Best Grants for Performing Arts in North Carolina

High school seniors in North Carolina and other eligible southern states planning careers in the music business or arts can receive scholarship support for their education. Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee provides this funding, with a focus on students from rural areas pursuing performing, writing, producing, or visual arts disciplines.

Nonprofit organizations in North Carolina working on progressive social change, including non-traditional and performing arts, can seek US $1,000 - US $5,000 to support their work. Fund for Southern Communities supports small-budget 501(c)(3) groups or those with fiscal agents advancing anti-discrimination, workers’ rights, environmental justice, peace, and community self-determination.

North Carolina performing arts organizations and other eligible nonprofits in rural or small communities can access funding through South Arts to cover artist fees for Southern film, traditional, visual, performing, or literary arts projects. Grants up to US $3,000 support at least two public-facing activities featuring professional artists from South Arts’ nine-state region, with a required dollar-for-dollar cash match.

Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations and eligible governmental units in North Carolina can apply for Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation’s charitable grants to support community betterment and basic human needs. Funding may benefit programs such as health and wellness, affordable housing, food assistance, or music, theater, and arts initiatives serving residents in states where the funder operates.

South Arts Inc

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — with additional funding from other public and private donors such as the Doris Duke Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Mellon Foundation — South Arts supports artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships, and programs. Why? Because South Arts believes that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process.

Our mission: Advancing Southern vitality through the arts.

Arts in Community Grants

Program Description

Arts in Community Grants are designed to support deeper engagements between Southern communities and artists. Through these grants supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, we aim to increase access to the arts, expand audiences for artists, and broaden our reach. Eligible projects require a Southern artist/company visiting another Southern state for public activities, offering access to arts programming by professional artists. Funding supports Southern film directors, traditional artists, visual artists, performing artists, or writers:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• traditional arts (music, dance, storytelling, and visual arts/crafts),
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance), and
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry).

Projects require an artist or artist ensemble and a host or partner organization. Project must include at least two in-person or live, virtual public activities – both a public presentation (a film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement activity (a workshop, demonstration, lecture, facilitated discussion, or master class). The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match.

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation, founded in 2006, is the newest community foundation in South Carolina. We have a permanent endowment to meet the changing needs of the Pee Dee.

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation improves the quality of life in our area of South Carolina through inspired philanthropy and innovative community programs. We serve Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg Counties.

Scholarships

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation partners with donors to administer 12 scholarship funds for the benefit of students in the Pee Dee. All scholarship opportunities are established through specific funds established at ECCF with criteria determined by the donor. 

Christine Sides Fisher Arts and Music Education Scholarship

The Christine Sides Fisher Arts and Music Education Scholarship has been established by Christine and Tim Fisher in support of students who are seeking higher education in the field of performing arts and music education.

The fund provides up to a $10,000 4-year scholarship, awarded as a $2,500 multi-year scholarship to a Florence 1 Schools student or alumni pursuing an education degree in the field of performing arts education.

Students will receive a $2,500 award in their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of enrollment as long as proof of passing grades and enrollment in the performing arts department of the South Carolina educational institution or the University of North Carolina at Pembroke are submitted to Eastern Carolina Community Foundation by July 1 of each subsequent year.

North Carolina nonprofit arts organizations with budgets under $500,000 can receive up to US $1,000 to support staff or board professional development, including conferences, workshops, and trainings. Grants from South Arts help performing, visual, film, literary, traditional, and multidisciplinary arts groups in the South Arts service region build capacity, sustainability, and operational stability.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations and eligible public or tribal entities in North Carolina can receive US $500 - US $2,500 to make arts programs accessible to people with disabilities. Focused on arts accessibility, South Arts invites performing arts and other arts groups to apply for micro-grants supporting program accommodations, accessibility training, and modest facility enhancements.

North Carolina nonprofits planning innovative arts or human services projects can seek US $20,000 - US $100,000 to fund capital improvements, programs, equipment, or technology. With a mission to foster innovation, John William Pope Foundation provides project-specific support for work such as performing and visual arts, youth development, housing, and critical human and social services.

Nonprofit or government arts presenting organizations in North Carolina can receive up to US $1,000 to support staff or guest artists’ professional development travel and training. With a mission to strengthen arts presenters, South Arts provides funding for conferences, festivals, workshops, virtual trainings, and planning meetings across performing, visual, film, literary, traditional, and multidisciplinary arts.

