans
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Impact Storytelling

Itemized Budget for Allowable Expenses

Artist Contracts
Other Contracted Service & Fees
Marketing
Space Rental (temporary)
Travel and Lodging for Artist Contracts or Other Service Contracts
Materials
Small Capital Expenses
Equipment and Technology Upgrade

Work Samples

At Least Three (3) high quality sçn’s projects/programming.
Work samples are a very important element of the application review and are the leading example of your institutions ability to produce arts-, culture-, or history-focused programming through artistic disciplines.
Applicants must include a brief narrative explanation of the work sample and how it relates to the requested project.
All work samples must have been produced within the last 3 years (on or after January 2023).

Upload Check List

In additional to narrative questions, the following documents are required uploads as part of the application, unless noted.

IRS Tax Determination Letter
Charitable Solicitation License
Board of Directors with Term, Race/Ethnicity, and Officers listed
Prior Year’s 990
Itemized Project Budget
Evidential Support (optional)
Work Samples
Partner Information/Resumes (required for Arts Education Programs)
Articles of Incorporation (required for first time applicants)
Bylaws (required or first time applicants)

Grant Restrictions

Art, music, and dance therapists*
Large Capital expenditures
Contingency funds
Deficit reduction
Expenses for programs created for or engaging closed populations
Expenses for programs which advocate, promote, or proselytize any specific dogma or faith
Fundraising events
Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions
K-12 School initiatives
Lobbying expenses
Oral history and history projects*
Tuition for academic study
Interest on loans, fines, or litigation costs

*Speak with Grant Staff

Apply for a Grassroots Arts Project Grant:

APPLY

MANAGE

Important Dates:

Action Item	Cycle One Dates	Cycle Two Dates
Guidelines Published	December 15, 2025	December 15, 2025
Grant Information Sessions	January / February 2026	July/August 2026
Grant Submission Deadline	Thursday, March 5, 2026 \| 5:00 PM	Wednesday, September 1, 2026 \| 5:00 PM
Notification of Recommended Funding or Declination	by May 31, 2026	by November 30, 2026
Earliest Project Start Date	Wednesday, July 1, 2026	Friday, January 1, 2027
Project Update Reports & Meetings as required	November 2026 - March 2027	March - April, 2027
Latest Project End Date	June 30, 2027	June 30, 2027
Final Reports Due	Thursday, July 15, 2027 \| 5:00 PM	Thursday, July 15, 2027 \| 5:00 PM

rapid response funding

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1.1 Objective:

To provide quick-turnaround financial support for smaller arts projects, activities, and events that enrich Cumberland County's cultural vibrancy

and tourism landscape.

1.2 Focus:

Supports timely opportunities through a streamlined application process and expedited review.

1.3 Funding Available:

Up to $5,000 per project.

1.4 Application Deadline:

Rolling submissions accepted.

1.5 Project Completion:

All projects responding to this call must conclude by June 30, 2026.

Download the Rapid Response Funding Guidelines:

DOWNLOAD

Apply for Rapid Response Funding:

APPLY

MANAGE

Eligibility Requirements

2.1 Eligible Applicants:

501(c) organizations based in and serving Cumberland County
Unincorporated art collectives/guilds based in Cumberland County using a fiscal agent with 501(c) status.

2.2 Eligible Projects:

Festivals, performance series, and exhibitions in Cumberland County
Community arts engagement activities
Projects that respond to current community needs through artistic expression
Projects must be public-facing with a goal to drive cultural tourism in Cumberland County.

2.3 Ineligible Projects:

Projects not taking place in Cumberland County
Projects benefiting only closed populations
Projects promoting specific religious dogma or faith
Projects not accessible to the general public
Projects led by applicants not in good standing with the Arts Council
Operational support requests (must be project-specific)
Requests from individuals or for-profit organizations.

