Hurricane Helene Relief Grants for Organizations in Western North Carolina
Reminder: Please review General Grant Information and Eligibility Requirements before proceeding.
About
In response to the losses sustained by the arts sector due to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Arts Council developed a grant category for nonprofit arts organizations located in the impacted region. Our goal is to distribute much-needed flexible funding that will assist arts organizations in their recovery. Examples of how funding can be used include:
- Salaries, wages, fringe benefits for organizational staff
- Repair and conservation of artistic and cultural materials including costumes, performance sets, instruments, etc.
- Purchase of replacement supplies and equipment utilized for administrative purposes or artistic purposes
- Projects, activities, and marketing designed to reengage with audiences
Application dates
- Open: January 6, 2025
- Due: January 24, 2025
- Award notification: by February 14, 2025
Grant amount
- Range: From $5,000 to $15,000
Who may apply
Arts organizations* that are located in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties can apply for relief if they meet the general eligibility criteria of:
- Must be a nonprofit organization in good standing with the state of North Carolina.
- Must have been producing quality arts programs for at least two consecutive years.
- Must have prior-year organizational cash operating expenses of at least $20,000.
Arts organizations that are part of another entity such as a municipality, school system, or college/university are not eligible to apply in this category.
*For the purposes of this relief category, an arts organization is defined as a 501c3 organization that has the creation and/or promotion of arts in its mission statement and dedicates at least 80 percent of its annual programming expenses to arts activities. North Carolina Arts Council staff will ask a nonprofit organization whose scope of work is broader than the arts to submit an itemized annual expense statement to document the 80 percent threshold.
Scope and allowable expenses
Grant amounts will range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending upon organizational budget size and the total number of eligible applications submitted. These grants support artistic and administrative functions of arts organizations. Recipients may use them to fund salaries, artists’ fees, production, travel, promotion, programming expenses, supplies and equipment, office expenses, and facility operation. Relief grants do not require a match.
Project period
The project period for funds runs through June 30, 2025. All funds must be spent by June 30, 2025. Final reports will be due on July 31, 2025.
Application information
Submit your application through the GO Smart grant portal.
The following questions and documents will be required for the application. Reach out to your staff contact for questions or application assistance.
Profile questions
In addition to contact information, you will be asked to submit your organization’s mission statement, an organizational history, and both an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.
Application narrative
- Briefly describe how Hurricane Helene affected your organization.
- Using the baseline of income revenue from last fiscal year, estimate the total income loss sustained by your organization from the time of the storm through the end of December 2024.
- Describe how your organization will use relief grant funds. Provide specific details regarding expenditures such as staff positions, contractors, facility costs, programming costs, communications strategies, etc.
- Upload your audit or a completed 990 form or a financial statement for the most recently completed fiscal year (FY2023-24 or 2024). These forms must provide documentation of your organization’s most recent annual expenses.
Arts Council staff will review applications for eligibility and completeness. Once approved, the grantee will receive an electronic award packet and grant contract.
Staff contact
Dara Silver
Senior Program Director, Artists & Organizations
(919) 814-6531
Email Dara about about visual arts, craft, and film
Jamie Katz Court
Music and Dance Director
(919) 814-6502
Email Jamie about music, dance, accessibility, and multi-disciplinary presenting
Khalisa Thompson
Theater and Literature Director
(919) 814-6512
Email Khalisa about theater and literature
Lizz Wells
Arts in Education Director
(919) 814-6515
Email Lizz about arts in education
Zoe van Buren
Folklife Director
(919) 814-6518
Email Zoe about folk and traditional arts
Janelle Wienke
Arts in Communities Western Regional Director
(919) 814-6506
Email Janelle if you are a local arts council
Grant Application Assistance
North Carolina Arts Council staff are here to assist with grant applications. Visit our application assistance page for resources and grants staff contact information.
Accessibility
For accessibility questions or accommodation requests, please contact the North Carolina Arts Council's Music and Dance Director, Accessibility Coordinator Jamie Katz Court at jamie.katzcourt@dncr.nc.gov or (919) 814-6502.