Search Through Grants for Rural Development in North Carolina in the U.S.

Mission

Golden LEAF’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco dependent, and economically distressed communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI)

Each year, the Golden LEAF Foundation invites organizations from counties from a different Prosperity Zone to participate in our $11 million Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI). The process is competitive, but organizations from all counties within the Prosperity Zone will have an opportunity to apply.

The CBGI is designed to identify projects with the potential to have a significant impact. It is a focused process with grants targeted toward investments in the building blocks of economic growth.

Funding Areas

Job Creation & Economic Investment

Golden LEAF funds economic development projects that focus on creating and retaining jobs, attracting new business to North Carolina, expanding industries and training new workers. Primarily, these projects are meant to create, expand, or improve business activity in tobacco dependent, economically distressed or rural communities. Golden LEAF partners with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and local governments to provide gap funding to assist with job creation.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Investment in publicly owned infrastructure
• Investment in privately owned property, plant, and equipment
• New full-time jobs created
• Average annual wage of new full-time jobs
• Business start-ups

As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs retained that were at risk without Golden LEAF support; comparison to county wages; job creation in identified job sectors; etc.

Agriculture

Golden LEAF supports agriculture projects as an economic development engine. Our grants for agriculture projects have supported the development of new crops, expanded markets for agriculture products, scientific research, training for farmers, cost-effective techniques and value added agricultural enterprises.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Number of participants at agricultural trainings
• New publications directed towards farmers
• Monthly use of agricultural facilities that benefit farmers

As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs, revenue growth, new agricultural business formations, economic output, changes in agricultural practices; acres in production; new crops/products grown or produced; and other measures of agriculture projects

Workforce Preparedness

Golden LEAF supports workforce projects that help close the skills gap and increase the pool of highly qualified individuals with skills aligned to North Carolina businesses’ current and future needs. We fund projects that demonstrate a market demand for skilled workers and aim at developing skill sets required by businesses looking to locate or expand in rural communities.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Increase in students completing at least one curriculum program in the area funded.
• Increase in students completing at least one continuing education course or program in the area funded.
• Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (non-academic) in the area funded.
• Increase in students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
• Increase in students participating in work-based learning.
• Increase in students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.

As well as narrative outcomes including: students employed; incumbent workers trained; employer input and feedback; survey results; etc.

Available Funds

A total of $11m is available to support projects in the region. Awards are limited to no more than three projects in any county and may total no more than $1.5 million in any county. Not all proposals will be funded and there is no assurance that there will be a funded project in every county. Funds may also be awarded for regional projects (see information below), which will not count toward the limit of projects in a county, but regional projects are funded through the overall $11 million program budget.

What does this program do?

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

What is an eligible area?

Rural areas including cities, villages, townships and towns including Federally Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data are eligible for this program.

How may funds be used?

Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

• Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
• Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements.
• Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.
• Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
• Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools.
• Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment.
• Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.

Grant Approval

Applicant must be eligible for grant assistance, which is provided on a graduated scale with smaller communities with the lowest median household income being eligible for projects with a higher proportion of grant funds. Grant assistance is limited to the following percentages of eligible project costs:

Maximum of 75 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 5,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 60 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 55 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 12,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 70 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 35 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 80 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 15 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 90 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income. The proposed project must meet both percentage criteria. Grants are further limited.

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

What does this program do?

This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.

What kind of event can qualify as an emergency?

• Drought or flood
• Earthquake
• Tornado or hurricane
• Disease outbreak
• Chemical spill, leak or seepage
• Other disasters

How may the funds be used?

• Water transmission line grants up to $150,000 to construct waterline extensions, repair breaks or leaks in existing water distribution lines, and address related maintenance necessary to replenish the water supply
• Water source grants up to $1,000,000 for the construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and/or other sources of water (water source up to and including the treatment plant)

Why does USDA Rural Development do this?

This program helps prevent damage or restore households and business' access to clean, reliable drinking water in eligible rural areas and towns following natural disasters. Funding can improve the natural environment and encourage manufacturers and other businesses to locate or expand operations.

What We Do

North Carolina's forestland is one of the greatest influences on the state, providing economic value and adding immeasurably to the quality of life for its residents. The forest products industry is the largest manufacturing business sector in the state, contributing approximately $34.9 billion annually to the state's economy and providing around 148,000 jobs for North Carolinians. The NC Forest Service's primary purpose is to ensure adequate and quality forest resources for the state to meet its present and future needs.

Fire Department Training Program

The Fire Department Training Program provides fire-training courses to rural fire departments through a federal grant received by the N.C. Forest Service. This training allows fire departments to be able to safely, efficiently, and effectively suppress wildland fires while protecting citizens property and forest resources.

The following courses are available:

