Arts Education Mini-Grant

Applicants must be one of the following: 

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a primary mission of arts and/or education 

• Local government agencies 

• Public K–12 schools or districts 

• Libraries 

• Institutions of higher learning 

National or regional 501(c)(3) organizations, chartered in Tennessee, and serving as an umbrella organization applying for funds for another group are restricted to one application only per fiscal year. 

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. 

Unique Entity ID (UEI): All applicants are required to have a Unique Entity ID. Information and application instructions are available through SAM.gov. 

Affirmative Duty to Report Major Organizational Change: 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.

All Commission sponsored programs, services and facilities are fully accessible to all Tennessee artists and citizens. No person on the grounds of disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin or any other classification protected by Federal, Tennessee State constitutional, or statutory law shall be given preferential treatment or excluded from participation in services, programs and employment provided by the Commission and its contracting agencies. If an individual believes they have been subjected to discrimination, they may file a complaint with the Civil Rights Enforcement Division of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office at Online Complaint Portal; phone: 615.741.5825, email CRED@ag.tn.gov; or by mail to P.O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202.

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.

Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to: 

• One-day arts learning workshops 

• Single events with meaningful hands-on arts learning 

• Professional development for arts educators 

• Short project series serving students or youth participants 

• Out-of-school-time arts learning projects 

All projects must: 

• Provide hands-on, experiential arts learning 

• Involve a professional teaching artist or certified arts educator as primary instructor 

• Include measurable goals and objectives 

• Focus on a single, clearly defined project 

• Be appropriate for the project timeline and funding request 

In addition to the requirements above, all projects must align with at least one of the following goals: 

• Building workforce-relevant skills in creative fields to promote college and career readiness 

• Enhancing instructional quality and supporting teacher retention through arts-focused professional development 

• Expanding participation in arts learning across Tennessee communities, including for veterans, senior adults, and people with disabilities 

• Integrating artificial intelligence or other emerging technologies to advance innovation, evaluation, and instructional design in arts education 

• Promoting Tennessee’s cultural and artistic heritage 

• Providing out-of-school time arts learning opportunities for youth with limited participation in arts education 

• Supporting health and well-being through arts learning 

For K-12 public school or school district applicants, projects must include a curriculum-based approach aligned to state and local education standards, and focus on one of the following:  

• Enhancing instructional quality and supporting teacher retention through arts-focused professional development 

• Integrating artificial intelligence or other emerging technologies to advance innovation, evaluation, and instructional design in arts education 

• Providing out-of-school time arts learning opportunities for youth with limited participation in arts education

Funds requested may be listed under eligible expense categories in the Commission Funds Requested column in the budget. However, applicants are encouraged to request to spend the grant funding in as few expense categories as possible. All expenses must be directly related to the project. Eligible expenses include: 

• Contracted professional fees for planning, implementation, or evaluation  

• Fees or stipends for permanent teaching staff  

• In-state travel and/or lodging for permanent teaching staff or contracted personnel  

• Space rental for locations not currently being rented by the applicant organization  

• Marketing  

• Consumable supplies  

• Technology equipment or software directly required for project implementation  

All Arts Education Mini-Grant grantees must be prepared to handle all necessary expenditures up front. Commission funds will be paid as reimbursement to the grantee upon submission and approval of required reports, documentation, and invoices. No Commission funds are available prior to the beginning of the project activity. 

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

The following are examples of activities and expenditures not allowable for AE-MG funds. For further information, see Funding Restrictions on Legal Requirements. 

• Projects in which the artist/instructor is to serve as the arts teacher in the absence of any ongoing arts education programs 

• Capital purchases for permanent or non-consumable materials or equipment purchases, such as musical instruments, equipment, cameras, easels, etc. except as otherwise allowed.  

