(Competitive category)
Registration deadline: March 3
Application deadline: April 1

This category supports a year of planning with a partner school to create a five-year strategic plan for improving arts programming and education school-wide, with the goal of improving the culture of the school.

A maximum of $20,000 is available in this category, and grants must be matched dollar for dollar with cash. The school's portion of the match should be no less than 70% of the amount requested from NYSCA. Applicants must receive funding in this category before applying in the ESP School-wide Arts Implementation category.

Application Instructions

The on-line application form includes the following questions, and a project budget. Complete the arts in education supplemental form as part of this request. Required and suggested support materials are listed below.

Application Narrative Questions

1. Project Description
Describe the school-wide arts partnership that you are planning.

2. School and Community Served
Briefly describe your partner school, including the community it serves and the demographics of the student population. Indicate the total number of teachers, and students at the school, and the number of classes, teachers and students at each grade level that you plan to serve.

3. Arts Instruction
Indicate the number of certified arts teachers in each artistic discipline that are on staff at the school, and how they serve the student population. Which of these teachers will be involved in planning this partnership and how? Describe how this partnership will enhance or complement sequential arts instruction and other arts programs (including those provided by other arts partners) at the school.

4. Past Relationship
Describe your organization's past relationship with the school.

5. Challenges
What school-based issues or challenges will this partnership address?

6. Sustainability
In your planning process, how will you consider the sustainability of the changes you create?

7. Steering Committee/Planning Team
Provide the name and title of each member of the Steering/Planning Committee and the Planning Team. If the school has an established arts committee, how does its membership overlap with or complement the Steering Committee?

8. Professional Development
Describe how your planning process will include professional development.

9. Work Plan/Timeline
Provide a work plan in the form of a timeline that clearly outlines specific activities to be undertaken during the planning period. If necessary, provide information about activities that have preceded or will follow this plan in order to provide context for the proposed activities.

10. Parental and Community Involvement
Describe how you will build support for this project, and the arts in general, with parents and community members. How will they be involved in the planning process?

11. Evaluation and Assessment
Describe the ways in which you will evaluate the effectiveness of your planning process and any pilot activities that you conduct. Provide information on the overall methodology and any tools that will be utilized.

12. Finances
Describe your plans for meeting the expenses of this project. Include the sources and the dollar amount of the school match.

Support Materials

Support materials must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the program by the application deadline. If you want support materials returned, provide a self-addressed stamped envelope.

1. A written letter of agreement from the school partner that demonstrates the school's support of the project (monetarily and otherwise) and outlines roles and responsibilities for each partner involved. This letter should appear on the school's letterhead (required)

2. A copy of the relevent sections of the school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (optional)

3. Samples of lesson plans, assessment tools, and student work (required)

4. Resumés of key personnel (required)