• Wildland Fire Suppression for Fire Departments - This course was developed by the N.C. Forest Service to teach fire personnel the basic knowledge needed to safely suppress wildland fires. The course covers Organization, Fire Behavior, Locating the fire, Fire size-up, Tactics for hand crews, engines, and tractor- plow units. Mop-up, Fire Prevention, and Firefighter Safety are also covered, as well as the different terrain and fire environments forces may encounter in NC.
• S-130 Firefighter Training - This course teaches entry level wildland firefighting skills and includes such topics as safety, preparedness, tools and equipment, firing devices, use of water, suppression, securing control lines, use of maps and scouting. The course is usually taught in conjunction with S-190 and L-180.
• S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior - This course offers instruction in the primary environmental factors that affect the start and spread of wildfire and recognition of potentially hazardous situations. It is usually taught in conjunction with S-130 and L-180.
• L-180 Human Factors on the fireline - This course is designed to teach situational awareness, basic communication responsibilities, attitude and stress barriers, decision-making processes and teamwork principles. It is usually taught in conjunction with S-130.
• (ICS) Incident Command System - The ICS course is designed to train fire personnel how to manage any type of incident they may be involved in. ICS can be used to manage fires, floods, search and rescue operations, Haz Mat scenes, or disaster recovery operations. This national system allows fire personnel to function with other agencies involved, and to understand what their jobs are within the ICS organization. Instruction is designed in 4 levels (I-100, I-200, I-300, and I-400). Each level covers several modules that can be tailored for the department's needs. This course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• S-215 Fire Operations in the Wildland/Urban Interface - This course teaches fire personnel how to deal with wildland fires threatening homes in wooded areas. This course covers topics to teach personnel how to plan, size-up, triage, and attack wildland fires threatening homes or other improvements. Emphasis is placed on firefighter safety, hose line deployment, engine placement, and public relations. This course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• S-212 Chainsaw Use and Safety - This course covers field maintenance and repair of chainsaws, and proper use and cutting techniques for operating chainsaws in fire situations. This course is a valuable asset to chainsaw users when operating in fire, or storm debris clearance situations. The S-212 course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• Computer Simulator Fire-Training - This challenging course allows firefighters to test their skill and knowledge while battling a realistic wildland fire that is generated by use of a computer. Aerial slides of wooded areas are digitized in the computer, and agency personnel run the fire by actual weather conditions, spread rates, etc., to generate a very realistic situation for trainees. This course allows trainees to fight the fire as if they were flying overhead in an airplane giving them an aerial view of how the fire was spreading. This course is as close to the real thing as it gets!
• Chainsaw Safety for VFDs - This course was developed by the agency to teach fire personnel the basic safety knowledge needed for chainsaw operations involving wildfire and storm debris removal. Maintenance, felling methods and tree defect "watch out" situations are also covered. This course does not replace S-212, Chainsaw Use and Safety, which is required for national chainsaw certification.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation

We believe every person deserves equitable care and education.

In 2020 Labcorp established a private charitable 501(c)(3) foundation to advance our desire to bring quality healthcare access to all by supporting education and our local communities. 

Common grant opportunities include:

• Supporting food pantries and meal programs
• Providing healthcare and patient services for underserved populations
• Encouraging STEM programming
• Advocating for healthy lifestyles through ongoing medical research and screening

Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program

Local governments in North Carolina located in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene will soon be able to apply for grants from the new Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ), a $55 million dollar fund designed to rebuild the damaged infrastructure that small businesses rely on to operate and thrive.

Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division will administer the program, funded through legislation recently passed by the North Carolina General Assembly (House Bill 47/Session Law 2025-2).

The SmBIZ fund is not related to a pending federal Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery grant, which we expect will include a Commercial District Revitalization component. This separate, federal grant will be managed by another Commerce business unit, the Division of Community Revitalization.

Purpose of the SmBIZ Fund

• Provide financial assistance for community recovery and resilience to communities specifically impacted by Hurricane Helene, helping to bring back vital services for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Restore and repair critical infrastructure, allowing small businesses to resume function and operations to support economic recovery and sustainability.
• Assist in restoring or expanding small businesses’ ability to attract customers to business districts to help retain business, expand access, spur private investment to create stability, and leverage resources to create resiliency and economic growth.

The SmBIZ program will offer grants to local governments, and the related infrastructure projects will target and support small businesses that employ 150 or fewer employees. 

Qualifying infrastructure must serve one or more businesses within the identified project area and must have been damaged by Hurricane Helene. The infrastructure cannot be owned by the small business, nor can it be such that the small business is responsible for maintaining it. Infrastructure may include but will not be limited to water, sewer, gas, telecommunications, high-speed broadband, electrical utility, sidewalk and curb infrastructure, and other repairs that remove barriers and restore or increase access to impacted small businesses.

Mission

We are a public foundation created to serve southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic, and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, opportunities for technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power. 

Purpose

Develop and nurture grassroots community-based leaders and organizers. Build the capacity of their organizations. Strengthen rural communities and people. Develop equitable peer relationships, which support real transformation toward a just society.

Our Values

Using a grassroots perspective, we believe that culture is the essence of its people and should be valued, shared and preserved in the process. 

We must build our strength and unity by incorporating standards of integrity, respect, love, diversity, quality and interconnectedness.

Please note over the next four years SPF will focus on three primary issue areas in its grantmaking: Education Reform; Immigration Rights; and Voter Engagement

The Discretionary Fund

Existing grantee partners as well as organizations new to SPF may apply for funding. All applicants should fall within the scope of the SPF mission and guidelines: grassroots community organizing for economic, social and environmental justice, in rural communities in the South.

Discretionary support includes (not limited to) grants for capacity building, community organizing events and/or activities, and voter engagement activities. There are three primary funding areas within discretionary

• General Discretionary: community organizing activities or small projects that aim to create change in SPF’s 12-state region.
• Technical Assistance: capacity building, strategic planning, organizational development, trainings and technology upgrades.
• Travel Assistance: conference travel and participation or civic engagement activities.

Discretionary fund resources are limited. Organizations may submit a maximum of two requests per year for a total reward of $3,500 per year.  

Since 1924, The Duke Endowment has worked to help people and strengthen communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits.

Program Area: Health Care

The Duke Endowment believes that maintaining health over time is dependent on a person’s ability to lead a healthy lifestyle and access essential health care services. We support reforms that ensure an individual’s basic medical and social needs are met, so they can enjoy the best health possible.

Challenge

Despite advances in medicine and care delivery, significant health disparities exist based on race, gender, insurance status, income and where someone lives. Affecting and sustaining systemic change requires innovation, evidence building and collaboration between health care providers and other sectors.

Approach

We work as an innovating partner with local, state and national stakeholders to identify, test and spread innovative models that improve health and promote health equity. We know that the transformations we seek are complicated and will take time.

Our Focus

We aim to improve the health of Carolinians by exploring how integrated health systems can partner with other stakeholders in their communities, reduce barriers to care and promote healthy behaviors. We want to reduce inequities that have been exacerbated by factors including race, income and where a person lives.

