MSAC Grants: Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Your Arts for Learning Program Coordinator is available to help guide you through the entire process, from selecting an artist to filling out the online application- and everything in between! The school is ultimately responsible for submitting the grant application to MSAC.

Arts for Learning offers programs for all grade levels, from PreK through grade 12. For more information on the various types of programs available, visit this page.

Typically an Arts for Learning residency costs between $2,500 and $4,000, depending on the artist you choose and the number of classes participating. An MSAC grant will cover 50% of this cost (up to $2,500). The school will ultimately be responsible for the other 50% of the total cost. If needed, the school may also submit a Match Waiver Request as part of their MSAC application. If the Match Waiver Request is approved, the MSAC grant will cover 100% of the program cost (up to $5,000), with no additional cost to the school.

The entire process, start to finish, will only take a few hours. Your Program Coordinator will coordinate with the artist and write the project budget based on standard Arts for Learning and MSAC pricing. Your Coordinator may also help you with writing responses to the short-answer grant narrative questions if you wish. At a minimum, you'll need to provide basic school information, work with your Coordinator to choose an artist and design the program, approve the budget and narrative, compile letters of support from school personnel, and e-sign and submit the online application.

MSAC accepts grant applications on a rolling basis, with applications being reviewed monthly. As a result, be sure to finalize your plan to cover the grant match (if you are not requesting a waiver) before submitting your application. If you're worried about how much your school will be able to afford, talk to your Program Coordinator about designing a smaller, less expensive program.

No. While you can begin the grant writing process before choosing your artist, you cannot submit your grant application until you choose the artist you'd like to work with. Once the grant is submitted, you cannot change your artist selection. Your Program Coordinator can help you select an artist that will meet your school's needs.

The PTA may assist in writing the grant application. However, a representative from the school staff (such as a teacher or principal) must be designated as the site coordinator and complete the e-signature on the application. A PTA person cannot be the designated site coordinator, and communication with MSAC must be through the site coordinator.

Yes. Your principal will need to complete an e-signature on the grant application before it can be submitted.

Yes! MSAC will award up to two Arts in Education grants per school, per school year. You can also plan a program with Arts for Learning without the MSAC funding, however. Talk to your Program Coordinator about other options.

This is a grant that is awarded by the Maryland State Arts Council directly to schools. Arts for Learning provides MSAC grant writing assistance to schools applying for this grant.

Historically most eligible schools that have applied for MSAC grants to subsidize Arts for Learning programs have been awarded; however, we can never guarantee that this will be the case. Grant applications submitted by the 5th of a given month will be reviewed within the same month, and awards will be announced by the last day of the same month.

After the grant is awarded, you can change the grade levels, number of students per class (as long as it's not more than 30 per class for workshops or 300 students for an assembly), and number of classes participating. However, you can NOT change the artist or any program element that would change the final cost after the fact. If you need to make a change that would affect the budget, the school site coordinator (as listed on the grant) must notify MSAC and the Arts for Learning Program Coordinator of any changes as soon as possible.

Many of our artists' calendars fill up quickly. If there are particular dates that you'd like to hold for your program, let your Program Coordinator know as soon as possible! The sooner you make this request, the more likely the artist will be available on your preferred dates.