About: The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, in partnership with the Tanger Center for the Performing Arts/Oak View Group, is proud to offer the Greensboro Arts Stabilization and Enhancement Fund (ASEF).  The ASEF is designed as a tool to strengthen and grow Greensboro’s arts ecosystem by providing micro-loans to help stabilize and enhance operational structure and enhancement. Funding will ensure that high-impact arts organizations have the resources they need to thrive, expand their reach, and better serve the community. ASEF intended purpose is to fuel a more vibrant, resilient and connected Greensboro community. 

 Eligible Requirements: 

• Nonprofit (501-c3) Arts organizations.
• Have been in existence for at least three years.
• Have filed all required paperwork with the NC Secretary of State. 
• Be based in Greensboro and conduct programming within the city. 

To be eligible arts organizations must project adequate cash flow to support repayment or present defined actionable revenue goals. 

What the ASEF Funds: 

 Short Term loans may support organizational sustainability and development through mitigating unforeseen infrastructure needs or strategic planning initiatives.  

• New ventures (based on external viability assessments).
• Development of new revenue streams.
• Large scale collaboration and cross-organizational partnerships. 
• Investment in key Leadership roles or positions. 
• Catastrophic or emergency needs (technical, operational or structural).

 Funding Priorities:

• Clearly document realistic need for funding.
• Show ability to manage and repay a short-term low-interest loan.
• Align their request with short-term and long-term growth goals.
• Show a strong commitment to Greensboro’s arts sector.

Application: Two-stage processes:

1. Stage One: Simple request application.
2. Stage Two: Additional documentation required to assess full viability of the request.

Review Timeline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis. The ASEF Steering Committee will review and make funding recommendations to The ACGG Board of Directors. 

Funding:

• The ASEF Steering Committee will make funding decisions twice a year: Mid-December (2025) with funding being distributed in February 2026 and Mid-June (2026) with Funding being distributed in August 2026
• Application will be active for emergency related request through June 30, 2026.

Loan Terms:

• Low Interest rates
• Flexible repayment 
• Expected repayment over a 12 month period

Festival Grant Program Fall 2026

The ACGG Festival Grant supports a one-to-three-day social event that brings people together, centered around celebrating and honoring the culture and people of the community. The Festival must offer a unique and vibrant experience highlighting the artistic community and enjoying artistic expression, music, food, and traditions. 

Applicant Eligibility:

Applicant may be a Guilford County Non-Profit 501c3, LLC, B Corp, C Corp. Priority will be given to Arts Non-Profits and Festivals that support and promote the arts and are open to the community. 

Applicants must demonstrate experience in planning and execution of a one-to-three-day festival event. Festival experience must have a consistent track record of three consecutive years. 

Festival must take place in Guilford County and benefit residents, encourage visitors, and enhance the local artistic culture and vitality. Guilford County-Gibsonville, High Point, Jamestown, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden, Sedalia, Stokesdale, Summerfield, Whitsett and Greensboro. 

Spring Festival Dates March 1, 2026 through August 31, 2026

Frequency of Requests: The program will not consider more than one funding request from the same organization in a single year - March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027.

Excluded from funding: fundraising events, sporting or athletic events, church, religious organizations, government agencies or offices, businesses or private clubs that exclude minors as patrons, and residential projects. Additionally, events used for political purposes, demonstrations, marches, rallies, or protests, as well as trade shows, trade fairs, business conferences, workshops, employee training, professional development activities, and events involving scholarships, prizes, cash awards, additions to endowment funds, deficit or debt reduction, lobbying, building construction or renovation, equipment or real property purchases, hospitality, and re-granting.

Award Amount

The Festival Grant Program offers awards ranging from $500 to $3,000, ensuring that the financial support complements the event's budget without exceeding 50% of the total projected expenses. 

The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro Primary Goals 

Community engagement, building cultural awareness through artistic measures, with a focus on sustainability of the arts in Guilford County. Encourage economic and social development while providing safe community centric programming. 

Proposed use of funding:

Marketing your festival to the public, hiring artists, and securing necessary permits and fees for a safe festival. 

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are meticulously evaluated by community panelist based on several criteria to ensure that the selected festivals align with the grant criteria. 

