NCAC: Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grant

The Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grant supports arts projects that serve North Carolina’s military personnel, veterans, and their families. With over 620,000 veterans in the state, this initiative enhances the quality of life through arts, promoting healing, community connection, and unique forms of expression. Eligible projects can include exhibitions, workshops, artist residencies, or publications, with funding ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. Prioritization is given to projects that collaborate with military bases or VA centers.

These grants are designed to support arts projects focused on serving North Carolina’s military service men and women, veterans, and their families.
North Carolina has the fourth largest military population in the U.S. with over 100,000 active duty service men and women stationed at five military bases, a military ocean terminal, and a coast guard base. North Carolina also hosts over 43,000 National Guard and reserve members. North Carolina’s veteran population resides in every county in the state and numbers over 620,000, ranking fifth highest in the nation. In addition, there are over 39,000 active-duty spouses and 69,000 active-duty children living in North Carolina. Four federal VA medical centers and 14 state veteran service centers are the foundation of support for veterans in the state, but other resources are available through universities and community colleges, and nonprofit organizations.
In addition to the intrinsic value that the arts possess to enhance the quality of life for all citizens, they provide important support for the unique needs of service men and women, veterans and their families.
For these military audiences engaging in arts activities:

• Enhances healing and provides important health benefits in every stage from recovery to wellness
• Strengthens a sense of self, and creates opportunities to tell one’s story in different ways, including nonverbal means of expression

Builds a connection with the community and diminishes feelings of isolation, both by making art in a group setting and also by instigating a public discussion about topics relevant to servicemen and veterans
An array of arts projects with an emphasis on serving military and veterans audiences are eligible for support.
Examples include:

• A single exhibition, performance, or two to three related events, such as a reading series
• A series of workshops
• An artist residency
• A literary publication or documentary film

All projects must include appropriate outreach activities. Additionally, projects that contribute to the development of this field of work through technical assistance are eligible for support.
From $5,000 to $15,000
Organizations with prior-year expenses between $20,000 and $50,000 are eligible to apply for $5,000, the minimum grant award.
Applicants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 counties may apply for up to two-thirds of the overall project expenses and must provide a cash match for the remaining third. Applicants from economically distressed Tier 1 counties are eligible to waive the matching requirement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Arts Council funding, organizations:
Must be a nonprofit organization in good standing with the state of North Carolina (or an organization that has applied for non-profit status using a fiscal agent);
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.
Tribal organizations must represent North Carolina or federally-recognized tribes.
North Carolina municipalities, schools, and universities are also eligible to receive funding from the North Carolina Arts Council, unless otherwise noted in the guidelines.
Colleges and universities may receive grants for programs that are community-based or generate area-wide arts involvement.University-based programs must focus on audiences outside the university community and be part of an overall effort to reach audiences outside the university. Community arts organizations such as theaters, symphonies, and choral groups may apply for programs involving professional artists.Grant funds may be used for artist fees, marketing, interpretive materials, contractual fees (including contractual personnel), and other related costs. With the exception of colleges and universities and other arts organizations that are a part of another entity (such as a municipality), organizations may use up to 50 percent of the grant amount for administrative overhead expenses including salaries that are directly related to the project.

Ineligibility

Projects that involve hiring student artists generally are not eligible for funding directly from the Arts Council.
Grant funds may not be used for the following expenditures unless otherwise noted in the grant guidelines:Deficit reduction
Contingency funds
Food or beverages for hospitality or entertainment functions