NC Disaster Relief Resources for Artists & Arts Organizations
Special thanks to Arts AVL for compiling these resources.
Help the Arts in WNC! Give to the NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund
We encourage everyone to give to the NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund that is being run through the North Carolina Arts Foundation to provide funding and assistance to artists and arts organizations affected by Hurricane Helene.
When you donate enter the word “RELIEF” in the description for your gift.
ARTS DISASTER RESOURCES AND DAMAGE/NEEDS ASSESSMENTS (COMPLETE ASAP)
Arts AVL Emergency Resources
THIS IS ALWAYS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE RESOURCE. Arts AVL is a well-resourced organization based in Asheville, NC. Most resources on this page have been sourced by Arts AVL as they are at the epicenter of the devastation caused by Helene and are directly connected to local aid efforts as they become available. The Arts AVL Emergency Support Resources page is updated daily.
Western NC Arts Business Needs Survey
Western NC For Profit and Nonprofit Arts Businesses, please complete this short survey to help us better understand how you have been impacted, your plans for moving forward, and your current needs. Please Note: If you have already completed the Buncombe County Arts Business Survey, you do not need to complete this survey.
NCAPER Disaster Resources for Individuals and Arts and Cultural Organizations
Recent changes to FEMA and HENTF have made it easier to deliver aid to communities and individuals and may make aid more accessible to artists, entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, as well as cultural institutions and arts organizations.
NCAPER Rapid Damage Assessment Forms: If you were impacted or know artists and cultural institutions impacted for a disaster, please fill out one of the following rapid damage assessment forms.
- Cultural Institutions: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
- Arts Organizations: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
- Individual Artists and Performing Groups: Rapid Damage Assessment Form
With support from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF) and in collaboration with the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC), these new online assessment forms will help identify where assistance is sought, provide assistance where needed, understand critical needs, and inform recovery efforts moving forward. Learn more about these changes.
Craft Your Commerce Technical Assistance Services
Ongoing Virtual Support Service Calls for Artist and Creatives
Fridays from 11:30am – 12:30pm ET
Register Here
1:1 Technical Assistance Schedule Links
Click on each person’s name to schedule a FREE 1:1 service meeting to get assistance in the following areas.
- Christi Apodaca – Shopify, systems efficiency, ecommerce, shipping
- Cami Leisk – Squarespace, systems efficiency, ecommerce, shipping
- Deanna Lynch – accounting, finances
- Jillian Wright – HR, disaster employment resources
- Paul Heckler – grant writing, application assistance
- Faye D’Avanza – navigating feelings of stress, overwhelm, grief in the face of a disaster
FREE LEGAL SERVICES
Implement Legal was born in Asheville, NC, and many of our beloved clients, friends, and family live in Western NC.
At the firm, we understand Helene as both a humanitarian crisis and a cultural heritage disaster. Hundreds of artists in the region have lost their life’s work. Their homes and studios are destroyed. Arts institutions are similarly impacted.
We are offering pro bono legal services to artists and arts institutions impacted by the disaster. If you need help, please fill out the form below.
Pisgah Legal Services is also offering free aid in applying for FEMA check their website for clinic offerings.
GOVERNMENT DISASTER ASSISTANCE
FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program (Deadline Jan. 7, 2025)
This program includes disaster relief to artists and self-employed individuals.
Individual Assistance is available to individuals and households in a location with a major disaster declaration. For disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024, FEMA’s Individual Assistance program was expanded to include quicker access to needed funds including simplifying assistance for self-employed individuals such as self-employed artists and entrepreneurs.
Search the most recent disaster declarations at fema.org/disaster to see if your county is listed.
Help for Loss of Tools and Equipment
If you are self-employed, FEMA may be able to provide funds to repair or replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment required for your work. This help is available to a wide range of applicants, including farmers, artists, musicians, mechanics and many other occupations. FEMA may also be able to help if you are an employee and you lost tools or equipment required for your job and not reimbursable by your employer.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) (Deadline Dec. 2)
Following a federal disaster declaration because of Hurricane Helene, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits are now available in 25 counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. People in these counties have 60 days from October 1 to file an application for Disaster Unemployment Assistance at des.nc.gov. The deadline to apply is December 2.
SBA Disaster Assistance
SBA disaster assistance for homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and businesses of all sizes affected by Hurricane Helene.
- Home Disaster Loans (deadline Jan. 7, 2025): Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
- Business Physical Disaster Loans (deadline Jan. 7, 2025): Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) (deadline July 1, 2025): Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
Housing and Urban Development Disaster Resources (HUD)
HUD is now offering federal disaster assistance for disaster victims in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.