Allowable and Ineligible Expenses

3.1 Allowable Expenses:

Marketing and promotional expenses.
Contracted artist fees
Other project-related contracted services
Space/equipment rental
Materials and supplies for the project

3.2 Ineligible Expenses:

Food and beverage expenses
Capital expenditures
Funds for subgranting or awards/scholarships
Educational curriculum requirement expenses
General operating costs or overhead
Deficit reduction
Activities completed prior to award notification.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1 Format Requirements

Maximum 2 pages in PDF format ( up 3,000 characters)
Standard fonts and margins for readability

4.2 Required Proposal Elements

Proposals must address the following components:

A. Project Overview and Artistic Significance

Clear description of the proposed project
Artistic merit and significance to the community

B. Community Impact and Tourism

Specific impact on Cumberland County community
How the project will drive cultural tourism

C. Project Goals and Outcomes

Specific, measurable project goals
Intended outcomes and success metrics

D. Implementation Timeline

Detailed timeline showing project completion within 6 months of award
Key milestones and deadlines

E. Use of Funds

Proposed use of requested funds
Total project budget (if funds exceed grant request)
Any matching funds or in-kind contributions

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on three primary criteria:

6.1 Program Excellence

Artistic quality and merit of the proposed project
Alignment with Arts Council mission to connect communities, embrace diversity, promote creativity, advance tourism, and foster lifelong learning
Use of qualified artists with adequate compensation

6.2 Community Impact

Benefits to Cumberland County residents
Promotion of cultural tourism and visitation
Engagement with diverse communities and/or underserved populations
Contribution to cultural vibrancy

6.3 Project Feasibility

Clarity and achievability of project plan
Realistic and appropriate budget
Demonstrated capacity to complete the project
Clear, achievable 6-month timeline

EVALUATION CRITERIA

7.1 Review:

Intake: Arts Council staff will work with applicants to refine competitive proposals.

Presentation: Staff will present eligible proposals to the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County Board of Directors.

Funding Decision: Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County Board of Directors will review final proposals and vote to fund activity.

Timeline: Approximately 6 weeks from submission to funding decision

Award Notification: Applicants will be notified via email and will work with staff on acceptance paperwork.

Funding: Awards made on rolling basis as funds are available

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

8.1 Recipient Obligations

If funded, recipients must:

Complete the project within 6 months of award notification
Acknowledge the Arts Council in all promotional materials using required logos and credit lines
Submit a final report within 30 days of project completion
Provide project documentation (photos, videos, etc.)
Submit expense receipts verifying use of funds
Provide two complimentary tickets to funded events (if applicable)

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

9.1 How to Apply

Submit proposals through our online application portal. The portal is found online at www.TheArtsCouncil.com or directly at bit.ly/ACGrants

9.2 Questions and Contact Information

For questions regarding this RFP or the application process, contact:

Michael Houck

Director of Grants and Allocations

Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County

Email: michaelh@theartscouncil.com

9.3 Application Assistance

Arts Council staff are available to provide guidance.

We encourage applicants to reach out early in their planning process.

Apply for Rapid Response Funding:

APPLY

MANAGE

professional development opportunities

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is proud to provide professional development opportunities to individual artists.

Financial information and a copy of its license are available from the Charitable Solicitation Licensing Section at (888) 830-4989.

The license is not an endorsement by the State.

support for Organizations

Making Art Possible for Organizations in Cumberland County

mission based grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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

Download the Mission Based Grant Guidelines:

Apply for a Mission Based Grant:

Application Process

Apply for a Mission Based Grant:

Evaluations

Important Dates:

Fund Partners

grassroots art project grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

ELIGIBILITY

Evaluations

Ineligible Projects and Costs

Application Process

Application Requirements

Important Dates:

Fund Partners

rapid response funding

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Important Dates:

Eligibility Requirements

Allowable and Ineligible Expenses

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

EVALUATION CRITERIA

EVALUATION CRITERIA

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

FUNDING REQUIREMENTS

Fund Partners

professional development opportunities

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Important Dates:

support for Organizations

Making Art Possible for Organizations in Cumberland County

mission based grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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

​

Download the Mission Based Grant Guidelines:

Apply for a Mission Based Grant:

grassroots art project grant

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

rapid response funding

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

professional development opportunities

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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