Overview

Submission Deadline: March 24, 2022. Charlotte’s Infusion Fund to support arts and culture is offering arts and culture organizations, groups or collectives up to $20,000 in unrestricted, general operating funds. Funds will be awarded in April 2022 for use during a one-year grant period ending in March 2023. In total, up to $400,000 will be awarded through this open call.

Eligibility

• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status whose primary function is in or for arts and culture. 
• Groups or collectives of artists or creatives whose primary function is in or for arts and culture. Applicants without 501(c)(3) status must use a fiscal agent or fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status to receive the funds and must provide a letter or memo from the fiscal sponsor or agent showing proof of this relationship, along w/ the fiscal sponsor or agent’s 501(c)(3) IRS letter. 
• Applicants must not have received other funding through the Infusion Fund during the 2022 fiscal year (July 2021 through June 2022) by the time of the award. This includes funding through the Arts & Science Council’s fiscal year 2022 Cultural Vision grants and Artist Support grants, which were supported through the Infusion Fund. Fiscal sponsors or agents can have received Infusion Funds in fiscal year 2022. 
• Applicants must be based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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How will the funds be awarded?

City of Charlotte staff will screen applications to make sure applicants meet the eligibility requirements and that the amount of funding requested is proportional to the applicant’s annual budget size.  All applications that meet the requirements will receive support. The total pool of funding available is $400,000. Funding requests will be honored as best as possible given the availability of funds.

Where do I complete the application?

Select the green ‘Continue’ button at the bottom of this page to begin the application. 

How did the arts and culture team determine how these funds can be used?  

Unrestricted operating funds that an arts and culture group can use as needed and how it sees fit are among the most difficult funds for these groups to obtain.  
 

To ensure multiple and diverse groups of all sizes are supported with funding, the City of Charlotte’s Arts and Culture Advisory Board has approved allocating $400,000 to groups that have not yet received support from the Infusion Fund. The Infusion Fund is a collaboration between public and private donors, coordinated by the city and Foundation For The Carolinas, to support Charlotte area arts and culture over three years.  
 

To do this, the advisory board is deploying these funds as unrestricted operating grants, helping to fill critical gaps for local arts and culture nonprofits and other groups. The specific allocations of funds to organizations will be determined through the application and review process. 

I have a for-profit creative business. Are we eligible for this grant?  

This particular grant is for nonprofits, or groups or collectives using a nonprofit fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent, as funds are distributed by our partner, Foundation For The Carolinas (FFTC), to nonprofits organizations with 501(c)(3) status. However, the Arts and Culture Advisory Board is considering whether and how the Infusion Fund might support for-profit creative businesses in the future. 

I’m an individual artist, but not affiliated with a group or collective. Am I eligible for this grant? 

This particular grant is for nonprofits, or groups or collectives using a nonprofit fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent. However, at the direction of the Arts and Culture Advisory Board, the Infusion Fund is supporting individual artists in the current fiscal year through a partnership with the Arts & Science Council (ASC) to distribute project-specific funding to artists and creative individuals in the spring of 2022. Please visit ASC's website or contact ASC for more information.  

The primary purpose or function of my organization is not arts and culture, but we do some arts and cultural programming. Are we eligible? 

Unfortunately, no. This grant is for organizations and groups whose primary mission is based in arts and culture. 

Will this grant program support organizations serving the greater Charlotte region that are outside Charlotte city limits?  

This particular grant is for organizations and groups based within the city of Charlotte. However, the Infusion Fund has also supported organizations beyond Charlotte, in other areas of Mecklenburg County including in the towns of Davidson, Matthews and Mint Hill. More information about these allocations is available at charlottenc.gov/arts-culture.  

How can my organization use the funds? Are there any restrictions on how the funds are used?  

Can art departments or clubs at public schools apply? 

Yes, organizations and groups whose primary mission is arts and culture are eligible to apply. However, public schools are not considered nonprofits, so a public school applicant will need to work with a fiscal agent or sponsor. Parent Teacher Associations and/or booster clubs are often 501(c)(3)-certified, making them an eligible fiscal sponsor.

How long does a nonprofit has to be established to apply for grant?

There is no minimum time that a nonprofit has to be established in order to be eligible for this grant.   

If an organization is applying with a fiscal sponsor, will it be a problem if the fiscal sponsor is also applying for funding?

No, these will be treated as separate applications.

Do we need 501(c)(3) IRS letter if our fiscal agent is a Mecklenburg county facility like Parks and Rec?

Yes, governments are not considered nonprofits, so Mecklenburg county facilities like Parks and Rec will need to work with a fiscal agent or sponsor. Consider reaching out to Partners for Parks or a similar friends of group that is 501(c)(3)-certified.

The application link does not appear to work. When will it be open so that we can apply?

The application is currently open, please scroll to the bottom of the ‘Application Information & FAQ’ page and select ‘Continue’ to move on to the application

How do I send you a copy of the 501 c(3) letter from IRS certifying my organization?

At the bottom left of the ‘This is a:…” question regarding nonprofit status, select the (+) Add Files button.

How do I send you a copy of the 501 c(3) letter from IRS certifying my organization? I have already submitted the application.

If you have already submitted a complete application, you can email the 501c(3) letter to charlotte.lamb@charlottenc.gov

I started the application and am waiting on budget information. Can I save what I've entered?

No, there is no way to save your progress. All incomplete applications will be removed. Once you have the information needed, simply start fresh on a new application.

Does the fiscal sponsor’s primary mission need to be in arts and culture?

No.

Can the fiscal sponsor be from outside Charlotte?

Yes.