Creative Aging Tennessee IV

There are many types of arts programs that can be created to achieve the desired outcomes for this initiative.  However, for this initiative, programs will align with a learning approach rather than a health intervention model and should aspire to achieve the following outcomes:

• Respect the high capabilities of older adults by challenging them to develop artistic skills;
• Offer sequential arts instruction in a sustained and organized fashion (i.e., classes must run between 4-12 consecutive weeks);
• Deepen social engagement;
• Employ teaching artists from the Creative Aging Artist Roster trained to understand the effects of aging and their significance for the design and delivery of arts programs for older adults.

As part of this initiative, programs can only use artist on TAC’s Creative Aging Artist Roster. These artists or nonprofit organizations have gone through special training to learn about techniques and strategies to effectively engage older adults. In fiscal year 2027, TAC will be developing a new Tennessee-based creative aging training for artists to become a part of this roster. For more information about these trainings for interested artists, contact Kim Johnson at kim.johnson@tn.gov or 615-532-9797.

Only senior centers with a 501c3 nonprofit status and governmental entities are eligible to apply. Universities and Colleges are eligible to apply if they are governmental entities. Eligible nonprofit senior centers must be legally chartered in Tennessee. Failure to provide all nonprofit status documentation will result in the application being disqualified.

For this grant opportunity, older adults are defined as individuals sixty (60) years old and above in age.

Unique Entity ID (UEI): All applicants are required to have a Unique Entity ID. UEI information and application instructions can be found here.

Funded projects must take place between August 1, 2026 and June 1, 2027 (FY27) under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee, TN Arts Commission.

Only one application per project will be accepted and partners cannot apply for the same project. All Creative Aging grants will be awarded and disbursed to lead applicants only.

Arts organizations that receive revenue directly from a “New Specialty Earmarked Plate” under T.C.A 55-4-301 (a)(1) are ineligible for Commission grant funding.

Additional eligibility requirements and funding restrictions may apply. Please see Legal Requirements for further details.

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.

Other Important eligibility considerations:

• Only artists on the Creative Aging Artist Roster can be used to conduct this arts programming. If an applicant wants to use an artist not currently on the roster, the TN Arts Commission will provide a new training program for artists who are interested.  For a schedule of these trainings, contact Kim Johnson, Director of Arts & Health, at 615-532-9797 or kim.johnson@tn.gov.
• The applicant must choose an artist from the Creative Aging Artist Roster. There must be a signed contract between the artists and applicant organization that will be uploaded into the documents section of the application.
• Programs must occur in senior centers or governmental entities close to the communities where the target audiences live and for the arts programming to be easily accessible to older adults in the surrounding community.
• In some cases, the artists may want to take the lead and recruit a senior center or senior center or governmental entity to be the applicant for their services. This is acceptable but the senior center or governmental entity must be the applicant organization for grants funding.

The following art forms are acceptable including visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts. Additional examples of acceptable art forms include jewelry making, quilting, storytelling, etc.

This grant does not require a match.

This is a Rolling Grant opportunity which means applicants will be reimbursed after receiving approval for the project and after the project has been completed. Approved expenses will need to be paid on the front end by the applicant organization and then after the project is completed, approved expenses will be reimbursed.

Applicants may request up to $4,000 only for artist fees and supplies for the arts program or project.

Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are expended and paid on a reimbursement basis for submitted applications that are complete.  Applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are depleted and/or until April 1, 2027.

Professional (contractual) fees for artists include planning time, teaching of the art classes, and travel fees incurred by the artist. If needed, unique supplies/materials can also be included in this line item.

The teaching artist and grantee organization must have a contract that states the fees reimbursable to the artist for provided sequential classes. A copy of this contract will be required in the Documents section of the grantee application. The Tennessee Arts Commission is not responsible for the execution of this contract.

