District Arts Support Grants

About This Grant

Purpose

This grant supports school districts committed to implementing standards-based arts curricula and making the arts an integral part of the basic curriculum and daily classroom instruction.

Note: For this grant program,

• “standards” refers to South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency, and
• arts disciplines are creative writing, dance, music, theatre, media arts, and visual art.

Please Note

Grant guidelines are subject to change until the application opens.

• Eligibility

  1. The applicant must be a school district in South Carolina.
  2. The applicant district must have a school board-approved Three-Year District Arts Education Strategic Plan for the inclusion of all six arts disciplines in their school day curriculum. The three-year plan should project through the proposed two-year grant cycle or longer, meaning it must include at least the next two school years, and either the preceding or following school year.
  3. The applicant district must have a designated district arts coordinator with appropriate experience in the six arts disciplines, who has responsibility for arts curricula and professional learning of district arts educators. The district arts coordinator must work at least part-time exclusively at the district level.
     Please note: A classroom teacher or other school-based employee with the additional title of district arts coordinator would not fulfill the arts coordinator requirement unless they have a reduced classroom-load to work half-time at the district level.

  4. 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.

• Restrictions

  • Applicants may submit only one application per deadline.
  • Current District Arts Coordinator grant recipients are not eligible for the District Arts Support grant.
  • Commissioners and staff of the S.C. Arts Commission and members of their immediate families are not eligible to apply for any individual SCAC programs, grants, fellowships, or services that provide financial support or career recognition.

• Use of Funds

  All grant activities must be rooted in the district’s Arts Education Strategic Plan. Eligible expense categories for this grant are limited to the following:

  • Professional development, consultancies, and comprehensive planning related to arts education
  • Subgranting to arts teachers
  • Supplies, materials, equipment for arts classrooms
  • Residencies and teaching artists
  • Performances and field trips
  • District-wide arts showcases and competitions

  Non-allowable expenses:

  • food, beverages, alcohol, catering services

  If you are hiring artists or teaching artists

  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.

  • Learn more about the S.C. Arts Directory
  • Search for an artist

• Additional Requirements of this Grant

  Primary Contact Requirement

  The primary contact listed in the grant application must be the main point of contact throughout the application process and, if awarded, during the grant period.

  For organizations, the primary contact must be an employee or active volunteer of the organization applying for the grant. Intermediaries, such as hired consultants or external representatives, are not permitted to serve as the primary point of contact. The primary contact will be responsible for all communications with the SCAC, including responding to inquiries, providing updates, and submitting required documentation. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification from the grant process or revocation of awarded funds.

• Priority

  Priority will be given to school districts that meet the following criteria:

  • Less than 50% of schools comprising the district are FY25 ABC schools who receive ABC grant funding. Additional priority will be given to school districts that have no FY25 ABC grant recipients within the district.
  • Districts in SCAC Opportunity Initiative Counties:
    • Allendale
    • Bamberg
    • Calhoun
    • Cherokee
    • Clarendon
    • Dillon
    • Edgefield
    • Hampton
    • Jasper
    • Laurens
    • Lee
    • Marion
    • Marlboro
    • Saluda
    • Williamsburg

• Deadlines & Grant Period

  Deadlines

  FY24 District Arts Support Group 1 grantees and new applicants:

  • Part One: Letter of Intent to Apply – March 14, 2025
    • The letter of intent will be submitted through the Grants Portal.
    • Please upload your letter of intent on district letterhead.
    • Please include the following in your Letter of Intent to Apply:
      • Statement of intent to apply
      • District demographic overview (number of students in district, % of students in poverty, racial and ethnic breakdown)
      • Number of arts teachers in the district
      • Arts disciplines offered to students (creative writing, dance, music, theatre, media arts, and visual art)
      • A brief overview of the role of the District Arts Coordinator, including designated time for the position (e.g., half-time, full-time)
      • Has the district developed and begun to implement a comprehensive 3-to-5-year District Arts Strategic Plan? If not, will it be in place and board-approved by Fall 2025?
      • Any additional information you feel is important for us to know about your district prior to the full grant application.
  • Part Two: Full Grant Application (By Invitation Only) – May 9, 2025

  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.

