Purpose
To support arts education programs for Preschool (3k-4k) and/or K-12 students during the school term (including beyond the school day), through both traditional and non-traditional providers
Who's Eligible
Most S.C. nonprofit organizations (arts & non-arts), colleges and universities, and units of government
Funding
Up to $30,000 (up to $15,000 per term)
Matching Requirement
1:2 (grantee:SCAC)
These grants support quality arts education programs for preschool (3k-4k) and/or K-12 students during the school term (including beyond the school day), through both traditional providers (arts organizations) and other organizations (e.g., social service, health, community, education) that utilize the arts to meet the educational, developmental, and social needs of preschool (3k-4k) and/or K-12 students. This two-year grant supports projects occurring during the school terms 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. For the purposes of this grant, a term is defined as one academic year.
Activities should
Please Note
Grant guidelines are subject to change until the application opens.
Examples of eligible in-school and after-school activities include, but are not limited to:
If you are hiring artists, teaching artists or facilitators
Recipients of the Term Arts Education Projects Grant are strongly encouraged to use members of the S.C. Arts Directory for grant-funded group lectures, demonstrations, performances, classroom residencies, and short-term arts teaching experiences.
NOTE: If working in a school environment, always check with the individual school about policies related to hiring artists, arts organizations, and teaching artists.
None.
This funding category is highly competitive.
SCAC Opportunity Initiative Counties:
See the “Grant Criteria” section of these guidelines for details.
March 26, 2024
Applications may be submitted until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the deadline date. However, please be aware that staff members will not be available to assist you with questions or technical difficulties after SCAC closes at 5 p.m. that day.
July 2024-May 2025 & July 2025-May 2026*
* All projects must be implemented during the normal school terms of July 1, 2024 through May 15, 2025 and July 1, 2025 through May 15, 2026. Grant activities may not extend into summer programming. If your proposed project is scheduled to end after May 15, please contact Arts Learning Director Kimberly Washburn Motte (803.734.8694 | kmotte@arts.sc.gov), before applying.
Note: If you are applying to receive funding for multiple terms, you will be required to complete and upload a budget spreadsheet for each term meaning you will be uploading two budget spreadsheets within your grant application.
Up to $30,000 ($15,000 per term)
1:2 (grantee:SCAC)
Are you wondering what makes for a strong application?
The SCAC recommends using the FY25/26 Term Arts Education Projects Grant Evaluation Rubric as a guide when writing your application. Grant panelists will score your application responses based on the criteria within this rubric.
Expanding Access to Arts Education (50%) |
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0-2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-10 | |
Community Need | There is little to no demonstrated need for the project or program. The program is not supported with relevant evidence or data. | There is some demonstrated need for the project or program. The program is supported with little evidence or data. | There is appropriate demonstrated need for the project or program supported with evidence and data. | There is strong, clear demonstrated need for the project or program supported with relevant evidence and data. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | |
Educational Goals | The educational goals of the project are unclear or absent and do not include what students will learn: academically, artistically, and otherwise. | The educational goals of the project are vague but include some learning: academically, artistically, and otherwise. | The educational goals of the project are stated and include quality learning: academically, artistically, and otherwise. | The educational goals of the project are clearly stated and include high quality learning: academically, artistically, and otherwise. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | |
Activities Support Educational Goals | The activities do not support the educational goals of the project. | The activities somewhat support the educational goals of the project. | The activities appropriately support the educational goals of the project. | The activities directly support the educational goals of the project. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | |
Student Engagement | The activities do not engage students in the production of artworks or use of arts-based learning strategies. | The activities somewhat engage students in the production of artworks or use of arts-based learning strategies. | The activities appropriately engage students in the production of artworks or use of arts-based learning strategies. | The activities directly engage students in the production of artworks or use of arts-based learning strategies. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | |
Educational Standards | Activities do not address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener. | Some activities address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency and/or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener in a reasonable way. | Most activities address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency and/or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener in a meaningful, and reasonable way. | All activities address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency and/or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener in a clear, meaningful, and reasonable way. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | |
Student Outcomes | Plan does not include methods of measuring achievement of goals or student outcomes. | Plan includes some methods of measuring achievement of goal and/or student outcomes | Plan includes defined methods of measuring achievement of goals and student outcomes | Plan includes clear and defined methods of measuring achievement of goals and student outcomes |
Organizational Capacity (40%) |
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0 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 | |
Organization and Mission | The proposal is not aligned with the organization’s mission. | The proposal is slightly aligned with the organization’s mission. | The proposal is generally aligned with the organization’s mission. | The proposal is clearly aligned with the organization’s mission. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-7 | 8-10 | |
Commitment to Artistic Quality | The organization does not demonstrate a commitment to artistic quality. | The organization somewhat demonstrates a commitment to artistic quality and identifies measures to ensure that commitment is met. | The organization demonstrates a commitment to artistic quality and identifies effective measures to ensure that commitment is met. | The organization directly demonstrates a clear commitment to artistic quality and identifies effective measures to ensure that commitment is met. |
0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 | |
Project Timeline/ Milestones | Project timeline is incomplete or not feasible. | Project timeline is present and feasible. | Project timeline is present, reasonably sequenced, and feasible. | Project timeline is clear, sequenced with intention, and feasible. |
