CCA Fast Track Arts Education Planning Grants
In a global economy, creativity and innovation are the keys to competitiveness. Learning in and through the arts stimulates creative and analytical capabilities, and is therefore fundamental to ensuring that today’s students are prepared for tomorrow’s jobs. In an arts rich curriculum, students not only acquire knowledge and skills in the basic arts disciplines, but also apply that understanding to learning in other core subject areas, ultimately increasing their engagement in education and their academic success.
One-time only - Fast Track Arts Education Planning Grants will support efforts by a school or district to develop a long-term, sustainable vision for arts education, including the development of a five-year plan to make standards-based arts instruction and integration of the arts into other subject areas an integral part of the basic curriculum for every student. The goal is to develop model programs that include the arts as a vital component of education reform, and will support the formation of broad-based school and district arts committees and the inclusion of Colorado artists and arts organizations in the planning effort. For information about a spring deadline for more comprehensive planning and implementation grants for schools or districts more advanced in their arts education work, contact CCA Arts Education Consultant Sheila Sears at Sheila.Sears@state.co.us
WHAT WE FUND: A Fast Track Arts Education Planning Grant provides up to $3,000 for an individual school or up to $6,000 for a school district for planning processes which may include, but are not limited to consultants, convenings, meetings, rallies, promotional activities, teacher professional development, substitutes or hourly coverage for teachers involved in planning activities, materials and supplies for teacher resource centers, marketing assistance, fundraising events and supplies, or other projects which:
- Further the school or district’s commitment to develop sustainable support for arts education. Your proposal will state planning strategies and activities that will achieve a specific school or district arts learning goal. The goal may be related to the support of one or more arts discipline including visual arts, music, theatre, dance or creative writing, and/or the integration of one or more arts disciplines into other core curricula or subject areas, either broadening, deepening, or diversifying current offerings or creating new opportunities for all students,
- AND is developed through a process that results in a five-year strategic arts education plan for the school or district. This plan should be conceived as part of general school education reform efforts and be based on the Colorado Content Standards for Dance, Music, Theatre and/or Visual Arts,
- AND is developed through the establishment of a broad-based Arts Committee that brings together the people and organizations that have a stake in reaching the goal. CCA will look for evidence that your proposed activities include input from and involvement by individuals or groups that share a stake in the stated goal, including school/district administration, parents, arts specialists and classroom teachers, artists and community arts organizations, including higher education.
ELIGIBILITY: You are eligible to apply for an Arts Education Fast Track Planning Grant if:
- You are a Colorado public or charter school or a Colorado school district in a position to start work immediately on their five-year plan.
WE DO NOT FUND: These grants are not to be used for direct expenses of arts education programs such as:
- In-classroom or out of school time art activities, artists in residence, buses, tickets or other field trip expenses, art teachers or arts programs offered by organizations, or arts equipment or supplies used by students. Note: Although food for events or convenings is allowable, alcohol cannot be purchased with CCA funds.
SIZE OF AWARD AND MATCH:
You may request up to $3,000 per individual school or $6,000 per district. Your request must be matched at the formula of: CCA 75%/School or District 25% cash and in-kind. At least half of your match must be in cash. For example, if your total budget is $2,000, you may request $1,500 from CCA. Of the $500 that you provide, at least half - $250 – must be in cash and the rest can be in donations of goods or services, which may include teacher and administrator time, facilities, etc.
TIMELINE: Deadline: October 18, 2007 (For planning efforts from November 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008) Notification: Oct. 26, 2007
REQUIREMENTS:
- Develop a five-year arts plan & broad-based Arts Committee
- Involvement of arts groups/artists in planning
- Professional development for teachers
- Attend one mandatory CCA networking/training
- Interim report due: March 14, 2008 if applying for Advancement Grant
- Final report and plan due July 31, 2008
APPLICATION PROCESS: Completed applications must be received by 4:00 p.m., Thursday, October 18, 2007. All applications must include a cover/fact sheet with the original signature of the principal for school applications or the superintendent for district applications.
DOCUMENTATION: As you carry out your project, be sure to document your activities with photographs, sample materials such as poster, media clippings, or notes from your planning meetings, depending on the nature of your project. You will be asked to submit this documentation along with your final report no later than July 31, 2008.