  Grant Period

  July 1, 2025–May 1, 2026 and July 1, 2026–May 1, 2027

  Grants are awarded on a two-year cycle of approval. Separate contracts will be issued each year.

• Funding & Match

  Funding

  Up to $25,000 per year

  Matching Requirements

  2:1 (grantee:SCAC)

  Each $1 awarded must be matched with a $2 cash investment by the district towards the district arts budget. No in-kind expenses are allowed as part of the applicant’s match in this category.

  • Funds from another SCAC grant may not be used as matching funds.
  • Federal funding may not be used as matching funds.

• Grant Criteria

  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.

  FY26 District Arts Support Grant Application Evaluation Rubric
  Capacity - Arts Budget – 14% of Total Score
  Balanced Budget	0-1 point: The budget is not balanced and/or is not designated for arts programming.	2-4 points: The budget is balanced but is minimally designated for arts programming.	5-6 points: The budget is balanced and appropriately designated for arts programming.	7-8 points: The budget is clear, balanced and appropriately designated for arts programming.
  Budget - Support for the Arts	0 points: The district’s arts budget does not demonstrate a capacity or commitment to supporting the growth of the arts in the district.	1-2 points: The district’s arts budget does not demonstrate a current capacity and commitment to supporting the growth of the arts, but does outline the district’s plan for growth.	3-4 points: The district’s arts budget demonstrates some capacity and commitment to supporting the growth of the arts in the district.	5-6 points: The district’s arts budget demonstrates high capacity and commitment to supporting the growth of the arts in the district.
  Teachers – 6% of Total Score
  Qualified Teacher Rating	0 points: No teaching staff have appropriate qualifications to teach the arts disciplines to which they are assigned.	1-2 points: Few teaching staff have appropriate qualifications to teach the arts disciplines to which they are assigned.	3-4 points: Some teaching staff have appropriate qualifications to teach the arts disciplines to which they are assigned.	5-6 points: All teaching staff have appropriate qualifications to teach the arts disciplines to which they are assigned.
  Curriculum – 26% of Total Score
  Curriculum Guide	0 points: There is no district-level curriculum guide for implementing state-approved achievement standards in the visual and performing arts.		2 points: There is a district-level curriculum guide for implementing state-approved achievement standards in the visual and performing arts.
  Lesson Plans	0-1 point: Lesson plans and lesson plan reflections provide little to no evidence of thoughtful, quality classroom instruction.	2-4 points: Lesson plans and lesson plan reflections provide minimal evidence of thoughtful, quality classroom instruction.	5-7 points: Lesson plans and lesson plan reflections provide some evidence of thoughtful, quality classroom instruction.	8-10 points: Lesson plans and lesson plan reflections provide clear, strong evidence of thoughtful, quality classroom instruction.
  Time Allotted to Arts Courses	0-1 point: The district has allotted little to no time to arts courses throughout the district.	2 points: The district has allotted occasional time to arts courses throughout the district.	3-4 points: The district has allotted consistent time to arts courses throughout the district.	5-6 points: The district has allotted consistent and substantial time to arts courses throughout the district.
  Beyond School Day	0-1 point: The district provides little to no arts programming (and does not plan to provide) beyond the school day throughout the district.	2 points: The district provides some arts programming beyond the school day at a few schools throughout the district.	3 points: The district provides strong arts programming beyond the school day at most schools throughout the district.	4 points: The district provides a robust schedule of arts programming beyond the school day at all schools throughout the district.
  Measuring Student Outcomes	0-1 point: The district does not (and has no plans to) measure the impact of arts learning on student outcomes.	2 points: The district has not measured, but plans to measure, the impact of arts learning on student outcomes.	3 points: The district measures the impact of arts learning on student outcomes.	4 points: The district deeply and thoroughly measures the impact of arts learning on student outcomes.
  Arts Strategic Plan – 26% of Total Score
  Strategic Plan Process	0-1 point: The strategic planning process provided little to no space for input from stakeholders and has not been communicated across the district.	2 points: The strategic planning process provided minimal space for input from a variety of stakeholders and has been minimally communicated across the district.	3 points: The strategic planning process provided some space for input from a variety of stakeholders and has been communicated across the district.	4-5 points: The strategic planning process provided ample space for input from a wide variety of stakeholders and has been clearly and comprehensively communicated across the district.
