Summer Arts Education Project Grants

About This Grant

Purpose

These grants support quality arts education programs for preschool (3K-4K) and/or K-12 students between school years, 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 summers of 2024 and 2025.

Activities should

1. Expand student access to arts education opportunities; and
2. Complement, augment, or advance standards-based arts instruction or arts integration activities aligned with school curriculum and
3. Be focused on or include significant components of quality instruction and/or experiences in the visual arts, performing arts, media arts, design arts, folk and traditional arts, or creative writing; and
4. Address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency; or
5. If applying for or including preschool programming, address South Carolina’s Profile of the Ready Kindergartener.

Please Note

Grant guidelines are subject to change until the application opens.

• Eligibility

  1. The applicant must be
     • A college or university; OR
     • A unit of state or local government; OR
     • A nonprofit community-based organization (arts or non-arts)
       1. currently registered as a charity with the S.C. Secretary of State’s Office
          Note: Applicants who are exempt from this registration must upload their registration exemption approval.
       2. reflecting S.C. as the primary address on all current official organizational documents
       3. with federal tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service
          OR
          applying through a tax-exempt fiscal agent/receiver organization
          Note: Applicants who are applying through a fiscal agent/receiver must submit a letter outlining the working relationship and responsibilities of both parties.

  2. 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 (1) application per deadline.
  • College and university departments are eligible, but only one (1)  application per department will be accepted.
  • Schools and school districts are not eligible.
  • Individual artists are not eligible.
  • Eligible project disciplines are: visual arts, performing arts, media arts, design arts, folk and traditional arts, and creative writing.
  • Any arts material or activity that is already funded by a Term Arts Education Project grant may not be duplicated in, or overlap with, a Summer Arts Education Project grant application.
  • Students under age 3 may benefit from proposed programming, but programs should not be focused on students below the 3K level.

• Use of Funds

  Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

  • Workshops
  • Camps
  • Artist residencies (see note below)
  • Public art projects
  • Performances
  • Exhibitions
  • Acquisition of critical equipment or supplies
  • Program planning
  • Professional learning for instructors, artists, and/or administrators

  If you are hiring artists, teaching artists or facilitators

  Recipients of the Summer 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.

  • Artists labeled as Verified Teaching Artists on the Directory have been additionally vetted by SCAC through the submission of sample lesson plans, recorded teaching samples, and letters of recommendation.
  • 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 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

  None.

• Priority

  This funding category is highly competitive.

  1. Priority will be given to:
     • Proposed activities specifically serving students in one or more Opportunity Initiative Counties, targeted for special attention by SCAC; and/or
     • Applicant organizations located within an Opportunity Initiative county.

     SCAC Opportunity Initiative Counties:

     • Allendale
     • Bamberg
     • Calhoun
     • Cherokee
     • Clarendon
     • Dillon
     • Edgefield
     • Hampton
     • Jasper
     • Laurens
     • Lee
     • Marion
     • Marlboro
     • Saluda
     • Williamsburg
  2. Priority will be given to projects or programs which:
     • Address learning loss that has occurred as a result of COVID-19; and/or
     • Include partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet preschool (3k-4k) and/or K-12 educational goals through the arts; and/or
     • Serve specific student populations, including those living in rural or high-poverty areas.

  See the “Grant Criteria” section of these guidelines for details.

• Deadline & Grant Period

  Deadline

  March 14, 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.

  Grant Period

  May 1, 2024–August 15, 2025*

  * All projects must be implemented during the summer months of 2024 and 2025 (May 1-August 15, 2024 and May 1-August 15, 2025). If your proposed project is scheduled to extend beyond these dates, 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 summers, you will be required to complete and upload a budget spreadsheet for each summer meaning you will be uploading two budget spreadsheets within your grant application.

• Funding & Match

  Funding

  Up to $50,000 ($25,000 per summer)

  Matching Requirements

  1:2 (grantee:SCAC)

  • A 1:2 match means that for each SCAC dollar granted, the grantee must match with $0.50 of their own funds.
    • For example, if the total project cost is $18,000, the applicant may request $12,000 and must provide the remaining $6,000 from other sources.
  • At least 50% of the applicant’s match must be cash.
  • Funds may not be matched with another SCAC grant

• Grant Criteria

  Are you wondering what makes for a strong application?

  The SCAC recommends using the FY24/25 Summer Arts Education Projects 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%)
  	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 community need for the project or program supported with evidence and data.	There is strong, clear community need for the project or program supported with relevant evidence and data.
  	0-1	2-3	4-5	6-7
  Educational Goals	The educational goals of the project are unclear or absent and do not include what students will learn: academically, artistically, or otherwise.	The educational goals of the project are vague. It is somewhat unclear what students will learn academically, 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	2-3	4-5	6-7
  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	2-3	4-5	6-7
  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	3-4	5
  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 or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener.	Most activities address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener.	All activities address South Carolina’s 2017 College and Career Ready Standards for Visual and Performing Arts Proficiency or the SC Profile of the Ready Kindergartener.
  	0-1	2-3	4-5	6-7
  Student Outcomes	Plan does not include methods of measuring achievement of goals or student outcomes.	Plan includes some methods of measuring achievement of goals 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.
  	0-1	2-3	4-5	6-7
  COVID-19 Learning Loss	Activities do not measure and address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.	Activities somewhat measure and address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.	Activities measure and address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.	Activities clearly measure and address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Organizational Capacity (40%)
  	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 measures to ensure that commitment is met.	The organization directly demonstrates a commitment to artistic quality and identifies measures to ensure that commitment is met.
  	0	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	1-2	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	2	3
  Partnerships	The proposal represents no partnerships between organizations, schools, and/or other entities to meet 3k-4k 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	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%)
  	0	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	1-2	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.

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 as a contact for a school or organization, be sure you log on with the correct account to apply for this grant.

• Starting Your Application

  1. Click 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 “Summer Arts Education Projects” in the list of available grant applications, and click the “Apply” button to the far right.
     • Note: Be sure you are applying for “Summer Arts Education Projects,” not “Term Arts Education Projects” without the “Summer” designation.

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 professionals will evaluate the applications based on the published review criteria and priority areas. 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 in spring 2024, 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. 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.

  If you are using a fiscal agent/receiver, grant funds will be released to your fiscal receiver, who will then pay you.

  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.

  In addition, failure to file a complete Summer 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 Summers, Summer 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 summers and the first summer’s final report is approved, the grantee will be required to provide a completed budget spreadsheet for the second summer of the approved Arts Education Project within the second summer’s contract packet follow up form. This will confirm any necessary project changes after the first summer for final approval for the second summer.