For FY27, funded projects must take place between August 1, 2026 and June 1, 2027. Since this is a Rolling Grant opportunity, applications will be accepted and reviewed on a continual basis until funds are depleted and/or until April 1, 2027. 

Projects may begin no earlier than August 1, 2026 or 30 days after the submission date of the application. Arts programming must end by June 1, 2027. Grantees must close their grant and submit evaluations data no later than June 15, 2027.

This grant does not require a match. Rolling Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis only. No advance payments will be made. Grantees must submit all required reporting in the Tennessee Arts Commission online grants system no later than 30 days after the date of the program/activity or by June 15, 2027, whichever comes first. Failure to do so may jeopardize future funding.

A complete application is one that creates a narrative case for the grant, puts forth a reasonable budget, and demonstrates the ability of proposed program to align with the project’s outcomes and the availability of funds.

The application should demonstrate a strong plan of how the project will add value to the people and/or communities it proposes to serve. The application should also be well-planned and presented with all questions answered. If Commission funding has been previously awarded, the applicant should have a past record of administrative cooperation and compliance with the Commission’s grant requirements and procedures. Creative Aging Tennessee IV applications will be reviewed in-house by Commission members and staff. Funding notification will take place via email.

The Tennessee Arts Commission reserves the right to deny any application, if the proposed activity is outside of the scope or spirit of the agency’s mission, purpose, or this grant program.

Key requirements for successful applicants include the ability to demonstrate a project that addresses an older adult need and/or opportunity; has an effective project design; has the potential for sustainability; uses the arts to connect older adults with the communities in which they live; and the organization has people (staff or volunteers) to implement and coordinate the project.

Examples of ineligible projects include: expansion of currently funded TN Arts Commission projects; health or wellness related programs; for-profit organizations; start-up funding to establish nonprofit status; meal or food expenses; capital expenses/equipment; fees for out-of-state artists and performances; travel, hotel, conference, or other related expenses; and other examples as determined by TN Arts Commission staff.

These examples are not intended to represent all of the potential programs that could be developed and conducted for older adults but potential program classes could include:

Creative Writing
Traditional dance or music teaching
Craft/hobbies (jewelry making, wood carving, quilt making)
Theater opportunities
Story telling
Visual Arts (painting, sculpting, etc.)

Allowable expenses include, but are not limited to:

• artist fees for the delivery of creative aging teaching/learning programs (artist fee includes planning time, implementation of classes, travel, and sometimes supplies)
• supplies/materials (includes consumable supplies for participants)

Unallowable activities and expenses include:

• stand-alone performances, exhibits or activities that are not part of a sustained arts learning program (i.e., no one-time arts class or event; classes must run 4-12 consecutive weeks)
• services designed primarily as health interventions (using art for therapeutic purposes to treat cognitive or physical diagnoses).
• food , catering or hospitality services
• tuition or activities for which academic credit is given
• programs or services for children, unless intergenerational programming with older adults is the focus of the program
• administrative expenditures, rent or overhead unrelated to the management of the project
• deficits incurred from past activities
• expenses incurred before the start or after the ending date of the grant period
• technology costs related to online program design or delivery, including video conferencing platforms, web programming, site design, etc.
• other unallowable expenses as determined by TAC

Application must be received at least 30 days prior to the start date of the program or before.  Applicants are encouraged to apply early. For FY27, applications for this grant will open July 1, 2026. Grant guidelines will be available on the TN Arts Commission’s website under the name, Creative Aging Tennessee IV. To access the application, organizations, who have not previously done so, must register in the online grants system before filling out an application. Only one (1) application is allowed per organization and/or project.

Projects may begin no earlier than August 1, 2026 or 30 days after the submission date of the application. Arts programming must be end by June 1, 2027 and projects must close their grant and submit evaluations data no later than June 15, 2027.

