Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant Funds

Overview

The Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant Program is an annual grant opportunity for organizations in the arts and human services. Through two grant funds, the Foundation seeks to foster innovation and attract attention to solutions that are making a difference. Since 2015, the Pope Foundation has awarded over $1 million to nonprofits across North Carolina.

The two grant funds, one for human service organizations and one for arts organizations, offer awards up to $100,000 in project-specific funding. Applicants can request funding of any amount between $20,000 – $100,000. We will accept applications for the 2026 grants between July 1 – September 1, 2025.

Additional details and application instructions are shared on the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grants page. This grant program is open to nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina.

Applications are accepted from July 1 – September 1.
Grant funds are awarded in January.

The Arts Fund

As North Carolina continues to grow and evolve, so have the state’s art traditions. Today, North Carolinians from Murphy to Manteo celebrate, host, and create in venues of all sizes and varieties. Through the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant in the Arts, we hope to support innovative ideas and highlight the valuable contributions arts make to our communities. 

We will award up to $100,000 annually. The process and requirements are the same for both the arts and human services grant funds. Scroll down to learn more about the grants and to start an application. This grant fund is open to nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina.

Human Services Fund

Across North Carolina, nonprofits extend a hand up to those in need and, in doing so, directly contribute to the flourishing of self-empowered citizens. Through the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant in Human Services, we hope to support innovative ideas and highlight the creative projects that are making our communities stronger, better places to live, work, and play.

We will award up to $100,000 annually. The requirements are the same for both the arts and human services grant funds. Scroll down to learn more about the grants and start an application. This grant fund is open to nonprofits located anywhere in North Carolina.

Guidelines for both grants

We designed the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant Funds to recognize innovative projects across all spectrums of arts and human service work. However, the grants are not intended for medical research. Your proposed project could be an entirely new creation, something that changes how things are done (ex: improving processes, procedures, equipment, facilities, etc.); an endeavor that expands your scope of work (ex: reaching new populations). Regardless of your proposed project, the result should be a quantifiable gain for the organization and the people it serves.

  • Organizations are limited to one project-specific proposal.
  • Eligible projects include capital improvements (new or existing), program development and execution, equipment, and technology. This list is not exhaustive, and we will consider other grant purposes.
  • We will not consider requests that amount to general operating support.
  • Proposed projects should not be endowment, debt relief, or crisis funding requests.
  • Projects should be complete by the end of the granting year, and we will ask grant recipients to submit a final report.
  • Applicants can be located anywhere in North Carolina but should be serving North Carolinians (locally or broadly).
  • Review Our Policies to ensure your request meets our guidelines.

Fund amounts

The Joy W. Pope Memorial Grants operate as two funding pools, rather than two large prizes. Each grant fund will offer up to $100,000 in grants – potentially resulting in more than one award for both the human services grant and the arts grant. Organizations should apply for an amount between $20,000 – $100,000.

Application information

Applications are accepted from July 1 – September 1, for funding that we will award in January of the following year. Applications must be submitted online. If you need assistance, please contact us at (919) 871-3329.

Required Information:

  • Basic contact information.
  • A project narrative that includes a description of your project, the project's timeline, details about whom the project will serve/reach, explanations of how you will measure the project's success, brief descriptions of the key people involved in the project and any relevant qualifications, details about how you are obtaining funding for the project, and what specific portion of the total cost that the grant will fund.
  • A copy of your most recent signed and accepted 990 if you file a full return. If you do not file a full return, please submit a copy of your IRS Letter of Determination showing the tax-exempt status
  • A copy of your most recent audited financials (if you don't perform audits, a balance sheet for the most recent completed fiscal year reflecting assets, liabilities, and net assets is sufficient).
  • List of current board members/officers and staff.
  • Project budget (entire project--not just the portion of the project that the Joy W. Pope Memorial Grant will be supporting).

You will be able to enter all the requested information and upload attachments (all common file types supported) through the application portal. If your application is transmitted successfully, you will 1) see a confirmation page and 2) receive an email confirmation. 

Start a Memorial Grant Application - Active July 1- September 1

Timeline

  • Applications accepted: July 1 - September 1
  • Decisions made: December
  • The selected organization notified and grant issued: January
  • Final report from the selected organization due: One Year from Grant Award

Evaluation criteria

Pope Foundation staff reviews grant proposals and make recommendations. Our board of directors makes the final decision. Evaluation questions we ask are:

  • Is the project consistent with the mission and values of the Pope Foundation?
  • Does the proposed project create something new, do something better, or do something differently?
  • Does the proposal detail the need and explain the quantifiable gain for the organization and its clients?
  • Is the project a good use of one-time funds?
  • Is there a viable funding plan if costs continue past the first year of the project?
  • Is the budget practical and necessary?
  • Does the organization seem to implement best practices in their work?
  • Does the organization have the qualifications to do the work?
Questions?

We are unable to provide detailed feedback about your potential proposal before submission. However, if you have questions or need more information, please email us at grants@jwpf.org or call us at 919-871-3329.

Landmark Center South, 4601 Six Forks Rd, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27609 | 919-871-3329

About
Grant Priorities
Our Work
Apply