Funding Priorities 

Access to Care for Vulnerable Populations

Access to essential health care services is critical to good health, yet vulnerable populations in the Carolinas face a variety of barriers. We are interested in supporting access-expanding projects for underserved populations such as racial minorities and rural residents. Health Care also funds 30 AccessHealth networks (by invitation only) to increase access to essential services for low-income uninsured adults. 

Maternal and Infant Health

Significant health disparities fuel poor maternal and infant health outcomes for women of color and women in rural communities. Health Care will support evidence-based programs and models that prioritize reducing health disparities and improving maternal and infant health outcomes.

Mental Health

Research has shown that early identification and treatment of mental health conditions can significantly improve overall health and well-being. The Endowment is interested in supporting models of care that increase access to quality mental health services and prevention programs with a specific emphasis on pediatric mental health care.

Oral Health

Millions of adults and children do not receive essential oral health services each year, leading to poor health outcomes and lower quality of life. To broaden access to care and reduce oral health disparities in children, The Duke Endowment is helping school-based oral health programs (by invitation only) expand, including investments in advocacy and policy reform efforts.

Population Health

Research suggests environmental factors and personal behaviors carry a far more significant impact on population health outcomes than clinical care. These social determinants of health hold the keys to addressing America’s high rates of obesity and chronic disease. Our Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas initiative uses regional community coalitions to help address these upstream drivers of health. 

Workforce Development

Given the many efforts underway to improve population health and reduce disparities in health outcomes, there is a need for a community-based workforce that serves as a liaison between health care, social services, and the community, including individuals with lived experience, such as community health workers.

Overview

The Open Grants Program allows applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. Eligible applicants are governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Awards in the Open Grants Program are $500,000 or less.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities.

Priority Funding Areas

This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. 

Job Creation & Economic Investment

Projects in this priority area gather data to support outcomes including: 

• Investment in publicly owned infrastructure
• Investment in privately owned property, plant, and equipment
• New full-time jobs created
• Average annual wage of new full-time jobs
• Business start-ups
• New housing units

Agriculture

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Number of participants at agricultural trainings
• New publications directed towards farmers
• Monthly use of agricultural facilities that benefit farmers
• As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs, revenue growth, new agricultural business formations, economic output, changes in agricultural practices; acres in production; new crops/products grown or produced; and other measures of agriculture projects.

Workforce Preparedness

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Increase in students earning at least one academic credential (curriculum diploma, certificate, or associate degree/con ed certificate) in the area funded.
• Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (nonacademic) in the area funded.
• Increase in high school students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
• Increase in secondary or post-secondary students participating in work-based learning.
• Increase in secondary students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

At Golden LEAF, our grantmaking responds to the challenges and opportunities that are presented day-to-day and year-to-year. That is why we’re always looking for new ways to leverage our funding, to accomplish more and to build new relationships. Since inception, the initiatives that we have launched are a testament to what can be achieved when many players from every sector come together to form partnerships for change.

Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:

• Develop and implement a new workforce training program to meet demand from local employers
• Implement a career pathway at a high school for a high demand field
• Extend water, sewer, or road infrastructure to a site to enable industrial development that will create full-time jobs
• Support the development of new crops, expand markets for agriculture products, or provide training for farmers.
• Construction of infrastructure for public use needed for development of workforce housing (developer must be a 501(c)(3) or local government entity)

What does this program do?

It provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to:

• To help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund.
• Provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.

Microenterprise Development Organizations must demonstrate experience in managing a Revolving Loan Fund, or:

• Certify that it or its employees have received education and training from a qualified microenterprise development training entity so that the applicant has the capacity to manage such a revolving loan fund.
• Demonstrate that it is actively and successfully participating as an intermediary lender in good standing under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Microloan Program or other similar loan programs as determined by the Administrator.

 What kind of funding is available?

• Grants are available to provide technical assistance to rural micro-entrepreneurs or microenterprises, up to $205,000 annually.
  • Funding at the requested level is not guaranteed, and at least 15 percent matching funds are required.
• Loans of $50,000 to $500,000 may be used for establishing a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund managed by the Microenterprise Development Organization.
  • Total aggregate debt is capped at $2.5 million.

What are the loan terms?

• Maximum term is 20 years.
• Two-year payment deferral.
• Must establish a loan loss reserve fund.

What terms are required on loans to ultimate recipients?

• Up to $50,000.
• Fixed interest rate.
• Limited to 75 percent of project cost.

How may the funds be used?

Microlenders may make microloans for qualified business activities and expenses including, but not limited to:

• Working capital.
• Debt refinancing.
• Purchasing equipment and supplies.
• Improving real estate.

Building Reuse

Suitable buildings for business use are a fundamental building block for economic development, and many older buildings in your community can still offer an attractive location for a growing company. However, the costs for renovating or upfitting these buildings can be prohibitive.

That's where our Building Reuse Program comes into play. Our rural development specialists can guide and assist you in finding grants that can bring old buildings back to useful life.

State Rural Grant

Develop older buildings in your community into assets to attract new or expanding businesses with the state's Building Reuse Program. This program provides grants to local governments, using three categories of funding for:

• The renovation of vacant buildings
• The renovation or expansion of a building occupied by an existing North Carolina company wishing to expand in their current location
• The renovation, expansion or construction of health care entities that will lead to the creation of new, full-time jobs.

Vacant Building Category

• Grants are available to support the renovation of vacant buildings. The building must be vacant for at least three months prior to application deadlines.

Existing Building Category

• Grants are available to support the renovation or expansion of buildings occupied by a company operating in the state of North Carolina for at least 12 months. Companies must also meet the weekly wage standard, provide at least 50% benefits to employees and be represented on the Priority Industry Table.

