Purpose
To support arts-based projects that engage rural communities throughout South Carolina.
Who's Eligible
Most S.C. nonprofit organizations (arts & non-arts), colleges and universities, libraries, and units of government
Funding
Up to $7,500
Matching Requirement
Varies by county
This grant supports arts-based projects throughout rural South Carolina that use the arts to address issues and challenges in rural communities. The project must serve the rural community in which the applicant is located.
Grant-funded activities should:
*A project steering committee is the group of people who will be collaborating on and leading this project. This group should have a strong understanding of the project and the applicant organization.
Please Note
Grant guidelines are subject to change until the application opens.
In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) private schools, public school districts, government entities, and nonprofit organizations – must provide a valid UEI number* to receive an SCAC grant award.
*Learn about the Unique Entity ID (UEI)
Note: If an applicant organization is using a fiscal agent/receiver, separate UEI numbers must be provided for both the applicant organization and the fiscal agent/receiver. Exceptions to separate UEI numbers are organizations run by a local government or a school district.
Projects must support one or more of the following artistic disciplines:
Grant funds must be used for actual project costs, defined as consumable and non-consumable items needed to complete the proposed project. Those might include but are not limited to:
These grant funds cannot be used for:
For all grant-funded activities (including group lectures, demonstrations, performances, residencies, and short-term arts teaching experiences), the use of S.C. Arts Directory members is required for school and school district grantees and encouraged for grantees that are organizations.
Artists identified as Verified Teaching Artists on the S.C. Arts Directory have been additionally vetted by SCAC through the submission of sample lesson plans, recorded teaching samples, and letters of recommendation. For any grantee whose grant-funded activities are for K-12 student services, SCAC encourages the use of Verified Teaching Artists. Many school districts require the use of SCAC Verified Teaching Artists for classroom residencies. If working in a school environment, always check with both the individual school and the school district about policies related to hiring artists, arts organizations, and teaching artists.
All projects must:
Priority will be given to applicants located in one of the SCAC’s Opportunity Initiative Counties:
At least five (5) weeks before the project begins, for projects beginning on or after August 6, 2024.
Here are some time-specific deadlines:
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.
All grant-supported activities must be implemented between August 6, 2024 and May 31, 2025.
Up to $7,500
Federal funding note:
This grant is funded using federal dollars. The SCAC will notify the grantee of the type of federal dollars used. Because the grant will be funded using federal dollars, the grantee’s match must not consist of federal funding.
Additionally, federal funding requires special actions and auditing treatment. If you are audited, please advise your auditors of these federal receipts. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has established the following requirements for recipients of federal funds:
Note: If your rural community spans counties in multiple tiers, please contact us BEFORE beginning your application.
TIER 1: 1:3 (applicant:SCAC)
A 1:3 match means that for each dollar granted, the grantee must match with $0.33 of their own funds.
Tier 1 counties:
TIER 2: 1:2 (applicant:SCAC)
A 1:2 match means that for each dollar granted, the grantee must match with $0.50 of their own funds.
Tier 2 counties:
TIER 3: 1:1 (applicant:SCAC)
A 1:1 match means that for each dollar granted, the grantee must match with $1.00 of their own funds.
Tier 3 counties:
Are you wondering what makes for a strong application?
The SCAC recommends using the rubric in this section as a guide when writing your application. Grant panelists will score your application responses based on the criteria within this rubric.