HUD will be providing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages issued by the Federal Housing Administration; making mortgage insurance available to disaster victims; offering financing for mortgage and home rehabilitation; increasing spending flexibility for Community Planning and Development Grantees; and ensuring HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are available to assist those impacted by natural disasters.
IRS Tax Relief
The Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in the entire state of North Carolina that were affected by Hurricane Helene. These taxpayers now have until May 1, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
Following the disaster declaration issued by FEMA individuals and households that reside or have a business in the entire state qualify for tax relief.
Affected taxpayers with returns and payments with due dates postponed until Feb. 3, 2025 due to Tropical Storm Debby in North Carolina will also now have until May 1, 2025 to file and/or pay.
Tenants’ Rights After a Natural Disaster
Recovery appeals, evictions, lease terminations, landlord/tenant disputes, understanding renters rights and insurance policies, providing additional legal help during disaster recovery, and more.
ARTS DISASTER ASSISTANCE
Emergency Grants
ArtsAVL Emergency Relief Grant
Western North Carolina artists of all disciplines substantially impacted by Hurricane Helene are invited to apply for ArtsAVL Emergency Relief Grant. The grant provides $500 relief stipends to arts professionals working in craft, literary, media, performing, visual, and interdisciplinary arts.
Mountain BizWorks WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund
The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund was created to provide rapid recovery loans to small businesses suffering economic losses related to the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene. The fund is administered by Mountain BizWorks and made possible with support from The Golden LEAF Foundation, and an expanding list of other partners.
The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund helps small businesses close the gap between when the disaster strikes and when federal loans, insurance payouts, and other disaster relief funds are approved, or businesses have time to recover and get back to business.
WNC Small Business Initiative through Appalachian Community Capital
Application window open from Oct. 30 – Nov. 27, 2024
Grants up to $25,000 are available to eligible small businesses located in Western North Carolina.
Small businesses can use the grants to cover expenses related to recovery and reopening in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Eligible uses include repair and replacement of physical damage, environmental cleanup, payment of business-related rents or mortgages, employee retention and hiring, and more. To qualify you must be:
- A for-profit business actively registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State (or a sole proprietorship with an active DBA filing)
- Physically located in one of the following Western North Carolina counties: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, or Yancey; or is located in the Qualla Boundary
- Been in existence for at least one year
- Have less than $1,000,000 in annual gross revenue
- Sustained physical or economic damage (not covered by insurance or other funding sources) from Hurricane Helene
- Currently operating or plans to reopen
Always Asheville Fund Grants
Application Opens: October 31, 2024
Application Deadline: November 11, 2024, 5pm
Explore Asheville has established the Always Asheville Fund to help small independent travel and hospitality businesses throughout Asheville and Buncombe County reopen after the devastating impacts and aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Assisting our small businesses with emergency grants will aid in part to sustain this deeply rooted, creative community that we all love.
The Always Asheville Fund will provide emergency microgrants ($5,000 to $10,000) that can be used for operational or re-opening expenses required for businesses to reopen to the public.
CFWNC Emergency and Disaster Response Fund
As the needs are evolving, CFWNC is expanding the EDRF grant program. Nonprofits can apply for either:
- Grants up to $25,000 to be awarded to eligible organizations for frontline human services.
OR - Grants up to $50,000 to (1) eligible organizations that sustained direct facility damage or (2) eligible organizations whose work addresses the effects of Hurricane Helene focused on repair and remediation.
Grants are intended to cover the extraordinary costs of providing emergency, relief or recovery services for eligible organizations affected by the storm. EDRF grants are not for ongoing operational costs, lost revenue, lost wages, or costs that are or will be covered by other sources. Eligibility for emergency public funding (local, state or federal) will be addressed in the application.
CERF+ Craft Artists Emergency Relief Grant
CERF+ offers $3,000 Emergency Relief Grants to craft artists who experienced a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster.
To qualify for an Emergency Relief Grant, applicants need to be craft artists who are 18 years of age or older. They must have been living and working in the U.S. or U.S. Territories for the past two years. Additionally, they should not have received an Emergency Relief Grant in the previous year or exceeded the maximum lifetime limit of 4 grants.
To apply, visit our website and complete the online application with supporting documentation. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For questions, contact programs@cerfplus.org or (802) 229-2306.