Rural Health Category

• Grants are available to support the renovation, expansion or construction of health care entities. The health care entity must be licensed by the State of North Carolina. Eligible applicants are units of local government located in either a Tier 1 or Tier 2 county, or a rural census tract in a Tier 3 county. More on the state's Tier system is available elsewhere on our site.
  • As prescribed in N.C.G.S. 143B-472.127(a)(2), a rural census tract is an area having a population density of less than 500 people per square mile according to the most recent decennial federal census. A map of North Carolina's Rural Census Tracts located in our Tier 3 counties is available.
• The program requires a cash match equal to the grant request amount. The local government must contribute at least 5% of the cash match. The cash match shall come from local resources and may not be derived from other State or federal grant funds.

Community Collaborative Research Grant Program

The Community Collaborative Research Grant Program, or CCRG, is supported by North Carolina Sea Grant, in partnership with the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science based at North Carolina State University.

The CCRG requires the use of a collaborative research approach that couples the knowledge of community stakeholders with academic experts in the field to address priority coastal issues that align with the mission and strategic plan of Sea Grant.

Proposed projects must justify how the work would be relevant to the missions and strategic plans of NC Sea Grant and/or WRRI. The 2018-2021 NC Sea Grant Strategic Plan defines four focus areas:

• healthy coastal ecosystems;
• sustainable fisheries and aquaculture;
• resilient communities and economies; and
• environmental literacy and workforce development.

WRRI focus areas eligible under this RFP include:

• stormwater management;
• drinking water, wastewater and water infrastructure;
• groundwater and surface water; and
• watershed management.

CCRG requires research approaches that couple the knowledge of community stakeholders with academic experts in the field. While members of the public may have local knowledge of their own communities and environments, they oftentimes do not have the scientific expertise required to fully characterize the problem and craft science-based solutions. Conversely, academic experts may be knowledgeable of scientific principles and potential solutions required to mitigate the problem, but lack the social and historical perspective that will aid in crafting solutions to meet the expectations of community members. This type of collaborative research — requiring the linkage of local knowledge expertise with university researchers — has a proven track record of developing new tools and solutions in resource management.

We hope to increase resources flowing toward rural areas of North Carolina. As such, CCRG projects that occur within and/or that will provide benefit to rural areas are encouraged. We also encourage projects that will benefit other historically underserved and under-resourced neighborhoods, communities and populations.

Recognizing that some students and faculty have been under-targeted with research opportunities, and that some students and faculty are underrepresented in the sciences, we encourage submissions by and/or collaborative partnerships with African American, Hispanic and Native American students, faculty, and community teams, including, but not limited to, students and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Proposal Development

Proposals should be collaborative and represent a process that utilizes the scientific and local knowledge experts throughout the entire project. Every applicant is encouraged to consult with NC Sea Grant/WRRI staff members for assistance in proposal development. These experts can provide early feedback on a project idea and help to identify project team members. Applicants are required to detail how they will transfer their results to community and academic stakeholders. Contact information for NC Sea Grant/WRRI staff members is available here.

Funding Availability

Awards will range between $5,000 and $25,000, with an estimated 2 to 5 awards per year. Matching/in-kind funds are not required but are highly encouraged. Investigators may only propose one-year (12 months maximum) research projects. Projects should be planned around a May 15, 2025 start date. Individuals may be lead PI or co-PI on only one proposal but can be participants on multiple proposals. 

ORH assists underserved communities and populations with developing innovative strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of health care. Distribution of primary care providers in North Carolina has historically been skewed toward cities and larger towns. Rural residents, who often face transportation issues, may find accessing primary care services difficult. Through the establishment of the Special Project funding, ORH partners with local communities to provide funding to improve the ability to serve under-resourced, Medicaid and Medicare populations who would otherwise be unable to access needed primary care services due to geographic, economic, or other barriers. The purpose of grants awarded under this special project funding is to help healthcare facilities increase access to care in rural communities with a primary focus on the following:

• primary and behavioral healthcare services,
• improved clinical quality measures (a1c, smoking cessation, blood pressure, depression, BMI),
• use of social determinants of health screening tools to support non-clinical improvements to health,
• Non-profit CMS Rural Health Clinics are encouraged to apply.

For organizations currently receiving grant funding through ORH, Special Project funding should not duplicate Community Health, Farmworker Health, or SDRHC grant funded operating projects.The total grant award is dependent upon documented and demonstrated need at the organization and is contingent upon funding availability.

Background

As a part of North Carolina’s approved application for State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), the state will receive approximately $5.3 million in federal grant funding under this award. North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM), a division of the NC Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), is charged with managing this grant for the state.

Eligible applicants may only submit one application with a single project for up to $100,000.

Required Elements

The State Cybersecurity Planning Committee has developed a State Cybersecurity Plan that aligns with the 16 required elements specified in the SLCGP NOFO. All eligible applicants requesting SLCGP funding must align proposed projects with any/all of these required elements:

