Arts Teacher Support Grants

About This Grant

Purpose

The purpose of the Arts Teacher Support (ATS) Grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to support innovation in arts classrooms by helping arts teachers acquire supplies, materials, professional development, and tools/expertise.

The strongest applications will clearly state how the materials or professional development funded by the grant will allow innovation in arts classrooms. Examples include but are not limited to purchases or activities that

• allow an arts concept/standard to be explored in a more culturally relevant or developmentally appropriate way;
• build connections between classroom and community, or between the arts classroom and other subject areas in a novel way; or
• address a gap in access that has previously impeded learning in your classroom.

• Eligibility

  1. The applicant must be a public, private, or charter school in South Carolina.
     • Private and charter schools must
       1. be currently registered with the S.C. Secretary of State’s Office. (Note: Applicants who are exempt from this registration must upload their registration exemption approval.)
       2. reflect S.C. as the primary address on all current official organizational documents
  2. In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations - including (but not limited to) private schools, government entities, public school districts, and nonprofit organizations - must provide a valid DUNS number to receive an SCAC grant award.
     • Individual public schools may use their school district's DUNS number and do not need to register separately.
  3. An arts teacher for the applicant school must serve as the contact person for this grant. (Arts areas include: creative writing, dance, design, music, media arts, theatre, and visual art.)
     • If a school wishes to apply and does not have an arts teacher, contact Catherine Ntube (803.734.8694 | cntube@arts.sc.gov), Specialist for Arts Organizations & Education, before applying.

• Restrictions

  ABC Schools

  ABC Schools are not eligible to apply.

  Multiple Projects or Schools

  • A school may not receive ATS funding for the same purchase or project twice.
  • A school may receive no more than two ATS grant awards per fiscal year.
  • A school may not receive more than $3,000 in ATS funds per fiscal year.
    • For example, if one art teacher from Brown Elementary receives $2,000, the most another teacher at Brown Elementary can receive in that fiscal year is $1,000.
  • Multiple arts teachers from the same school may apply, jointly or separately. We encourage joint applications when possible to maximize the value of the application process for applicant schools. When multiple arts teachers from the same school apply jointly, one arts teacher must be designated as the contact person for this grant.
    • Example 1: If a theatre teacher needs $300 for a professional development opportunity and a music teacher at the same school needs $700 in supplies, they may submit one application for $1,000.
    • Example 2: If a dance and music teacher are working together on an integrated learning unit, they may jointly apply for a $3,000 grant to fund the interdisciplinary project.
  • If a teacher teaches at multiple schools, they may not apply for a multi-school grant. Instead, the teacher should choose which school will apply for the grant. A teacher who teaches at multiple schools may apply for separate grants for each school.
    • For example, if you teach art at Main Street Elementary and Arts Drive Elementary, you may apply for a grant to fund printmaking at Main Street Elementary and a separate grant to fund printmaking at Arts Drive Elementary.

• Use of Funds

  The SCAC recognizes that arts teachers have varied backgrounds and resources upon which to pull. ATS Grants invite arts teachers to identify lacking resources and expertise in their classroom and use grant funds to acquire what is lacking.

  ATS Grants funds may be used to pay for the following:

  • Consumable and non-consumable resources
  • Professional development opportunities and related costs including:
    • Membership to state or national arts education associations
    • Conference, travel, and hotel fees for state or national conferences (travel and hotel must follow the SC state travel guidelines and rates)
    • Artists in residence – Please note:
      1. The artist in residence must spend peer-to-peer training time with the arts teacher to ensure growth in the teacher’s skill level and ability to teach the skill in future years.)
      2. Grant recipients must use members of the S.C. Arts Directory for grant-funded activities, detailed as follows:
         

         If you are hiring artists or teaching artists

         If you are a school or school district: SCAC grant recipients that are schools or school districts are required to use members of the S.C. Arts Directory for grant-funded group lectures, demonstrations, performances, classroom residencies, and short-term arts teaching experiences.

         If you are an organization: SCAC grant recipients that are organizations 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.

         Artists labeled as Certified Teaching Artists on the Arts Directory have been additionally vetted by SCAC through the submission of sample lesson plans, recorded teaching samples, and letters of recommendation; we encourage but do not require grant-funded teaching artist residencies to employ Certified Teaching Artists. Additionally, Arts Access SC Teaching Artists have trained with Arts Access SC to provide children, youth, and adults with disabilities quality arts experiences. Note: If working in a school environment, always check with the individual school or district about policies related to hiring artists, arts organizations, and teaching artists.

         • Learn more about the Directory
         • Search for an artist

• Additional Requirements of this Grant

  Any activities carried out within this grant must align with state guidelines regarding COVID-19.

• Priority

  Priority may be given to:

  • Schools that have not received ATS and/or TSI (Teacher Standards Implementation) funding in the past
  • Schools on this S.C. Department of Education list of schools with low-income student populations above 70%
  • Schools in SCAC FY22 Opportunity Initiative Counties:
    
    • Allendale
    • Calhoun
    • Cherokee
    • Dillon
    • Edgefield
    • Laurens
    • Lee
    • Marion
    • Marlboro
    • Newberry
    • Saluda

   

• Deadlines & Grant Period

  FY22 Application Period: August 5, 2021-March 7, 2022.

  Deadlines

  Applications review begins during the first full week of each month (second full week of January 2022). Applicants submitting by this date can expect notification that their application has been awarded or declined in four to five weeks (varies due to state holidays). Awarded applicants can expect contracts at the time of notification.

