Durham Arts Catalyst Grant Program
Use the Durham Arts Catalyst Grant if this is your first grant application to the Durham Arts Council. The Durham Arts Catalyst Grant Program is intended to provide access to quality arts experiences for the people of Durham by supporting arts projects in Durham. The Durham Arts Catalyst Grant Program is the appropriate choice for nonprofit organizations which do not have extensive experience with seeking grant support and are planning an arts activity.
Applications are open! Deadline to apply is May 17. New applicants to the Catalyst program must communicate with the Director of Artist Services before applying. For more information and to get a link to an information session email Margaret DeMott at mdemott@durhamarts.org.
Grant Eligibility
- Grant guidelines for FY27 can be found here.
- NEW: Arts Nonprofits who receive a Sustaining Support Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council are not eligible to apply for a Season Grant.
- Applicant must be a non-profit organization with 501(c) 3 status based in Durham County and the proposed project must be held in Durham County. For FY25 we encourage arts nonprofits to apply for operating support.
- The applicant may use a fiscal agent if the applicant does not have 501(c) 3 status.
- The applicant can be a cultural/humanities organization based in Durham, but the proposal must be for an arts activity.
- Durham Arts Catalyst Grants may not be used to support fund-raising activities.
- If your organization has already been funded through the Season Grant program, please continue to use the Season Grant application. Your organization may not apply to the Durham Arts Catalyst program if it has been funded previously by the DAC Season Grant Program. Organizations may receive up to two Durham Arts Catalyst Grants in a five-year period.
Application Process-
Apply
Applications are open! Deadline is May 17
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides which applications receive awards?
A panel of area artists and arts professionals reviews and scores each application. The panel ranks the applications and recommends which should receive awards. The DAC Board of Trustees then must approve the recommendations of the panel for the process to be complete.
What criteria are application judged on?
Each application will receive a numeric score for each of the criteria ranging from 1 to 5 (1 being lowest, 5 being highest).
- History of strong consistent arts programming
- Community impact of project or programs
- Ability to plan and implement project
- Stability and fiscal responsibility of the organization
- Partnership or collaboration between communities, neighborhoods, or organizations
What can I apply for?
You may apply for up to $3,000 cash. If you are interested in use of the DAC building, please use the new Creative Spaces Grants. Creative Hours and Creative Showcase grants have a rolling deadline and are for 40 hours or less. Creative Residency is for 40 hours or more and has a deadline of April 15 and October 15.
Where does the money for Catalyst Grants come from?
The Durham Arts Catalyst Grant Program is funded by the gifts of private individuals and corporations to the Durham Arts Council Annual Arts Fund and by the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. In FY23 the program also includes state ARPA funds designated to be distributed through the Grassroots Arts Program. DAC does not require a specific match for a cash grant, however, we will look for evidence that the applicant has actively pursued more than one source for the resources needed and does not expect DAC to provide everything through this Durham Arts Catalyst Grant.