The Center for Craft: Craft Futures Fund
The Center for Craft is reactivating the Craft Futures Fund grant program for emergency relief so that we may direct essential resources to support and care for the artists and community of Western North Carolina (WNC) in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
MusiCares Disaster Relief Grant
MusiCares offers an Emergency Financial Assistance Program providing financial grants for music people in crisis.
Musicians Foundation Financial Assistance Grants
One-time financial assistance grants are open to professional musicians across all genres. If you are a professional musician in a specific time of need, please explore this opportunity to see if you might qualify for a financial grant to pay an essential bill.
IBMA Trust Fund
The Fund helps eligible bluegrass professionals who are currently or have previously been significantly involved in the industry. This includes but is not limited to, artists, composers, broadcasters, media representatives, event producers, agents, educators, managers, and employees of record companies. You do not have to be a member of the IBMA to receive aid from the IBMA Trust Fund. Please refer to the application form for more information on eligibility
NIVF: National Independent Venue Relief Fund
Administered by the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF), a 501(c)(3) organization, the NIVF Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) is dedicated to providing economic relief to independent, live performance venues and promoters, both for-profit and nonprofit, across the United States experiencing a critically severe emergency due to circumstances beyond their control.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed for eligibility as received throughout the year. Funding will be subject to availability and distributed according to a grant agreement. Please note NIVA membership is not a prerequisite for applying to NIVF Emergency Relief Fund.
Jazz Musicians of America Disaster Relief for Musicians
The Jazz Musicians of America team is on the ground as soon as possible and finds out first-hand what needs to be replaced and repaired. Their social workers go home to home and offer emotional support and provide basic necessities like food, emergency supplies, and clothes for children. They replace instruments and equipment, help with car repairs, and enlist professionals to decontaminate houses to ensure a families’ safety.
Newport Festivals Musician Relief Funds
In November of 2021, NFF partnered with Rainey Day Fund to support marginalized voices in Roots and Country Music. To launch the partnership, the Rainey Day family made a donation of $45,220 to our fund. All donated funds from Rainey Day will be used to support BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled musicians and content creators.
Entertainment Community Fund
Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals:
- In times of unexpected critical need
- To assist towards basic living expenses such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent eviction or shut-offs
Dramatists Guild Foundation’s Crisis Relief Grants
The Dramatists Guild Foundation’s Crisis Relief Grants are designed to assist writers experiencing unexpected financial, personal, or medical crises. Financial assistance is available to support housing and utilities costs, medical bills, groceries, legal fees, and other essential expenses.
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants: Visual & Digital Arts and Dance
Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants:
Provides 1-time grants of up to $5,000 for recent unexpected medical, dental, or mental health emergencies. Open to artists in financial need who are practicing in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography.
Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants:
Provides 1-time grants of up to $3,000 to professional dancers in need who have a dire financial emergency as a result of a loss or lack of current live performance work, because of circumstances beyond your control.
**These are national bimonthly programs. Application deadlines have been extended for impacted artists: Artists residing in any county which has received a FEMA Emergency or Disaster Declaration related to Hurricane Helene are eligible for an extension.**
The Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program is intended to provide interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation.
Each grant is given as one-time assistance for a specific emergency, examples of which are fire, flood, or emergency medical need.
Mountain Area Cultural Resources Emergency Network (MACREN)
MACREN provides disaster assistance to cultural institutions in the Asheville, North Carolina region. For assistance contact Jeff Futch by email or at 828-274-6789.
ReString Appalachia- American Songcatcher
“ReString Appalachia is an initiative from American Songcatcher supported by over 125 musicians, instrument makers, nonprofits, venues, visual artists, actors, and media outlets, dedicated to getting instruments back in the hands of those who lost them due to Helene.”
ReString Appalachia will match musicians in need with high quality instrument donations, via philanthropic contributions to their 501(c)3 nonprofit fiscal sponsor Music in Common. They plan to hand-deliver instruments to musicians in early 2025.
WNDB Emergency Grants for Diverse Writers
WNDB (We Need Diverse Books) provides emergency grants to diverse authors and illustrators, publishing professionals, and educators who are experiencing dire financial need. We aim to bolster these marginalized groups by giving grants between $500 and $1,000 each. Since 2020, the Emergency Grants provided nearly 130 grants.
National Heritage Responders
The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.
Cultural institutions, arts organizations, and artists and performing groups can call the National Heritage Responders hotline: (202) 661-8068.
Members of the public and individual artists who have questions about saving family heirlooms and personal collections can email the National Heritage Responders at NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org.
HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available at fema.gov/assistance/save-family-treasures. Here you can find the downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” available in multiple languages.