How to Apply:

1. Register  to use the  Online Grants System. You are strongly advised to register well in advance to the application deadline. Anyone registering close to the deadline date can expect delays in the processing of their grant application.
2. Once you’ve been emailed a username and password, log in to the  Online Grants System to complete your profile and begin an application.
3. Use the “People” link to ensure your profile is complete and accurate. This information will also be used in the review of the application. To open the record for editing, click the edit button at the top of the screen.
4. When the “People” profile is complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” link under INFORMATION in the grey menu on the left.
5. Scroll down the page until you see “Apply for a Rolling Grant” in a green box. Select the green box.
6. Fill out the basic information, including “Creative Aging TN IV” for Grant Category. Press the Save button. Your application will now be found in “Draft Applications link under APPLICATIONS in the grey menu on the left.
7. Open the application by selecting it. Select the EDIT button on the top of the form. Complete all of the application fields. Save frequently.
8. Create and upload required attachments.
9. NOTE: The forms in this portal do not auto-save. Always click the “Save” button before navigating away from the form you are editing to save your work.

Beware that clicking the back navigation button on your web browser will exit you from the system and you will lose your work.

Required Documents in the Application:

You will be prompted to create and upload the following documents in the Required Documents section of your application in the Online Grants System:

• Corporation Annual Report: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document (as required to be filed annually with the Secretary of State’s Office). In lieu of the report, you may also submit a copy of the email verification issued by the Secretary of State’s office or a copy of the online verification sheet maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office found here. Entities of government do NOT submit.
• List of Board of Directors. Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document. Entities of government do NOT submit. Note that Commission staff may request that grantees provide additional information about the board including but not limited to contact information and occupation during the grant period. The board list (at the time of application) must include the following for each board member:
  • Full Name
  • Email address
  • Identify Executive Board Members (i.e., President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer)
  • Number of years on the board
  • Length of term(s)
    
• Artist Contact Information and Bio – one pager with the artists’ name, contact information (email, phone, and mailing address), art form (i.e., type of art), and bio.
• Curriculum or Lesson Plans which outline the sequential learning series (include arts
  program/project topic; brief description of the arts learning series, program, or
  classes; how long the classes will last; the teaching artist being used; and how many
  older adults can participate in the classes). A draft is acceptable for the application.
• Teaching Artist Contract – Signed or draft copy of the contract between the teaching artist and applying organization.

Required Documents in the Organization Profile:

You will be required to upload these documents in the system, but these Optional Documents may be required based on your organizational status.

• Bylaws: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 status will be prompted to upload this document. Upload the most recent copy of the Bylaws of the organization in the Organization Profile. If you have filled out your organization profile, copies of your By-Laws should automatically upload in the application under “Organization Documents.
• W-9 Form (if this application is the organization’s first application submittal) – new W9 Form

Organizations that receive grant funding from the TN Arts Commission must complete Title VI training certification in the Online Grants System on or after July 1, 2026 and before payment will be distributed. If your agency has already completed the training in the TN Arts Commission’s online grant system for the FY27 fiscal year, it is not necessary to repeat the training. Failure to complete this training may result in the cancellation of your grant. Click here for more information on the FY27 Title VI training requirements.

Additional requirements needed if awarded a grant
This initiative requires that each grantee will participate in the evaluations process which will involve an assessment done by an independent evaluator and agreement to photograph and videotape segments of the funded program.  Participants in the classes will be offered a photo/video consent form to allow for their images to be used.

All Commission sponsored programs, services and facilities should be fully accessible and compliant with American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunication. The ADA extends the requirements under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to all activities of state and local governments and places of public accommodations operated by private entities, including places of public display. Resources to assist in meeting these requirements can be found on the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Accessibility Resources page.

Any grantee shall promptly notify the State in writing of any significant changes in the organization’s structure, leadership or financial circumstances that could affect services provided under the grant contract resulting from this application.

Contact the TN Arts Commission’s Director of Arts & Health, Kim Johnson, at 615-532-9797 or kim.johnson@tn.gov.