  Application deadlines are:

  • September 6, 2021, for projects beginning October 11 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of October 4.
  • October 4, 2021, for projects beginning November 8 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of November 1.
  • November 1, 2021, for projects beginning December 13 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of December 6.
  • December 6, 2021, for projects beginning January 17, 2022 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of January 10, 2022.
  • January 10, 2022, for projects beginning February 14 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of February 7.
  • February 7, 2022, for projects beginning March 14 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of March 7.
  • March 7, 2022, for projects beginning April 18 or later.
    Notification (awarded or declined) is expected the week of April 11.

  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.

  Note: Applications must be submitted no later than the deadline indicated for your project start date. However, earlier applications are encouraged. Applicants do not need to wait until a specific deadline; you may submit an application as soon as you are ready.

  Grant Period

  October 11, 2021- May 1, 2022

  All grant purchases and activities must be complete by May 1. If you have a program (for example, a teaching residency) occurring after May 1, please reach out to Catherine Ntube (803.734.8694 | cntube@arts.sc.gov), Specialist for Arts Organizations & Education, before applying.

• Funding & Match

  Funding

  Up to $3,000 per fiscal year (see Restrictions section of these guidelines for details)

  Matching Requirements

  1:2 (grantee:SCAC)

  Exception: No match is required for schools on this S.C. Department of Education list of schools with low-income student populations above 70%.

  Notes:

  • A 1:2 match means that for each dollar granted, the grantee must match with $0.50 of their own funds.
    • For example, if the total project cost is $1,800, the applicant may request $1,200 and must provide the remaining $600 from other sources.
  • The match for this category must be 100% cash; no in-kind expenses may be counted as part of the applicant’s match.
  • Funds from another SCAC grant may not be used as matching funds.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted through our grants portal, which uses the Foundant platform. 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.

You are urged to consider the Review Criteria (detailed in the “Review Process” section of these guidelines, under “After You Apply”) as you prepare your application materials. These criteria will be used to evaluate your application and determine the funding of your proposal.

• Your Online Grants Management Account

  The applicant must have an active account in our grants portal.

  • If you have previously used Submittable to apply for other SCAC grants or programs, please note that the grants portal is a different system. Your Submittable credentials will not work; you will need a grants portal account to apply for this grant.
  • If you have used the grants portal as both an artist and as a contact for a school or organization, be sure you log on with the correct account to apply for this grant.

  Helpful Hint: The primary contact person for this grant should be the arts teacher who will administer the grant activities. To ensure the correct person is listed as the primary contact for your application, that person should be the one to log on and click the “Apply” button to start the application. The primary contact person for this grant should be the person who will:

  1. edit and submit the grant application;
  2. manage this grant’s activities, and
  3. receive and respond to communications from the SCAC about this grant.

• Starting Your Application

  1. Follow the “Apply” link below. The online grants management system will open in a new browser tab or window.
  2. Log on, then click the “Apply” link at the top of your Applicant Dashboard.
  3. Find “Arts Teacher Support” in the list of available grant applications, and click the “Apply” button to the far right.

Not quite ready to apply? You can preview the application before you create an account or start an application.

After You Apply

• Review Process and Criteria

  The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. SCAC program staff and management will evaluate the applications based on the published Review Criteria and Priority areas. An applicant’s numerical rating and 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 to five weeks, as detailed in the “Deadlines & Grant Period” section of these guidelines.

  Review Criteria

  Funded Materials/Professional Development (20%)

  • The applicant provides thorough information about the school’s mission and demographics.
  • The applicant clearly identifies the materials and/or skills to which they would gain access through this grant.
  • The applicant compellingly explains how the materials and/or skills acquired would allow them to innovate in their classroom.
  • The applicant has a realistic sense of how many students will be impacted by this grant.

  Addressing Diverse Student Needs (24%)

  • The applicant identifies how grant-funded purchases or activities address learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • The applicant explains how classroom practices address the unique needs of low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and/or children and youth in foster care.

  Budget (6%)

  • The applicant presents a balanced budget for the project or purchase.
  • The applicant clearly documents all expenses in their budget and expense detail.

  Priority (50%)

  • The applicant is a teacher at a school with a low-income student population above 70%.
  • The applicant school has not previously received ATS or TSI (Teacher Standards Implementation) funding.
  • The applicant school is in an SCAC FY22 Opportunity Initiative County.

• If You Receive a Grant Award

  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 our online grants management system. 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 given.

  Please note: Any significant revisions to grant-funded activities must be approved in writing, in advance, by SCAC.

  Additional details about managing an SCAC grant are available on our agency website.

  Grant Payments

  Payment will be on a reimbursement basis only and will be released upon receipt and approval of your Final Report. This means any expenses must be financed up front by the school, district, or cooperating entity (such as PTA).

  Payments will be made to school districts, instead of directly to schools (unless the school is not part of a district). The school district serves as the Fiscal Receiver (sometimes known as the Fiscal Agent).

  Please note that the SCAC does not pay artists directly. The grantee (school) must pay an artist in full upon the conclusion of any residency.

  Final Report

  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.

Questions?

• If you are seeking advisement before submitting an application, please contact Amanda Noyes (803.734.8675 | anoyes@arts.sc.gov), K-12 Coordinator.
• If you have submitted an application, and/or you have a current grant, please contact the Grants Team (803.734.8695 | grants@arts.sc.gov).

Grants Coaching

We also highly recommend a visit to our Grants Coaching webpage, for

• New Grant Requirement: Moving from DUNS number to Unique Entity ID (UEI)
• open coaching calls for artists,
• category-specific information for grant applicants,
• monthly topic sessions, and
• opportunities for one-on-one assistance.

Missed a group call or session? Look for the “Video” link to access a recording of that presentation.