SEARCH THIS SITE

SC Arts Commission Arts in Education Program

Purpose

The purpose of the Comprehensive Planning grant is to support the creation of a five-year arts education plan for a school, school district, or Gifted and Talented Consortium by a broad-based school-wide or district-wide steering committee.

Description
A Comprehensive Planning grant helps a site engage in planning to accomplish the following:

• develop an Arts Partnership Steering Committee that includes arts and other educators; administrators; political leaders; advocates; representatives from arts organizations, art institutions and higher education; parents; artists and other members of the community. The committee will develop comprehensive goals and strategies for implementing and improving dance, theatre, creative writing, music and visual arts education in their school or district.
• develop a 5-Year Strategic Arts Plan based on the SC Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards to make standards-based arts instruction an integral part of the basic curriculum for every student. This plan should be conceived as part of general school reform. The creation of the five-year plan should be complete at the end of the grant period.

Eligibility Requirements

• SC public or private school (K-12)
• SC school districts
• Gifted and Talented Consortia

Restrictions
Comprehensive Planning grants are one-time awards.

Deadline
Applications must be received at least 6 weeks before the planning meeting to allow time for review.  Funds cannot be approved for projects that have been completed.

Funding Ranges
Up to $1,500 a single school
Up to $2,000 for a Gifted and Talented Consortia
Up to $3,000 for a school district

Match
1:1 (applicant:SCAC). 50% of the applicant's match must be cash. Please submit only expenses and income specific to the comprehensive planning project.

Filing Fee
None

Grant Payments
Payment will be on an expense reimbursement basis only. Grantees may submit a maximum of two interim payments, totaling no more than 80% of the grant award. Final grant payment will be released upon receipt and approval of grantee’s final report.

Review Criteria

Historically, the following have proved to be indicators of potential success in the comprehensive planning process:

1. Professional experience of the key planning personnel (teachers and administrators, primarily)
2. Involvement of a diverse, broad-based constituency on the Arts Partnership Steering Committee (business and community leaders, parents, advocates, legislators)
3. Existence of current arts education program components which may be strengthened
4. Demonstrated district support for the project.
5. A planning design that is well-constructed, addresses local needs and opportunities in an appropriate and comprehensive manner, and results in a completed plan by the end of the grant period.
6. Evidence of adequate financial and personnel resources to carry out the process
7. Demonstrated concern and planning for access and cultural diversity

The above indicators serve as the review criteria for this grant.

 

Review Process
After the application has been reviewed by the Grants Office for eligibility, the AIE program director recommends a level of funding to the Executive Director, who makes the final funding decision.  Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.   All applicants are notified by letter of the Commission's decision.   Successful applicants are sent a contract packet, which includes a Final Report Form. Grantees will receive 100% of the award upon receipt by SCAC of the signed and approved Final Report Form, which is due within 30 days after the completion of the project.

Final Report
All grantees are required to file a AIE Final Report (PDF) (How To Use PDFs) at the end of the grant period.  The Final Report Due Date is printed on your contract.  Failure to file the Final Report by the due date may result in cancellation of the award and repayment of funds received.  SCAC will not fund applicants who have outstanding Final Reports.  Submit only original Final Report forms with original signatures.  Do not submit copies or fax your final report form.

Required Application Materials
Each page/item of materials must be labeled with the name of the applicant organization and be submitted in a format suitable for copying.  Typeface must be legible, and no less than 12 point.

Do not use 3-ring binders, folders, or bind the application materials in any way other than with binder clips or paper clips.

The application package must include one complete collated set of items as follows:

1.   Forms

Forms are in portable document format (PDF). How To Use PDFs Submit only originals, completed and signed.

a.  Grant Application for Organizations. Individual schools should list themselves as the primary applicant, and the school district as the secondary applicant. Signatures from the authorizing official of both the primary and secondary applicant are required.

b.  Detailed Budget. Please include only expenses and income pertaining to the comprehensive planning project.

2.  Narrative
The narrative should not exceed four (4) numbered pages and must address the topics below. Please identify each item in the narrative by the appropriate topic heading.

A.  Site Arts Education – Describe the current arts education program at your site (school, district, or consortia) and how it addresses each of the five arts disciplines (creative writing, dance, theatre, music, and visual art)

B.  Steering Committee Profile – Identify the proposed membership of your Arts Partnership Steering Committee, their job titles and professional affiliations, and describe why they were chosen to lead and coordinate the planning process. Indicate with an asterisk those who are African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Hispanic. For those leading the steering committee (often teachers and administrators), please include full resumes as support material.

 

C.  Planning Design – Outline the elements of the process and describe how each will be carried out. Include a timetable of specific planning tasks, stating who is responsible for each, how each task will be accomplished, and for what purpose. Describe how issues of access and cultural diversity will be addressed during the planning process. As appropriate, describe the relationship between the proposed arts planning process and other planning processes at the site. Please note, the planning design must result in a completed initial five-year plan for delivering a comprehensive, standards-based arts education to all students.

3. Support Material
The following items are mandatory support material:

• A letter of support from district superintendent that commits the site to designing a five-year strategic plan for arts education.
• Resumes for principal planning personnel, including teachers and administrators on the Arts Partnership Steering Committee.

Private Schools only

Private Schools must also submit the following:

• Board of Directors list - List of Applicant’s current board of directors. Include board members' occupations/professional affiliations indicating with asterisks those who are African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Hispanic. 
  
• SC Charities letter - SC Registration as Charitable Organizations letter.  Include a copy of the applicant's current letter of registration as a charitable organization.  Letter must be renewed annually with the SC Office of the Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the SC Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act.
  
• IRS tax-exempt letter - A copy of applicant's IRS tax-exempt letter.

 

NOTE:  Incomplete applications will not be accepted.  Submit only original application forms with original signatures. Do not submit copies or fax your application.