• Manage, monitor, and track information systems, applications, and user accounts owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the state or local governments within the state, and the information technology deployed on those information systems, including legacy information systems and information technology that are no longer supported by the manufacturer of the systems or technology.
• Monitor, audit, and track network traffic and activity transiting or traveling to or from information systems, applications, and user accounts owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the state or local governments within the state.
• Enhance the preparation, response, and resilience of information systems, applications, and user accounts owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the state or local governments within the state, against cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats.
• Implement a process of continuous cybersecurity vulnerability assessments and threat mitigation practices prioritized by degree of risk to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats on information systems, applications, and user accounts owned or operated by, or on behalf of, the state or local governments within the state.
• Ensure that the state or local governments within the state, adopt and use best practices and methodologies to enhance cybersecurity, discussed further below.
  • Implement multi-factor authentication
  • Implement enhanced logging
  • Data encryption for data at rest and in transit
  • End use of unsupported/end of life software and hardware that are accessible from the  internet
  • Prohibit use of known/fixed/default passwords and credentials
  • Ensure the ability to reconstitute systems (backups); and
  • Migration to the .gov internet domain
  • Additional best practices that the Cybersecurity Plan can address include:
    • The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework
    • NIST’s cyber chain supply chain risk management best practices; and
    • Knowledge bases of adversary tools and tactics
• Promote the delivery of safe, recognizable, and trustworthy online services by the state or local governments within the state, including through the use of the .gov internet domain.
• Ensure continuity of operations of the state or local governments within the state, in the event of a cybersecurity incident, including by conducting exercises to practice responding to a cybersecurity incident.
• Use the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity developed by NIST to identify and mitigate any gaps in the cybersecurity workforces of the state or local governments within the state, enhance recruitment and retention efforts for those workforces, and bolster the knowledge, skills, and abilities of personnel of the state or local governments within the state, to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats, such as through cybersecurity hygiene training.
• Ensures continuity of communication and data networks within the jurisdiction of the state between the state and local governments within the state in the event of an incident involving those communications or data networks.
• Assess and mitigate, to the greatest degree possible, cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats relating to critical infrastructure and key resources, the degradation of which may impact the performance of information systems within the jurisdiction of the state.
• Enhance capabilities to share cyber threat indicators and related information between the state, local governments within the state, and CISA.
• Leverage cybersecurity services offered by the Department (See Appendix G for additional information on CISA resources and required services and membership).
• Implement an information technology and operational technology modernization cybersecurity review process that ensures alignment between information technology and operational technology cybersecurity objectives.
• Develop and coordinate strategies to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats. Local governments and associations of local governments within the state should be consulted. Cybersecurity Planning Committees should also consider consulting neighboring entities, including adjacent states and countries.
• Ensure adequate access to, and participation in, the services and programs described in this subparagraph by rural areas within the state.
• Distribute funds, items, services, capabilities, or activities to local governments.

About Us

For nearly 70 years, we have remained committed to a tradition of carrying out Mary Duke Biddle’s goal of sharing resources in a way that improves people’s lives and responds to evolving community needs.

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation supports arts nonprofits and PreK-12 education organizations in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Additionally, we support Duke University and other institutions of great importance to Mary Duke Biddle's family.

PreK-12 Education

We provide resources that empower nonprofit organizations to build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Through our PreK-12 grantmaking, we seek to address and challenge inequities that limit student success, learning, and access to arts experiences. In particular, we are focused on supporting organizations that:

• Work to close the academic opportunity gap, prepare students for careers and college, and/or foster social and emotional learning for students’ growth and success.
• Provide opportunities for students to engage directly in high-quality arts instruction, particularly in which students actively participate in making art.

We only make grants to organizations located in and serving students in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties in North Carolina.

Our Grantmaking Goals

• Support PreK-12 organizations that work to close the academic opportunity gap, prepare students for careers and college, and/or foster social and emotional learning for students’ growth and success.
• Support arts education organizations that provide opportunities for under-resourced students to engage directly in high-quality arts instruction, particularly in which students actively participate in making art.

Across both PreK-12 education interest areas, MDBF seeks to address and challenge inequities that limit student success, learning, and arts experiences.

Multi-year Grants

Each year, we will award 5-7 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $15,000-$50,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Multi-year grants are only available to organizations that MDBF has funded in the previous five years (2019-2023). All organizations must have a primary focus on the arts or PreK-12 education and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC.

We focus our multi-year grants on two types of organizations:

Developing organizations

These organizations have identified a clear need or opportunity, have strategic goals, and have already begun offering programming. Our goal in supporting developing organizations is to help them solidify their programs and operations as they build a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term success.

Organizations at this stage may have limited or no board of directors with staff who are primarily volunteers. Or, their boards may have expanded beyond “friends and family” to focus more on governance and less on day-to-day operations, with staffing in place beyond an Executive Director and volunteers.

Funding sources are likely not diversified at this stage of development, but the organization may be starting to formalize financial management, volunteer management, program evaluation, fundraising, board development, marketing, and strategic planning as they grow.

Established organizations experiencing pivotal moments

These organizations have more maturity and stability; programs/services are solid and well-recognized with strong and effective leadership. Paid program and administrative staff are in place and the board’s focus is primarily policy and oversight. These organizations may have a well-demonstrated model and data that shows outcomes or is currently executing a plan for evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement.

Through the years, MDBF’s experience has illuminated the importance of strategic alignment. We have learned that certain types of organizations tend to thrive more within our grant support framework. The reality of our resource constraints necessitates a thoughtful and selective approach. Thus, we concentrate our efforts on established organizations that are experiencing inflection points in their lifecycle, when leaders face big decisions about how to ensure progress towards the organization’s vision.

These organizations are in moments of transition, challenge, and opportunity and are seeking additional help, resources, and expertise to ensure they’re positioned for success and heading in the right direction to achieve their goals and mission. This could include organizations that have an opportunity to expand programming, capacity, and/or locations.

One-Year Grants

One-year grants are available to organizations that have not received an MDBF grant in the past five years (2019-2023) or have never received a grant from us. Both emerging nonprofits and more established organizations are eligible for these grants.

By providing operating support grants, we show our commitment to providing resources that empower nonprofit organizations to proactively build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Each year, we will typically award 5 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $5,000-$10,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

About Us

For nearly 70 years, we have remained committed to a tradition of carrying out Mary Duke Biddle’s goal of sharing resources in a way that improves people’s lives and responds to evolving community needs.

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation supports arts nonprofits and PreK-12 education organizations in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Additionally, we support Duke University and other institutions of great importance to Mary Duke Biddle's family.

The Arts

The arts are essential to strong, vibrant communities. A dynamic cultural sector is a catalyst for growth, attracting and retaining businesses and visitors. They strengthen neighborhoods and communities by preserving the culture and memories of specific places and have a positive impact on health and well-being. The arts provide spaces to allow people from different backgrounds to engage with one another and opportunities to build community. Perhaps most importantly, they offer personal enjoyment to individuals, groups, and families, and give voice to the human condition.

