Grants Available for Durham Cultural Festivals
Starting July 8, festival and event organizers can apply to receive some of the $295,000 that’s available from the City of Durham to support qualified new or existing arts and cultural festivals or special events to be held in the city or county.
The application window opens at 11:59 p.m. on July 8 and ends on Thursday, Aug. 8. Eligible events must take place before Dec. 31, 2025.
Members of the Durham Cultural Advisory Board developed this year’s RFP goals and criteria for the grant application process. Successful applicants must meet the following minimum requirements for in-person and/or virtual festivals and special events:
- Applicant must be a non-profit organization or partner with a non-profit acting as a fiscal agent.
- Applicable experience in festival planning or similar projects.
- Sufficient insurance against any potential liabilities provided by the contracted not-for-profit entity.
- Adequate financial capacity.
- Produce festival(s) and/or special events before Dec. 31, 2025.
The RFP document, review criteria, online portal link, and a list of required application documents are available on the City’s website. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 8. Applications must be submitted using the online portal Submittable; emailed packets will not be accepted.
Two workshops are scheduled for non-profit applicants:
- Thursday, July 18, 1:30 – 3 p.m. at the City of Durham General Services Department, 2011 Fay St., Durham, NC 27704.
- Wednesday, July 24, 5:30 – 7 p.m. on Zoom. Registration required.
Spanish language translation will be available for the workshops. Additional virtual drop-in office hours for questions will be held on Thursday, Aug. 1, from 10:30 a.m. – noon and 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Zoom and/or in person. Appointments can be scheduled online. The deadline for submitting written questions regarding the RFP process is 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024.
Interested nonprofits can also email Cultural and Public Art Program Sr. Analyst, Annette Smith.
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