Deadline: 18-Jan-22
The Tennessee Arts Commission is offering grant under Arts Pathways for Youth Success (Formerly Funds for At-Risk Youth/FAY) to support out-of-school time, arts learning programs designed for underserved and underrepresented youth in grades PK-12, which may include ethnic groups*, youth with disabilities, and youth from low-income backgrounds.
*Ethnic groups are defined as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander or other groups that constitute less than the state’s current majority population.
Objective: Prepare students for success in school, career and life through the arts.
Strategies
- Advance arts education and arts integration initiatives that develop 21st century learning and literacy skills.
- Nurture initiatives that build skills to prepare students for jobs in the creative sector.
- Encourage positive youth development through the arts.
Funding Information
This category provides funds ranging from $1,000 to $12,000.
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects must provide hands-on, experiential arts learning activities. Professional artists must be integral to the project and provide primary instruction in one or more of the following artistic disciplines: performing, visual, literary, and/or folk arts.
- Projects using Strategy 1 are encouraged to:
- demonstrate a commitment to the artistic advancement of skills and knowledge for students.
- link content to arts and non-arts (if applicable) state and/or national curriculum standards and explain how the standards will be incorporated as part of instruction.
- explain how standards relate to the project outcomes being evaluated.
- Projects using Strategy 2 are encouraged to:
- offer work-based learning opportunities to shadow professionals in the creative sector.
- develop creative sector work readiness knowledge, attitudes, and skills in students.
- incorporate portfolios for students to demonstrate skills development.
- Projects using Strategy 3 are encouraged to:
- create a safe and affirming environment conducive to positive youth development through the arts.
- foster relationship-building and social skill development through small-group interaction, collaboration with professional and student artists, and community engagement.
- promote student ownership by involving participants in planning, leadership roles, and developing student voice.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants may not apply for funds for the same project in another Commission grant category in the same fiscal year.
- Applicants must be one of the following:
- nonprofit organizations or government agencies with a primary mission to serve youth
- libraries
- nonprofit arts organizations
- PK-12 schools or school systems (public or schools with nonprofit 501(c)3 status)
- Debarment and Suspension. Grantees are required to sign contracts certifying to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it, its current and future principals, its current and future subcontractors and their principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal or state department or agency.
Program Requirements
Application must:
- have a single project focus. Organizations with expansive arts education programs should narrow their focus to one project.
- align with one or more of the three strategies listed in these guidelines. The application narrative should include an indication which strategy or strategies align with the project.
- have a clear beneficial educational focus which demonstrates thorough planning and implementation.
- include an instructional component that clearly defines the goals and objectives of the project, provides learners with historical and/or social context, and demonstrates and/or reinforces the skill sets needed for the artistic medium being used. The instructional component details the content of the project – how subject matter will be taught and reinforced, the goals of the project, hands-on activities, and any problem-solving or critical thinking components. A sample lesson plan or content outline from one class session must be submitted in the Documents section of the application.
- include an evaluation component that measures the planning, implementation, and successes of the program and addresses plans for improvements or expansion of future projects. Evaluations should effectively measure the goals and objectives (outcomes) of the project and reflect whether or not those outcomes were sufficiently met.
- involve at least one supplemental activity to share with the broader community, demonstrate learning, or deepen instruction such as:
- “End-of-project” sharing event, such as a performance, exhibition, reading, or presentation that demonstrates what the students learned for parents, school personnel, and the community.
- Participatory family night that involves adults and students in joint hands-on arts activities as they relate to the project.
- Related arts field trip to a museum gallery, concert, or performance for the participants which includes a guided lesson. (NOTE: Grant funds may not be used to pay for field trips but admission costs and transportation can be used as part of the applicant’s match.)
For more information, visit https://tnartscommission.org/grants/arts-pathways-for-youth-success/