We provide grants to:

• Support and strengthen cultural organizations that demonstrate artistic excellence and elevate the profile of the Triangle’s art scenes, both locally and nationally.
• Support new, emerging, or grassroots cultural organizations.
• Support arts-focused organizations that work directly with artists to deepen and expand talent, develop professional and business skills, and/or create new works.

Multi-year Grants

Each year, we will award 5-7 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $15,000-$50,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Multi-year grants are only available to organizations that MDBF has funded in the previous five years (2019-2023). All organizations must have a primary focus on the arts or PreK-12 education and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC.

We focus our multi-year grants on two types of organizations:

Developing organizations

These organizations have identified a clear need or opportunity, have strategic goals, and have already begun offering programming. Our goal in supporting developing organizations is to help them solidify their programs and operations as they build a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term success.

Organizations at this stage may have limited or no board of directors with staff who are primarily volunteers. Or, their boards may have expanded beyond “friends and family” to focus more on governance and less on day-to-day operations, with staffing in place beyond an Executive Director and volunteers.

Funding sources are likely not diversified at this stage of development, but the organization may be starting to formalize financial management, volunteer management, program evaluation, fundraising, board development, marketing, and strategic planning as they grow.

Established organizations experiencing pivotal moments

These organizations have more maturity and stability; programs/services are solid and well-recognized with strong and effective leadership. Paid program and administrative staff are in place and the board’s focus is primarily policy and oversight. These organizations may have a well-demonstrated model and data that shows outcomes or is currently executing a plan for evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement.

Through the years, MDBF’s experience has illuminated the importance of strategic alignment. We have learned that certain types of organizations tend to thrive more within our grant support framework. The reality of our resource constraints necessitates a thoughtful and selective approach. Thus, we concentrate our efforts on established organizations that are experiencing inflection points in their lifecycle, when leaders face big decisions about how to ensure progress towards the organization’s vision.

These organizations are in moments of transition, challenge, and opportunity and are seeking additional help, resources, and expertise to ensure they’re positioned for success and heading in the right direction to achieve their goals and mission. This could include organizations that have an opportunity to expand programming, capacity, and/or locations.

One-Year Grants

One-year grants are available to organizations that have not received an MDBF grant in the past five years (2019-2023) or have never received a grant from us. Both emerging nonprofits and more established organizations are eligible for these grants.

By providing operating support grants, we show our commitment to providing resources that empower nonprofit organizations to proactively build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Each year, we will typically award 5 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $5,000-$10,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

What We Do: Our Mission

Our goal is to improve the lives of our neighbors by partnering with local 501(c)(3) organizations to fund grants for three purposes: education, healthcare, and housing. As a private foundation we enjoy the flexibility of working with all kinds of organizations, especially local nonprofits in the early stages of development. Grants are awarded for a one year period and require a follow-up process to measure results. Multi-year grants are considered on a case-by-case basis and are subject to ongoing evaluation.

Where We Work: Our Neighbors

We have board members located in each of the four geographic areas we serve. Not only does this make our grant process more efficient, we love seeing first hand the impact that each grant recipient has on our own communities. We fund projects in the Raleigh metro and north-eastern areas of North Carolina; Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, New York; and, the communities surrounding central Maine.

What We’ve Done: Our Legacy

Since our founding, we have had the privilege to fund over 300 grants totaling over 3 million dollars. We typically award 15 grants per year, ranging from $500 – $15,000 each. We have partnered with over 100 nonprofits to fund projects such as school-readiness classes for children from non-English speaking families; a free dental clinic for rural communities with little access to dental care; and, remodeling a shelter that provides services to help transition homeless men to find gainful employment and traditional living arrangements.

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

Scholarship Goals

The Golden LEAF Scholarship is more than tuition and room and board. It provides leadership development opportunities, exposes scholars to career experiences, and promises a lifetime connection to an extraordinary community of Golden LEAF Scholars across the state.

• Connection
  • Connect to Golden LEAF’s mission of increasing economic opportunity in rural North Carolina
• Successful Workforce
  • Successful workforce outcomes and a return to rural North Carolina after graduating from college
• Leadership & Experience
  • Possession of leadership skills and collegiate work experience
• College Achievement
  • Enrollment in and graduation from a college in North Carolina

Colleges and Universities Scholarship

This Golden LEAF Scholarship is open to high school seniors and community college transfer students who reside in a qualifying rural, economically distressed North Carolina county and are planning to enroll full-time in a participating public or private college or university located in North Carolina.

Laura Jane Musser  was born June 4, 1916, the child of Drew Musser and Sarah "Sally" Walker Musser. She lived in Little Falls, MN all of her life at the family home, Linden Hill. Upon her death in 1989 at the age of 73, The Laura Jane Musser came into being to continue on with some of her interests in life, including the arts and helping children, as expressed in the guidelines.Rural Arts ProgramGeneral Operating Support Program In recognition of Laura Jane Musser's life-long commitment to excellence in the arts, and with awareness that pivotal and life-changing experience can occur for individuals through introduction to and participation in the arts, the Laura Jane Musser Fund hopes to encourage and excite a wider population to appreciate, learn, and participate in the arts.  The Musser Fund hopes to assist nonprofit arts organizations in rural communities to develop, implement or sustain exceptional artistic opportunities for adults and children in the areas of literary, visual, music, and performing arts. Priority is placed on organizations that:

• Increase access to the arts through scholarships, hands-on activities, community venues, workshops, discounts and other innovations;
• Demonstrate capacity to engage their community in the creation of art;
• Demonstrate support from their community (through volunteerism, membership, in-kind, or other types of support).

Grantees that request second and third years of support will be asked to report on their progress toward the goals they articulated in their previous year's application, especially in the following areas:

• Increasing access to their services;
• Increasing their organizational sustainability;
• Increasing support from their community. 

Appalachian Regional Commission Funds

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 22 million people into America's economic mainstream.

In North Carolina, ARC supports economic development activities in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties.

