Engaging Creative Minds Advancement Grants

About This Grant

Purpose

This grant, which runs on a three (3)-year cycle, supports identified ECM Partner Schools seeking to provide ECM’s Summer STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) Institute, a four-week camp for rising K-8th graders designed to prevent summer learning loss and provide on-site professional development for teachers. They utilize the arts to increase literacy, offset summer learning loss, and engage students in exciting educational activities.

Please Note

Grant guidelines are subject to change until the application opens.

• Eligibility

  • Only ECM Partner Schools are eligible to apply for SCAC’s ECM Schools Advancement Grants.
    • To learn how to become an ECM Partner School, contact Starr Jordan (starr@engagingcreativeminds.org).

  • 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.

    • Individual public schools may use their school district’s Unique Entity ID and do not need to register separately.

  • 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.

• Restrictions

  None.

• Use of Funds

  All grant-funded spending must be directly in line with the ECM partnership agreement.

• 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

  There are no specified priority areas for this grant category.

• Deadline & Grant Period

  Deadline

  April 28, 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

  May 12, 2025 – June 30, 2025

• Funding & Match

  Funding

  • Up to $42,000 for 4-week, half-day camps.
  • Up to $55,000 for 4-week full-day camps.

  Matching Requirements

  1:1 (grantee:SCAC)

  A 1:1 match means that for each dollar granted, the grantee must match with $1.00 of their own funds. (For example, if the total project cost is $34,000, the applicant may request $17,000 and must provide the remaining $17,000 from other sources.)

  Please note:

  • 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.

• Grant Criteria

  ECM Partner Schools that complete the application process and remain in good standing with ECM will be recommended for funding.

  SCAC staff will review applications to confirm that:

  • The applicant meets the eligibility requirements.
  • The proposed spending priorities align with the stated purpose of this grant category. The proposed use of funds meets the requirements as stated in the grant guidelines.

How to Apply

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.

• 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

  The SCAC Grants Team will assign the FY25 ECM Advancement grant application to the grant contact person for the applicant schools eligible to apply. That contact person must have an active account in our grants portal—as a contact for the applicant school—to be assigned the grant application. After the grant application has been assigned, they will receive an email notification with instructions on how to access, complete, and submit the grant application.

After You Apply

• Review Process

  The Grants Team will review submitted applications for completeness and compliance with guideline and application requirements. SCAC program staff will then develop recommended award amounts based on the published review criteria, the availability of funds, and the number of ECM Partner Schools. 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.

• 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

  This grant operates on a reimbursement basis, meaning that the grantee must pay for approved expenses up front. Reimbursements will be issued only for approved expenses incurred within the specified grant period.

  A final report is required to close out this grant. The grantee will not receive payment until the final report is submitted and approved.

  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 runs on a three (3)-year cycle, and the following should be noted:

  • Grantees are required to file a final report at the end of each grant period. Submission of the application portion of your annual final report is required to be eligible for a grant award the following year. The reporting process prepares your school for continued eligibility and allows the SCAC to measure the impact of its grantmaking.
  • The grant is awarded annually, with separate contracts issued each year. To be eligible for continued funding, existing ECM Advancement grantees must answer a set of application questions as part of each year’s final report.