  Plan Content	0-1 point: The district arts strategic plan will not have been board-approved by the beginning of the grant period and/or is not up to date (extends through the entire two-year grant period), and/or is missing critical information such as: objectives, strategies, and parties accountable for the development and implementation of all activities.	2-4 points: The district arts strategic plan will have been board-approved by the beginning of the grant period, is up to date (extends through the entire two-year grant period) but is missing critical information such as: objectives, strategies, and parties accountable for the development and implementation of all activities.	5-7 points: The district arts strategic plan will have been board-approved by the beginning of the grant period, is up to date (extends through the entire two-year grant period), and includes some objectives, strategies, and parties accountable for the development and implementation of all activities.	8-10 points: The district arts strategic plan will have been board-approved by the beginning of the grant period, is up to date (extends through the entire two-year grant period), and includes clear objectives, strategies, and parties accountable for the development and implementation of all activities.
  Plan Evaluation	0-1 point: There is no plan for regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the district arts strategic plan, and there is little to no evidence that lessons learned from the evaluation have informed and/or will inform adjustments to the plan.	1-2 points: There is a plan for regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the district arts strategic plan, and there is minimal evidence that lessons learned from the evaluation have informed and/or will inform adjustments to the plan.	3-4 points: There is a plan for regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the district arts strategic plan, and there is some evidence that lessons learned from the evaluation have informed and/or will inform adjustments to the plan.	5-6 points: There is a plan for regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the district arts strategic plan, and there is strong, clear evidence that lessons learned from the evaluation have informed and/or will inform adjustments to the plan.
  Letters of Support	0-1 point: There is very little to no evidence of administrative and community support for the District Arts Support Grant Application. (Does not include letters from Superintendent, School Principal, Arts Teacher and Community Stakeholder.)	2 points: There is little evidence of administrative and community support for the District Arts Support Grant Application. (May not include letters from Superintendent, School Principal, Arts Teacher and Community Stakeholder.)	3 points: There is some evidence of administrative and community support for the District Arts Support Grant Application. (Includes letters from Superintendent, School Principal, Arts Teacher and Community Stakeholder.)	4-5 points: There is strong evidence of administrative and community support for the District Arts Support Grant Application. (Includes letters from Superintendent, School Principal, Arts Teacher and Community Stakeholder.)
  District Policies – 28% of Total Score
  Arts Teacher Meetings	0-2 points: There are no scheduled meetings among arts teachers.	3-5 points: There are few scheduled meetings among arts teachers	6-7 points: There are occasionally scheduled meetings among arts teachers	8-10 points: There are regularly scheduled meetings among arts teachers.
  Professional Arts Learning	0-1 point: Arts Teachers receive little to no relevant arts-specific professional learning opportunities.	2-4 points: Arts Teachers receive few relevant arts-specific professional learning opportunities.	5-6 points: Arts Teachers receive occasional engaging and relevant arts-specific professional learning opportunities.	7-8 points: Arts Teachers receive frequent engaging and relevant arts-specific professional learning opportunities.
  Professional Learning Impact	0-2 points: Professional learning reflection videos do not indicate that district-level professional learning positively impacts student outcomes.	3-5 points: Professional learning reflection videos minimally indicate that district-level professional learning positively impacts student outcomes.	6-7 points: Professional learning reflection videos somewhat indicate that district-level professional learning positively impacts student outcomes.	8-10 points: Professional learning reflection videos clearly indicate that district-level professional learning positively impacts student outcomes.