ARC Strategic Plan

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen the economy through entrepreneurship and business development.
• Building Workforce Ecosystems:
  • Expand systems to help people secure and advance in stable careers.
• Building Infrastructure:
  • Ensure access to reliable, affordable, and resilient utilities and infrastructure.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Preserve and invest in cultural and natural assets to drive community and economic development.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Support local leaders with technical assistance and resources for effective planning and project execution.

Pre-applications must meet one of the ARC Goals.

North Carolina Targeted Investment Priorities

Governor Stein will utilize resources provided by the ARC to advance North Carolina’s economic development goals in Western North Carolina. Aligned with Governor Stein's priorities, ARC resources will be used to: strengthen the workforce, support businesses, and empower communities while supporting the region to become more resilient as a result of Hurricane Helene.

NC ARC Investment Priorities:

• Projects that enhance long-term infrastructure commitments that allow for commerce and creation and retention of jobs,
• Projects that support local government infrastructure resiliency, with an emphasis on enhancing economic development opportunities,
• Projects that enrich partnerships between local industries, k-12 schools, and community colleges to expand and enhance workforce development opportunities to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers in the region, and
• Projects that spur economic activity in the health care sector and improve the quality of health care services in rural communities throughout the region; while supporting local efforts to tackle health care challenges, specifically substance use disorder.

Funding

The state has set a general guideline that ARC assistance will not exceed $700,000 for construction projects and $300,000 for non-construction projects.

However, special consideration will be given to construction projects in distressed and at-risk counties resulting in job creation, as well as projects that make necessary improvements that build resiliency as direct result of Hurricane Helene. Selected projects that address these priorities may request up to $1,000,000 in ARC funding.

Special consideration may also be given to non-construction projects with an emphasis on workforce development, that is providing job training opportunities for individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene, with an allowable funding amount up to $500,000.

The NC ARC Program has the discretion to reduce the requested funding amount for projects when necessary to meet all investment needs.

To comply with Congressional instructions, the matching requirements in multicounty projects will vary, depending on the designated economic status of the counties involved. Multicounty projects serving fewer than the 31 counties will be computed based on the average of the eligible financing level for the counties involved.

Background

The Rural Economic Development Division, as authorized under N.C.G.S 143B-472.127, administers grants to local government units awarded by the Rural Infrastructure Authority to support downtown revitalization/economic development activity. The program gives priority to projects located in the 80 most distressed counties in the state, and local units of government working with the Rural Economic Development Division’s NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center.

Purpose

The purpose of the program is to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that are intended to help local governments grow and leverage downtown districts as assets for economic growth, economic development, and prosperity.

Projects

This program will support projects that:

• Provide public improvements that help retain businesses and attract customers to business districts.
• Support publicly owned downtown economic development initiatives that leverage main streets and downtown districts as economic engines.
• Facilitate publicly owned building improvements that are used for community-wide uses or mixed-use development in or on properties that are publicly owned and controlled.

Funding Availability

The potential funding available for each project will be assessed through analysis of the project and will be based upon the project’s location in the downtown district, its community-wide use, the anticipated economic impact of the project, and at the discretion of the Rural Infrastructure Authority.

The maximum grant amount is $850,000 per grantee and may not exceed $12,500 per projected job created or retained. There is no minimum grant amount. Applicants should consider feasibility as it relates to the overall cost of any project. Grant administration costs are limited to five percent (5%) of the awarded grant total.

Cross-Sector Impact Grants

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts, and this program addresses a strategic goal to cultivate and strengthen deep, cross-sector partnerships that are artist and community centered. As our communities continue to change, the arts play an incomparable role in addressing many of our communal and individual challenges and strengths. The value of partnership and working together across sectors brings new opportunities, increased effectiveness, and greater depth to our collective work. Through this program, South Arts seeks to provide significant support to projects developed by partners that harness the power of “Arts & …” (these are projects at the intersection of arts and other sectors). This year, we are shifting to a new program model.

Over the next three years, South Arts is committed to one community impact area – Health and Wellness. Eligible projects must focus on the “Arts & Health and Wellness” theme - for example, arts & mental wellness or arts & physical health. Matching grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to support approximately 18 projects. We anticipate funding these 18 projects for three grant cycles and expect applicants to commit to the collaborative work for a three-year duration. Funding will be awarded in three separate fiscal years with streamlined, grant renewal forms submitted for cycles two and three. Matching grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to continue or advance the project with the same two partners in cycles two and three.  

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts. This program addresses two of South Arts’ strategic goals:

• Connect artists and arts professionals in the South to resources that will increase opportunities for success within and outside the region
• Advance impactful arts-based programs that recognize and address trends and evolving needs of a wide range of communities in the South

Project Requirements

SSouth Arts welcomes applications from partnering entities working together on a project that addresses Arts & Health and Wellness through cross-sector partnerships. Projects must utilize the arts as a tool in creative approaches to address and advance a health and wellness issue that is of importance in their community. Projects should also establish or advance relationships across at least two different sectors, one being in the arts. 

Arts disciplines may include, but are not limited to:

• Performing arts, including dance, music, theater, musical theater, opera;
• Literary arts, including fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry;
• Visual arts, including craft, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media;
• Film or media;
• Traditional and folk arts, including music, craft, storytelling, dance; or
• Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artforms.

Community impact areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Physical (overall well-being and the ability of the body to function properly);
• Mental/Emotional (overall well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and their emotions);
• Social (overall well-being that stems from connection and community); or
• Occupational (overall physical, mental, and social well-being of workers). 

Matching Requirements

The minimum grant request is $5,000 and the maximum request is $15,000 (subject to funding availability). A match of at least 1:2 is required; meaning for each grant dollar, the grantee must provide $.50 towards the project expenses. For returning grantees, in cycles two and three, the maximum request is $10,000 (subject to funding availability).

Up to half of the match may be comprised of in-kind contributions such as donated materials, donated services, or other contributed non-cash assets or staff time diverted to this project. At least half of the match must be cash. For staff time diverted to this project, up to 10% of the total project expenses, but no more than $5,000 can be included as a cash expense or cash match for staff time. The remaining staff time must be an in-kind contribution. Contracted individuals and services specifically for this project are eligible cash expenses. 