0-1 | 2-4 | 5-7 | 8-10 | |
Qualifications of Key Personnel | Leadership and Key personnel are not qualified to deliver effective programming | Some leadership and key personnel are qualified to deliver effective programming | Most leadership and key personnel are qualified to deliver effective programming | All leadership and key personnel are highly qualified to deliver effective programming. |
0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 | |
Budget | The program budget is not balanced and/or an unrealistic estimate of project expenses and sources of income to support the project. | The program budget somewhat demonstrates a balanced and realistic estimate of project expenses and sources of income to support the project. | The program budget demonstrates a balanced and realistic estimate of project expenses and sources of income to support the project. | The program budget clearly demonstrates a balanced and realistic estimate of project expenses and reliable sources of income to support the project. |
0-1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Partnerships | The proposal represents no partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet 3k-4k and/or K-12 educational goals through the arts. | The proposal represents unclear partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet 3k-4k and/or K-12 educational goals through the arts. | The proposal represents defined partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet 3k-4k and/or K-12 educational goals through the arts. | The proposal represents strong, defined partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet 3k-4k and/or K-12 educational goals through the arts. |
0-1 | 1 | 2 | ||
Partnership Letters of Support | No letters of support from partners are present. | Letters of support from some partners are present and represent an understanding of the role and scope of some partners involved. | Letters of support from all partners are present and represent a clear understanding of the role and scope of all partners involved. | |
Populations Served (10%) |
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0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 | |
Populations Served | Applicant does not demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of the student population that will be served through this project. Missing information including which and how many students will benefit and any special characteristics or needs. | Applicant demonstrates little understanding of the student population that will be served through this project. Includes incomplete information about which and how many students will benefit and any special characteristics or needs. | Applicant demonstrates a general understanding of the student population that will be served through this project, including which and how many students will benefit and any special characteristics or needs. | Applicant demonstrates a clear and thorough understanding of the student population that will be served through this project, including which and how many students will benefit and any special characteristics or needs. |
0-1 | 1-2 | 3-4 | 5 | |
Distinct Group Populations | There is no connection between the selected group populations served and the details and reasoning behind how and why these groups were selected. | There is little connection between the selected group populations served and the details and reasoning behind how and why these groups were selected. | There is reasonable connection between the selected group populations served and the details and reasoning behind how and why these groups were selected. | There is clear and reasonable connection between the selected group populations served and the details and reasoning behind how and why these groups were selected. |
Applications are accepted through our grants portal, which uses the Foundant platform.
New to Foundant? For frequently asked questions, registration instructions, and other helpful information, we highly recommend visiting the Grants Portal FAQ, before you begin working in the system.
The applicant must have an active account in our Grants Portal.
The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. A review panel of arts professionals will evaluate the applications based on the published Grant Criteria. An applicant’s panel comments are available to them upon request. Staff will then develop funding recommendations, based on these evaluations and the availability of funds. Recommendations will be presented to the board of commissioners, which makes final award decisions. Award notification is expected after the June 2024 board meeting, pending completion of the state budget process.
If your application is funded, you (and your fiscal agent/receiver, if applicable) will enter into a contractual agreement with the South Carolina Arts Commission, and you must comply with all requirements stated in that contract. You will receive notification and instructions when your contract is available in the Grants Portal. You must submit your completed contract packet, including signatures and other documentation as instructed, by the date indicated in the system. You must also complete all other assigned follow ups by the due date.
Please note: Any significant revisions to grant-funded activities must be approved in writing, in advance, by the SCAC. Significant revisions to grant-funded activities must be emailed to grants@arts.sc.gov to be processed for approval or denial.
Additional details about managing an SCAC grant are available on our agency website.
Payments are reimbursement-based. This means any expenses must be financed up front by the grantee and/or a cooperating entity.
An accurate pay request, listing only expenses allowable under the program guidelines for the certified time period, must be submitted in order to receive payment for the grant award.
Grantees in this category are eligible for interim payments, with the final grant payment released upon receipt and approval of the grantee’s final report.
If you are using a fiscal agent/receiver, grant funds will be released to your fiscal receiver, who will then pay you.
ALL GRANTEES are required to file a final report at the end of the grant period. The final report due date is stated in the grant contract. Failure to submit an accurate and complete final report by the due date will result in cancellation of the award and repayment of any funds received. SCAC will not fund applicants who have outstanding final reports.
In addition, failure to file a complete Term Arts Education Project Final Report by the due date will result in a reduction of 15% to future grant awards.
For those awarded for multiple terms, Term Arts Education Project grants are awarded on a two-year cycle, but grantees are required to file a final report at the end of each annual grant period. Submission of your annual final reports for year one of the two-year cycle will allow us to assess long-term progress and generate the next year’s contract, if you are approved for a two-year cycle.
Please note: If a grantee is awarded for two terms and the first term final report is approved, the grantee will be required to provide a completed budget spreadsheet for the second term of the approved Arts Education Project within the second term’s contract packet follow up form. This will confirm any necessary project changes after the first term for final approval for the second term.
We also highly recommend a visit to our Grants Coaching webpage, for
Missed a group call or session? Look for the video link to access a recording of that presentation.