  Printer-friendly rubric.

How to Apply

To apply for this grant, you must submit a Letter of Intent to Apply through the grants portal. For questions about this process, please contact the program director.

If the program director determines that your intended proposal meets the guideline requirements, you will receive an invitation and instructions for starting your grant application.

If You Are Invited to Apply

There will be an optional Zoom Coaching Call for approved applicants on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 2-3 p.m. ET.

The SCAC Grants Team and Arts and Education Accessibility Director Amanda Noyes will discuss:

• Grants Portal navigation when accessing, completing, and submitting the grant application
• Content and information needed for the FY26 District Arts Support grant application
• Lesson plans, reflection videos, and other required materials

A link to register for this coaching call will be included in an approval email from the Grants Portal (administrator@grantinterface.com). After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

• 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.

• As part of your application, you will upload lesson plans and provide links to lesson plan reflection videos and professional development impact videos. We strongly encourage you to prepare these materials, following the instructions provided here, before you visit the grants portal to begin your application.

• Lesson Plans & Reflection Videos

  To demonstrate how visual and performing arts standards at the district level inform and permeate classroom instruction, please select three (3) teachers to share a lesson plan and reflection video.

  Lesson Plan Requirements

  • Unless the size of your district does not allow it, the teachers should represent three (3) different schools.
  • Lesson plans should draw from at least two (2) different grade bands (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and include at least two (2) different arts disciplines.
  • We do not require a specific lesson plan format; however, lesson plans should indicate the South Carolina 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency being addressed and, if applicable, should be aligned with the district’s scope and sequence or curriculum guide.
  • Uploaded files may be .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.

  Lesson Plan Reflection Video Requirements

  • Each reflection video should respond to the following prompts in roughly 3-5 minutes:
    • Summarize the lesson objective and activities.
    • Explain how the lesson fits into the larger scope and sequence or curriculum guide (and/or other district-wide arts education expectations or initiatives, if applicable).
    • Answer the question: What reflections on this lesson would you share with other teachers in your district? For example, did a particular activity work well to drive student engagement or make a complex skill more manageable for students? Is there a realization you had, or a change you would hope to implement the next time you teach the lesson?
  • Reflection videos will never be made public and are not intended to be high-stress or masterfully produced. A cell phone video in selfie mode or a Zoom/Google Classroom recording is more than enough.
  • You will be asked to provide a URL/ link to a website where each video can be viewed.
    • Social media sites, YouTube, etc. are acceptable, as long as the video can be accessed without login credentials for that platform. Please make sure any support materials shared via link can be accessed by SCAC staff and review panelists. Do not include social media or websites for which a password or other access information is required. For example: If you link to a YouTube video, be sure the privacy setting is “Unlisted” (which just requires the URL) instead of “Private” (which would require a personal invitation for each panelist).

• Professional Development Impact Videos

  Select two (2) professional development participants to submit brief videos reflecting on arts-based professional development that your district provides.

  Professional Development Impact Video Requirements

  • Each video should answer the following prompt in roughly three to five minutes: Please describe a district-provided arts-based professional development opportunity that you participated in. How has this professional development impacted or informed your teaching?
  • One video should come from an elementary school teacher and one from a middle/high school teacher.
  • Unless impossible due to the size of your district, these teachers should not be the same teachers who submitted lesson plans for this application.
  • Videos will never be made public and are not intended to be high-stress or masterfully produced. A cell phone video in selfie mode or a Zoom/ Google Classroom recording is more than enough.
  • You will be asked to provide a URL/ link to a website where each video can be viewed.
    • Social media sites, YouTube, etc. are acceptable, as long as the video can be accessed without login credentials for that platform. Please make sure any support materials shared via link can be accessed by SCAC staff and review panelists. Do not include social media or websites for which a password or other access information is required. For example: If you link to a YouTube video, be sure the privacy setting is “Unlisted” (which just requires the URL) instead of “Private” (which would require a personal invitation for each panelist).

• Your Grants Portal 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 for a school or organization, be sure you log on with the correct account to apply for this grant.

• Starting Your Application

  PART ONE: LETTER OF INTENT

  1. Follow the “Apply” link below. The Grants Portal 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 “FY26 Education – District Arts Support” in the list of available grant applications, and click the “Apply” button to the far right.

  PART TWO: FULL GRANT APPLICATION

  Based on review of the submitted letters of intent, selected applicants will be invited to develop their proposal into a full grant application. Only those invited to proceed to Part Two will be eligible for District Arts Support funding.

After You Apply

• Review Process

  The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. A review panel of arts education professionals will evaluate the applications based on the published review 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 2025 board meeting, pending completion of the state budget process.

• 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. Additionally, if awarded, all parties agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, statutes, regulations, executive orders, and provisions.

  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.

  Grant Payments

  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.

  Final Report

  ALL GRANTEES are required to submit 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.

  This grant is 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 report for year one of the two-year cycle will allow us to assess long-term progress and generate the next year’s contract.