About Regions

Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas.

Regions Foundation

Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.

Matching Gifts Program

Full-time associates and recent retirees (up to 5 years after retirement) of Regions and its affiliated companies can request a Regions Matching Gift to eligible organizations. The recipient organization must be a 501(c) or 170(c) organization located in the Regions footprint (except for accredited educational institutions, which may be located anywhere in the United States) and has a primary mission that clearly fits one of these categories:

• Economic and community development: Supporting economic prosperity through affordable housing, job creation, small-business development, homebuyer education and retention, neighborhood revitalization and stabilization, food security/hunger relief.
• Education and workforce readiness: Supporting career prosperity through student competency and skill building, college and career readiness, educational access and success, credential building and employment and educator training and resources.
• Financial wellness: Supporting financial prosperity through K-12 and college financial education, adult and workforce financial empowerment.
• Arts and culture: Organizations that promote visual or performing arts, historic or science museums, zoos, botanical gardens, libraries, parks or public radio and television.
• Service members and Veterans: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting U.S. military service members and veterans.
• Individuals with disabilities: Organizations that have a primary mission of supporting individuals with disabilities.

Regions Matching Gifts for Full-Time Associates

Regions supports organizations important to our associates through the Regions Matching Gifts Program. This program, which is open for use for all full-time Regions associates, affiliate associates and recent retirees, allows you to make an even greater difference to your favorite charities by doubling your tax-deductible contributions to these organizations. 

American Indian and Alaska Native vocational, undergraduate, and graduate students in performing and fine arts fields can apply for Native Forward Scholars Fund’s Hillman Barnett Adkins Endowed Fund Scholarship; awards $100 to $30,000 for study. Eligible students in North Carolina must attend accredited U.S. institutions full-time and document Tribal affiliation.

Students pursuing performing or visual arts at accredited 2- or 4-year colleges can receive scholarship support, including book reimbursement, through the O'Shea Patrick McCarthy Scholarship in North Carolina and beyond. Focused on higher education, Legacy Foundation invites full-time undergraduates to apply via its universal application for this $1,000 award paid directly to schools.

Carroll County, Ohio students pursuing aviation, art education, or fine and performing arts can access funding through Stark Community Foundation’s Melvin L. and Frances E. Tolson Scholarship Trust Fund to further their postsecondary education. This renewable scholarship offers awards of more than US $500 and may benefit emerging performing artists connected to North Carolina-focused programs through broader collaborations.

Performing arts nonprofits in North Carolina presenting free outdoor music festivals may be eligible for funding to support their 2026 events. Focused on live music in outdoor public spaces, the Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation offers grants up to US $5,000 to U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations expanding arts access and community participation.

What is Emergency Assistance Fund

Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals:

• In times of unexpected critical need.
• To assist towards basic living expenses, such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent eviction or shut-offs.

Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund

The Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund offers emergency financial assistance to current or former employees of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

The Jean T. Grant Scholarship, established by The Columbus Foundation, honors the legacy of Jean Terry Grant, a devoted librarian and arts advocate. Providing $1,000, this scholarship supports graduating seniors from Columbus City Schools pursuing studies in music or the arts. Jean's commitment to education and the arts inspires future generations, ensuring that her passion for creativity and philanthropy continues to impact the community positively.

The Columbus Foundation

In 1943, during the darkness of World War II, a group of passionate citizens, led by Columbus businessman Harrison M. Sayre, envisioned a way to improve the well-being of the community and the quality of life in central Ohio. With little more than this sound idea and faith, The Columbus Foundation was established.

Our Mission

To assist donors and others in strengthening and improving our community for the benefit of all its residents.

Craig Memorial Scholarship Fund

This scholarship fund was established by the family of John E. Craig, Jr. and Larry William Craig. Both John and Larry were extremely gifted musicians. John was a noted musician in the central Ohio community, studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston at the time of his death. A well-known musician and businessman, Larry excelled at playing the piano and worked with his father in Craig & Sons Wrecking Company. This scholarship fund will provide support to students who are pursuing careers in musical arts, theatre or drama.

The Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region. The Foundation currently manages about 2,500 individual donor funds and, together with its supporting organizations and its affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, has assets of $1.386 billion (2022). Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of basic needs and development opportunities within Pittsburgh and beyond.

Scholarships

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County provide scholarship opportunities for local students to pursue their educational goals. Scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate, medical and professional school students who are attending community colleges, four-year universities and career/technical schools.