FY25 Art of Community: Rural SC Grant Evaluation Rubric |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
Community Assets, Challenges, Arts & Culture (16%) |
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| Community Assets and Challenges | 0-1 | 2-4 | 5 | 6 |
| No evidence is provided on the applicant’s understanding of the community and how the project will address assets, needs, and challenges. | Little evidence is provided on the applicant’s understanding of the community and how the project will address assets, needs, and challenges. | Evidence is provided on the applicant’s community and how the project will address assets, needs, and challenges. | Detailed evidence is provided on the applicant’s understanding of the community and how the project will address assets, needs, and challenges. | |
| Use of Arts and Culture | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| There is no evidence that arts and culture are a crucial component of the project. | There is some evidence that arts and culture are a crucial component of the project. Less than 5 examples are provided. | There is evidence that arts and culture are a crucial component of the project. 5 examples are provided. | There is extensive evidence that arts and culture are a crucial component of the project. 5 strong examples are provided. | |
Project Details (28%) |
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| Project Description | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| Activities, locations, and timelines are not in alignment with the goals of the project. | Activities, locations, and timelines are occasionally in alignment with the goals of the project. | Activities, locations, and timelines are well planned and in alignment with the goals of the project. | Activities, locations, and timelines are very well planned and in strong alignment with the goals of the project. | |
| Steering Committee | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8 | 9 |
| Steering committee members do not have the experience and expertise needed to carry out the project. The Steering Committee chair is not qualified to lead the project. | Some steering committee members have experience, expertise, and community connections needed to carry out the project. The Steering Committee chair is somewhat qualified to lead the project. | Steering committee members have experience, expertise, and community connections needed to carry out the project. The Steering Committee chair is qualified to lead the project. | Steering committee members have extensive experience, expertise, and community connections needed to carry out the project. The Steering Committee chair is highly qualified to lead the project. |
|
| Artistic Personnel | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8 | 9 |
| Bio(s) and support material indicate that artistic personnel are not qualified to implement artistic components of the project. | Bio(s) and support material indicate that artistic personnel are somewhat qualified to implement artistic components of the project. | Bio(s) and support material indicate that artistic personnel are qualified to implement artistic components of the project. | Bio(s) and support material indicate that artistic personnel are highly qualified to implement artistic components of the project. | |
Impact & Engagement (36%) |
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| Project Importance | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| No information is provided on how the project or program is important to the applicant and the community it serves. | Little detailed information is provided on how the project or program is important to the applicant and the community it serves. | Some detailed information is provided on how the project or program is important to the applicant and the community it serves. | Detailed information is provided on how the project or program is important to the applicant and the community it serves. | |
| Public Component and Marketing | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| The project has no opportunities for the public to participate. There is no marketing strategy. | The project includes limited opportunities for the public to participate. There are marketing components but not a strategy. | The project includes opportunities for the public to participate. There is a well-planned marketing strategy. | The project includes extensive opportunities for the public to participate. There is a very well-planned and feasible marketing strategy. |
|
| Engagement | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| There is no evidence that the project will engage the community and local government in the project. | Some evidence exists that the project will engage with members of the community and local government in a limited way. | Evidence exists that the project will engage members of the community and local government. | Strong evidence exists that the project will meaningfully engage members of the community and local government. | |
| Success Measurements | 0-1 | 2-4 | 5 | 6 |
| The plan provides unclear or confusing information for success measurements. | Some success measurements are realistic, trackable, and data driven. | All success measurements are realistic, trackable, and data driven. | All success measurements are highly realistic, trackable, and data driven. | |
Budget (10%) | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| Budget is not detailed and does not show adequate funding to complete the project. | Budget lacks detail but shows adequate funding needed to complete the project. | Budget is detailed and shows adequate funding needed to complete the project. | Budget is very detailed and shows strong financial resources to complete the project. | |
Support Materials (10%) | 0-4 | 5-7 | 8-9 | 10 |
| Support materials show no experience or artistic quality to carry out the project. | Support materials do a poor job of effectively showcasing community need, applicant experience, or artistic quality to carry out the project. | Support materials do a good job of effectively showcasing community need, applicant experience, or artistic quality to carry out the project. | Support materials do an excellent job of effectively showcasing community need, applicant experience, or artistic quality to carry out the project. |
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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.
You are required to submit up to five (5) pieces of support material for your project.
Video files up to three (3) minutes long each
Formats: URL link address to web or social media sites
Audio files up to three (3) minutes long each
Formats: URL link address to web or social media sites
Image files
Acceptable file types: .gif, .jpg/.jpeg, .png, .tif/.tiff, .svg
Document files
Acceptable file types: .doc/.docx, .pdf, .rtf., .txt, .xls/.xlsx
Website files
Format: URL link address to web or social media sites
The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. A review panel of community arts professionals will evaluate the applications based on the published review criteria (refer to the “Grant Criteria” section). 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. Final funding decisions are approved by the deputy director. Award notification is expected in four (4) to five (5) weeks after the application deadline.
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.
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.
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.