Detailed Program Description

Grants of up to $2,500 for organizations to make arts programs accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Southeast is home to some of the world’s more diverse and vibrant artistic communities. At South Arts, we believe that the arts are for everyone. The arts enrich the lives of people of all abilities and backgrounds. In our commitment to amplifying the success of the Southeast’s arts ecology, South Arts offers micro-funding to supplement the efforts of arts organizations throughout our service area.

Art making is for everyone too! South Arts encourages arts organizations to hire artistic personnel of all abilities at all levels; for these grants in particular, we encourage arts organizations to work directly with artists who identify as disabled. 

Through our partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts offers small grants that compliment existing efforts by arts organizations to include audiences and artists with disabilities. Accessibility micro-grants are available to support Nonprofit, 501c3, arts organizations located within the South Arts Service region states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This funding program is open to a wide variety of organizations, including community cultural organizations, museums, performing arts presenters, theatre companies, visual arts and music organizations. Priority funding will be given to new applicants to South Arts.

South Arts has prioritized the following:

• South Arts prioritizes applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying organizations.
• South Arts prioritizes applications from organizations led by persons with disabilities or organizations that provide significant programming to artists or audiences with disabilities.
• South Arts is committed to funding artists organizations in rural communities (with populations under 50,000).
• Primary consideration will be given to new applicants.

Usage of Funds

Grants awards may reimburse the applicant for any combination of qualifying expenses incurred during the grant period. Projects may include but are not limited to the following:

Programs

• Usage of large print or braille program materials for patrons/audiences with low vision
• Artist/consultant fees to provide accessibility training or audits
• Transportation of constituents or performers with disabilities
• Preparation for special exhibitions (i.e. space modifications or accessibility audit)
• Audio description
• Sign language interpretation
• Website accessibility
• Docent training for visual or audio enhancement
• Consultant fee to develop an overall accessibility plan for your organization
• Inclusive programming
• Staff training to learn about accessibility as it relates to programming, operations, or facilities modifications (i.e. travel to a workshop and/or training)
• Other accommodations that make programs accessible

Facilities Enhancements

• Accessibility signage for exterior and/or interior space
• Modification of restroom(s) signage
• Modification to drinking fountain(s) signage
• Installation of Braille plaques

In These Mountains

Preserving & perpetuating folk and traditional arts of Central Appalachia

The Central Appalachian counties of Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee are home to arts, tradition, and culture that is passed from generation to generation.

Launched in 2018, South Arts' In These Mountains initiative preserves and perpetuates the traditional arts and culture of Central Appalachian counties of Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Through a series of strategic projects supporting practitioners, arts organizations, and communities, In These Mountains supports the longevity and intergenerational transfer of the cultural traditions that have grown in this unique region. As we learn and grow, we continue to refine how we support the Central Appalachian communities with impactful programming.

Infrastructure Grants

The In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture 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.

What are Folk Arts and Cultures?

The South is home to an abundance of folk arts and traditional culture. Folk and traditional arts share the aesthetics, practices, and values of families, geographic communities, occupational groups, ethnic heritage groups, etc. Folk and traditional arts are learned orally or by observation and imitation, often through a mentor artist instructing an apprentice. They are usually maintained without formal instruction or academic training. Some traditional arts have a deep-rooted history with little change, while others are constantly evolving and adapting to their changing environment.

For the purposes of this application, the folk and traditional arts of Central Appalachia include handcrafts/material culture, foodways, and music. Some examples of traditional arts practiced in Central Appalachia are Cherokee stamped pottery, African American storytelling, Anglo American ballads, Latin American foodways traditions, Bharatanatyam Indian dance, Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, and many more.

What does ‘Infrastructure’ mean?

For the purposes of the In These Mountains Infrastructure Grant opportunity, the term ‘infrastructure’ is defined as the necessary resources and systems that may assist an organization to sustain current business or advance operations.

Funding

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

Funds may support such activities and expenses as staff and volunteer professional development, emergency readiness planning, minor equipment purchases or software upgrades, staff travel and registration for conferences or research, marketing, strategic planning, etc. Grants may request funding for a single need or a combination of needs.

Non-match grants are awarded in the amount of $30,000.

Mission

The mission of Southern Partners Fund (SPF) is to serve rural Southeastern communities and organizations seeking social, economic and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, technical assistance, training and access to systems of information and power. There are two central ideas embraced in the democratic philanthropy of Southern Partners Fund: compassion and community. Compassion implies an understanding or concern for community members lacking local political power to impact the decisions that affect their lives. Community relates to the things that bring us and hold us together.

Purpose

The Purpose of SPF Grantmaking is to:

• Develop and nurture grassroots community-based leaders and organizers.
• Build the capacity of rural, grassroots community organizing groups and leaders.
• Strengthen rural communities and people.
• Develop equitable peer relationships, which support real transformation toward a just society.

Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grants Cycle

Hubert Ellis Sapp, a transformative visionary and grassroots organizer, was instrumental in turning the concept of Southern Partners Fund, a democratically led foundation directed by grassroots leaders, into a reality. To honor his legacy in the wake of his passing in February of 2021, we are honored to add his name to our Regular Grant Cycle, which from here on, will be referred to as the Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grant Cycle. 

• Applicants may request general support or project support.
• Applicants must have operating budgets of $350,000 or less to receive general support.
• Organizations with operating budgets over $350,000 can apply for project support only.

Members of SPF’s grants committee will contact organizations being considered to schedule a site visit, required for new applicants, or phone interview. SPF’s grants committee, made up of SPF members, makes grants decisions during a September grants panel meeting, which are then ratified by the Board. Groups will be notified of grants decisions after October 1st, 2024.

If an organization has received five consecutive years of regular grant cycle funding, it must take a year off before making a new RGC grant request.