United States: Arts Education Exposure Program

Deadline: 16-Jun-22

The California Arts Council (CAC) is pleased to announce the Arts Education Exposure Program to support attendance at high-quality performances and exhibits for students who would particularly benefit from these experiences.

Students may be identified as priority communities for participation due to socioeconomic status, geographic region, or other aspects of students’ life experiences that elevate the impact of having opportunities to engage with these cultural assets. Exposure program experiences may include art exhibits and performances, field trips to arts venues, and/or school assemblies.

Program Goals

Projects should address the following Exposure program goals:
- Increase student access to and participation in school-based arts education as part of coordinated efforts with school site leaders, district staff, and county Offices of Education.
- Cultivate students’ appreciation for the arts and understanding of themselves as the next generation of arts patrons and participants.
- Promote culturally and linguistically responsive learning through the arts, using cultural knowledge to support the cultural assets of the local community and students’ positive self-identification within and respect for diverse cultures.
- Develop long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between arts and educational organizations, teaching artists, and the youth and families in the communities they serve.

Funding Information

Applicant organizations can request up to $40,000 for the two-year grant period.
Grant Request Amount: Up to $60,000 for two years
Estimated Total Number of Grant Awards: 133
Grant Activity Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024
Matching Funds: Not Required

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must comply with the requirements below. All applications must include the listed items at the time of submission in order to be considered for funding.
- Racial equity statement – Description of the organization’s commitment to equitable policies and culture.
- California-based – Documentation of having a principal place of business in California.
- Arts programming – Applicants must have a minimum two-year history of consistent engagement in arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline.
- 501(c)(3) organization as applicant or fiscal sponsor – Non-governmental (municipal, county, or tribal) applicant organizations must demonstrate proof of nonprofit status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.
- Fiscal sponsors – An applicant organization without nonprofit status must use a California-based fiscal sponsor with a federal 501(c)(3) designation to apply for funding.
  - The fiscal sponsor will provide the fiscal oversight and administrative services needed to complete the grant.
  - A Letter of Agreement between the fiscal sponsor and the applicant organization must be signed by a representative from both parties and submitted with the application. A blank signature field will not be accepted. If a grant is awarded, the fiscal sponsor becomes the legal contract holder with the California Arts Council.
  - A fiscal sponsor change is not permissible during the Grant Activity Period, with rare exceptions.
  - Fiscal sponsors must have a minimum two-year history of consistent engagement in arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline. (Acting as a fiscal sponsor to arts and cultural organizations is considered an arts service.)
- Certificate of good standing – Nonprofit organizations and fiscal sponsors (if applicable) must have “active status” with the California Secretary of State (SOS) showing evidence of “good standing” at the time of application. You can verify your organization’s status by conducting a search using the SOS online Business Search tool. An indication of “active” (versus “suspended,” “dissolved,” “cancelled,” etc.) confirms that your nonprofit corporation exists, is authorized to conduct business in the State of California, has met all licensing and corporation requirements, and has not received a suspension from the Franchise Tax Board.