· Organization and Festival Information: Organization is clearly established and has a proven track record of producing festivals and working with the community.  (10 Points)

· Audience Fit and Community Support- Has the ability to reach a broad audience and encourages participation and growth. (15 Points)

· Festival Objective: Festival uniquely celebrates Guilford County’s cultural Identity and aligns with the goals of The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro. (15 Points)

· Programming Operations and Logistics: Planning outlines are well established and comprehensive to support a successful festival. (10 Points)

· Viability of Execution: The planning supports a festival that can be easily executed and shows thoughtful consideration for safety and community. (15 Points)

· Marketing Power: Strong marketing plan utilizing promotional partners, website presence, social media campaigns and the potential for increased media coverage and public attention.  (15 Points)

· Funding Sources and Financial Information: Support from additional funding sources, including ticket sales, sponsorships, grants, and organizational contributions. The proper use of grant funds and demonstrated support from the local community, local businesses, and public-sector partners. (10 Points)

· Sustainability of Event; The ability for the festival event to be repeated on an annual basis and the ability to expand through awareness and attract and engage new audience. (10 Points)

 Applicants can receive up to 100 points. Funding will be based on a scale to score basis. Scores of 80 points or below will not qualify for funding.  

 Funding for the Festival Grant program is a partnership with North Carolina Arts Council and Guilford County

The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, in partnership with The Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts Oak View Group and the City of Greensboro, is proud to offer the Greensboro Venue Access Grant. This grant is designed to support performance-based organizations that deliver high-quality, inclusive, and artistically vibrant experiences reflective of our community’s rich diversity and creativity. By directly offsetting venue-related expenses, this funding enables organizations to allocate more resources toward artistic excellence, fair artist compensation, technical production, community outreach, and audience engagement. Through this support, the grant aims to strengthen the viability, growth, and long-term sustainability of creative projects that enrich the cultural landscape of Greensboro.

 Eligible Organizations: 

• Greensboro Nonprofit (501-c3) Arts organizations that have been in existence for at least three years are eligible to apply.
•  Organizations must have filed all required paperwork with the NC Secretary of State. 
•  Organizations must reside in and carry out programming within the city of Greensboro. 

What the Venue Access Grant Funds: Only the cost of the venue. This includes rental fees for spaces used for performances. 

Priorities for funding:

• Funding will be provided to organizations that have proven track record producing performance programs for the public.  
• Provide a realistic estimate of anticipated audience size.  
• Explain clearly why the venue is necessary and how it supports the growth of your programming. 
• Show how your past performances support the need for a larger or different venue.  
• Provide data success stories to show growth over time. 

Funding Timeline: Deadline for Fall Application October 31, 2025 - Funding for venues February to July 2026 

 Spring Application (April 1 to May 31, 2026) -Funding for venues August to January  

Marketing: Performances supported by the Venue Access Grant must be listed on The ACGG Events Calendar, and acknowledge The Arts Council of Greater Greensboro on all promotional materials. A marketing packet will be provided after funding is approved with all guidelines. 

Data Collection: The ACGG will provide a Data Survey Tool which can be completed at your event either digitally (via QR code) or as a physical copy.  The information collected from the survey will be provided to you free of charge within 30 days from the date of the event. 

Evaluation: When applying for the Venue Access Grant, your proposal will be evaluated based on the following key criteria:

1. Readiness Demonstrates a proven track record of successful artistic programming. Has a pending venue identified for the proposed event or project.
2. Artistic Clarity and Vision  Programming is clearly aligned with your organization’s mission. Exhibits define creative and artistic goals with strong conceptual coherence.
3. Community Impact and Public Benefit Meaningfully engages the local community.  Expands access to the arts through outreach, inclusion, or audience development strategies.
4. Marketing and Audience Development  Presents realistic and appropriate marketing strategies for the project’s scope.  Demonstrates planning for audience engagement and attendance.
5. Financial Stability and Fiscal Responsibility  Includes a clear, balanced, and realistic budget.  Shows how the venue grant specifically supports the program's success and sustainability. Is a non-profit in good standing. 
6. Organizational Capacity   Evidence that your organization has the staff, systems, and structures to effectively carry out the project.
7. Equity and Inclusion  Organization reflects a commitment to access, equity, and inclusive community engagement in both programming and operations.
8. Alignment and Goals  The proposed project aligns with the Arts Council of Greater Greensboro’s mission and the goals of the Venue Access Grant Program. The program has strong artistic merit and contributes to the vibrancy and diversity of Greensboro arts ecosystem.

External review committee will review and score using the following rating system. Committee members are given the opportunity to discuss applications, share thoughts and can provide written recommendations. The ranking process utilizes a scale of 20-100. The ACGG’s Board of Directors review all panel scores and recommendations prior to final awards. 

Example: If the applicant’s score is outstanding on all counts, they will receive a score of 100. The 100-point score is equivalent to the following: (100 Outstanding, 80 Very Good, 60 Good, 40 Fair, 20 Poor.) Scores must receive a rating of 80 or above to be eligible for funding. 

 Reporting:  A final report providing a detailed description of the funded project, participation statistics and demographics, sample marketing, and program materials using The ACGG logo, will be required by no later than 60 days following the performance. Applicants failing to provide final reports will not be eligible for future funding from The ACGG.