• Incentives for participation including stipends, prizes, and cash awards 

• Projects designed primarily as performances, demonstrations, or exhibits with only minimal impact and limited hands-on participation 

• Field trips 

• Projects in which students are presenting, performing, and/or exhibiting in competitions or tours 

• Out-of-state travel for participants 

• Individual private lesson instruction 

• Payment for apprentices or interns 

• Planned fundraising activities or grant writing 

• After-school clubs without structured arts learning 

• Scholarships or competitions 

• Food 

• Payments to members of the organization’s board 

• Guest artists to exhibit, direct, choreograph, or conduct productions or performances who are not engaged in active instruction with participants 

• Non-classical art forms including but not limited to culinary arts, martial arts, healing arts, exercise programs, acrobatics, or gymnastics. Exceptions may exist. Contact the Commission for details. 

• Payments to an employee or official of the State of Tennessee. Exceptions may exist. Contact the Commission for details.

Arts Education Mini-Grant applications are reviewed in-house by Commission staff and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are expended. Commission staff will review applications for eligibility, completeness, project alignment, educational quality, budget appropriateness, and compliance with grant requirements. Incomplete or ineligible applications may be returned or denied. Submission does not guarantee funding. 

Funding notification will take place by email. 

The Tennessee Arts Commission reserves the right to deny or withhold, in whole or in part, public funds for projects, programs, or other activities deemed inappropriate by the Commission.

You will be prompted to create and upload the following documents in the Documents section of your Rolling Grant Application in the Online Grants System. 

Support Material(s): Applicants must upload one or more support materials that provide support for the project. Support materials can include artist resumes, reviews, clippings, photos, brochures, artistic samples, monitoring plans, lesson plans, past evaluations, letters of support, and links to videos directly related to the application proposal. Accepted file types include .pdf, .jpg, or .png. 

Board of Directors List: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status upload this document. Entities of government and PK-12 public schools do not provide a Board of Directors List. 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 only the following: 

• Full name 

• Email address 

• Number of years on the board 

• Length of term(s) 

• Identify Executive Board Members, such as President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer 

NOTE: Double check your board list to make sure it has all required information. If your organization’s bylaws do not require term limits, include a statement on the Board List indicating this. Legal requirements state that Commission funds granted to an organization may not be used as a payment of any kind, for any purpose, to members of an organization’s board. 

Corporation Annual Report: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status upload this document. In lieu of the report required to be filed annually with the Secretary of State’s Office, applicants 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. 

If applicable, create and upload the following document in the Organization profile in your portal of the Online Grants System. 

1. Bylaws: Only nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status upload this document. Upload the most recent copy of the Bylaws of the organization in the Organization profile.

Grantees must submit receipts and all required closeout materials no later than 30 days after the project ends or by June 15, 2027, whichever comes first. 

Closeout materials may include: 

• Final report 

• Invoices and receipts documenting eligible expenses 

• Project evaluation information 

• Participant numbers 

• Documentation of completed project activities 

• Work samples, photos, or other materials that demonstrate project activity, when appropriate 

Commission funds are paid as reimbursement after required closeout materials are submitted and approved.

1. For new applicants, contact Chris Sweatt, Director of Arts Education, at chris.sweatt@tn.gov to discuss eligibility. 

1. Register to use the Online Grants System: https://tnartscommission.org/how-to-register/  

1. Log in to the Online Grants System to complete your Organization profile and begin an application. 

1. Use the “Organizations” link to the left in your Online Grants System portal to ensure that the record is complete and accurate. This information is as important as the application itself, and incomplete or erroneous data may impact your application. To open the record for completing/editing, click the “Edit” button at the top of the Organization screen. 

1. Use the “People” link to ensure that the record 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. 

1. When both your Organization and People profiles are complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” tab again and click the “Apply for a Rolling Grant” link listed on the page. 

1. Complete all of the application fields and create and upload required attachments. 

1. Submit at least 30 days prior to the beginning date of your project activity. 

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. 

Association or Connection to Multiple Organizations: If you are associated with more than one organization, the organization that you were originally associated with will pre-populate in the organization name field on any newly opened application. To change to another associated organization, simply delete the pre-populated name and type in the correct organization.