Elaine Sirkin Forbes Scholarship Fund

The Elaine Sirkin Forbes Scholarship Fund was created at The Pittsburgh Foundation to provide scholarships for high school seniors graduating from Allegheny County Schools who wish to major in visual, performance or media art.

Award Type: Single-Year Award

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers over 160 scholarships. Some of the funds help students from a particular school or area; others provide financial assistance to those pursuing a specific field of study; still others assist students that are most in need. Students who apply to the Scholarship program may be eligible for many of these funds. 

Scholarships are provided for one academic year and are not automatically renewed each year. You can reapply to our program every year you are going to attend college, and the application you submit that year will be considered for all scholarships for which you are eligible.

Edward A. and Shirley B. Livi Scholarship Fund

To support residents of Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties who are pursuing fine or performing arts beyond their college freshman year.

Additional Guidelines

• Students can receive up to $3,000 in scholarships from the Community Foundation.
• Scholarship awards could impact the financial aid offered by a college, and students are advised to check with their college financial aid offices about this.
• Scholarships may be used to offset tuition, fees, room and board, and other items included as part of the cost for attending the institution. Some part and/or all the award could be considered taxable income. It is advisable students check with the college or tax accountant regarding this matter.

Kalamazoo Community Foundation

Fueling Equity & Racial Justice Since 1925

KZCF is dedicated to our mission to create a thriving community where people, resources and expertise are mobilized to advance racial, social and economic justice in Kalamazoo County.

Scholarships & Education Grants

For All Levels of Education After High School

Kalamazoo Community Foundation is dedicated to creating pathways to higher education so students can thrive in their academic pursuits and for a lifetime. We oversee more than 60 scholarships and education grants (many of which are multiyear awards) for college, graduate school, career training and more.

Dominic & Barbara Court Family Arts Scholarship Fund

This fund was established from the estate of Barbara Court to provide scholarships for students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that would lead to a career in the arts.

Multiyear Award; Renews Annually

Adam R Scripps Foundation

Adam Scripps lived a life of humble generosity, helping to improve the lives of others without seeking recognition or fanfare for himself. The family-run Adam R. Scripps Foundation, established posthumously in 2023, allocates millions annually to his cherished causes like animal welfare and community development, with grants overseen by his relatives to honor his legacy.

Honoring Adam’s legacy, we make grants to collaborate, provide support and build resources that create opportunities and transformative pathways. For generations to come, we will improve lives and transform communities because we are a leader in family philanthropy. We value helping communities create lasting change. We do this through compassion, love of neighbor, humility, and generosity.

Local Community Grant

A genuine love of neighbor inspired Adam to help others, and his example inspires us to sustain his support of local communities.  

Driven by Adam’s sense of civic responsibility, the foundation is focused on initiatives to support both community infrastructure and the citizens for whom that infrastructure is designed, including:

• Parks and greenspaces
• Recreation facilities
• Visual and performing arts
• Community service organizations
• Historic building preservation
• Festival sponsorship
• Veterans’ organizations

American Indian and Alaska Native female graduate students in the arts can receive US $100 - US $30,000 to support full-time study at accredited institutions, including those in North Carolina. Grants from Native Forward Scholars Fund help students in performing, visual, literary, and fine arts who can document Tribal affiliation with a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Performing arts nonprofits and fiscally sponsored groups in North Carolina presenting contemporary American concert music or jazz can apply for the Aaron Copland Fund for Music’s project support grants, awarding US $2,000 - US $20,000 for discrete projects. Eligible applicants include ensembles, presenters, record companies, and music service organizations with at least two years of professional activity.

Performing arts organizations in North Carolina presenting contemporary American concert music or jazz can receive general operating support, with awards from US $2,000 - US $20,000. Focused on contemporary music performance and related activities, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music supports ensembles, presenters, record companies, and music service organizations with at least two years of professional programming.

Graduating high school seniors and college students pursuing visual or performing arts can seek scholarship support through programs like this in North Carolina. Crown Point Community Foundation administers the Burrell Family Scholarship for South Lake County residents in the arts, with one application considered for many donor-created scholarship opportunities.

Graduating high school seniors involved in theatre and pursuing college studies in the performing arts can receive scholarship support, including for programs in North Carolina. With a mission to enrich community life, Crown Point Community Foundation uses a single application to match eligible students to multiple donor-created awards for higher education or trade school training.