ArtsFlamenco & Career Education Center, Creative Curricula, 2007

Creative Curricula is a local arts-in-education funding program administered by LMCC and supported by the Local Capacity Building Initiative of the Arts-in-Education Program at the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The Local Capacity Building Initiative is a statewide effort to provide local support for widespread participation in arts-in-education.

How Creative Curricula Works

Creative Curricula makes matching grants for up to $5,000 to partnerships between schools and teaching artists or cultural organizations. Funding is provided for in-classroom projects that focus on the integrated study of arts and non-arts subjects developed by collaborating classroom teachers and teaching artists. Funding decisions are based on the proposal’s ability to meet the program criteria and local funding priorities as they are outlined in these application guidelines.

Application Deadline

All applications must be received at LMCC by 5:00pm on Tuesday June 3, 2008.

Applicants will be notified by mail starting August 1, 2008 whether their projects have been funded. Grant contracts will be mailed by the end of August.

Application Assistance

Information sessions consist of an overview of the Creative Curricula program and guidelines, as well as a discussion of the components of a well-prepared application. First-time applicants are required to attend. Returning applicants are also encouraged to attend to help them develop strong applications. See schedule.

In addition, applicants are encouraged to seek one-on-one assistance in person or on the phone from LMCC staff to address questions about budgets, project narratives, or work samples.

Applicant Eligibility

Applications will be accepted from nonprofit cultural organizations or schools applying on behalf of individual teaching artists.

• Schools may be public, private, parochial, or charter
• Projects must serve school districts in Manhattan
• Cultural organizations must show evidence of non-profit status
• Partnerships must serve students in grades pre-K through 12
• Individual artists may apply through a school or cultural organization
• First-time applicants are required to attend an information session; if you are unable to attend any of the sessions, you must contact LMCC staff well in advance of the deadline

Project Eligibility

• Activities must occur during the school day, and must take place between September 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
• Projects are required to hold at least three contact sessions between the same teacher, teaching artist, and group of students.
• Activities and outcomes are to be collaboratively designed, planned, taught, and evaluated by the participating teacher(s), teaching artist(s), and other school and community members.
• Projects should address the New York State Learning Standards for both arts and non-arts subjects (see: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/nysatl/standards).

Funding Restrictions

Under this program, funding is not available for:

• Home schools
• Extracurricular activities that take place after the school day, in the summer, or during non-school hours
• Programs for which selected students are taken out of regular classes or are self-selected for participation
• College-level courses, scholarships, contests, or student performing groups
• Stand-alone assembly programs, single performances, or one-time visits to cultural institutions
• Projects that focus on non-integrated, sequential arts education
• Projects that appear to replace the role of certified art, music, dance, or theater teachers
• Projects that are currently supported by or under consideration for NYSCA ESP, Partners for Arts Education/School Arts Partnership and/or LMCC's Fund for Creative Communities regrant program
• Multiple applications from a school or nonprofit for the same project
• Previous grantees of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council that have failed to comply with the grant contract or reporting requirements

Matching Fund Requirements

These grants are matching grants. In order to be eligible applicants must show that:

1. For every dollar they request from the grant program, they have secured at least one matching dollar in income, in the form of cash and in-kind resources.

   • Example: If the partnership requests $1000 from Creative Curricula it must show it has secured at least $1000 in matching income.

2. The matching income the school partner is contributing is an amount that equals at least 50% of the total grant request.

   • Example: If the partnership requests $1000 from Creative Curricula, the school must show that it is contributing at least $500 of the match.

3. The school's matching funds include at least 15% of the total grant request in cash.

   • Example: If the partnership requests $1000 from Creative Curricula, the school must show that at least $150 of its match is in the form of cash.

-Cash contributions include money that is spent on materials, buses, payments to substitute teachers, payments to teachers for overtime, teaching artist fees, etc.

-In-kind contributions include teachers donating their time, donations of materials from outside groups, borrowed equipment, etc.

Proof of matching funds in the form of a letter of commitment must be provided to LMCC before funds are disbursed.

Review Process

It is the applicant's responsibility to submit a clear, accurate, and complete application.

An independent panel of your peers with expertise in education and the arts will use the evaluative criteria below to determine how your proposed project will support classroom learning and arts integration. These criteria will inform their recommendations for funding.

Panelists include members of the community, educators, education administrators, artists, and arts administrators with expertise in arts and education throughout the borough of Manhattan. Representatives of LMCC's Board of Directors review the panel's recommendations and must approve all grants.

Review Criteria

• Clarity and appropriateness of shared educational and artistic goals and expected student outcomes in relation to proposed project activities and grade levels served
• Degree to which the project will strengthen learning of curricula in both the art and non-art subjects
• Depth and authenticity of the connection between the art and non-art subjects
• Degree to which the project will support the cited New York State Learning Standards in both the art and non-art subjects
• Degree to which the timeline will allow for reflection, further investigation and fine tuning between work sessions
• Appropriateness of professional development activities in relation to project goals and expected student outcomes (If applicable)
• Degree to which certified art, music, dance, and/or theater teachers will participate in the project (If applicable)
• Clarity, appropriateness, and feasibility of evaluation & student assessment plans
• Quality of expertise and appropriateness of proposed artists or professionals
• Appropriateness of the members of the planning and implementation team
• Appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget

Plus Factors

In addition to the evaluative criteria, the Creative Curricula program has certain larger program goals. Priority will be given to applications that address one or more of the following plus factors.

• Artists who are residents of New York State
• Contact sessions that are separated by enough time for reflection and refinement
• Participation by the school's certified art, music, dance, and/or theater teachers in addition to the non-arts teacher(s)
• Collaborative professional development activities
• Projects that reach communities that are under-served or under-represented due to geographic location, low-income level and/or ethnicity
• Partnerships that demonstrate strong commitment from the school as demonstrated by matching funds from the school itself (rather than PTA/PTO funds) in the form of actual dollars rather than in-kind services
• There is a Plan to build school-wide awareness of the proposed project

Grant Requirements

This grant is a legal contract. If you receive a grant, you will be required to comply with the terms of an arts education service agreement, which includes the following:

• Written notice to LMCC of any project-related events (i.e. performances, exhibitions, presentations) including: date, time and location, six weeks prior to the event
• Notification to LMCC of any significant changes to proposed project activities including: schedule, key participants, project scope and budget, before these changes are finalized. Communication of the project's status is encouraged year round
• Final narrative and financial report on the project, accompanied by program documentation within 30 days after project activities conclude
• Attendance at the annual gathering of Creative Curricula grantees in Fall 2008

Appeals Process

Applicants may appeal decisions in writing within 10 days of funding notifications. Applicants must request an appeal in writing, effectively arguing the case for appeals based on the criteria below. Dissatisfaction with either an unfavorable decision or the recommended level of support cannot be used as an appeal.

Grounds for appeals are limited to the following:

• Misrepresentation of information: an applicant's information was improperly presented by program staff in a way that may have adversely affected the review process
• Non-presentation of information: the applicant's information was not presented by program staff prior to or as part of the panel's decision-making process
• Improper procedure: conflict of interest on part of a panelist

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

A complete application includes:

Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders & 47' The American Sign Language and English Secondary School, Creative Curricula, 2006

1) Eight (8) copies, including one original, of the following (note: DO NOT STAPLE):

• Creative Curricula application form that has been completed and signed by Cultural and School Partners
• Resume for each teaching artist
• Letter of commitment from the partner school, specifying the source and dollar amount allocated by the school for the proposed project and an overall statement of the school's commitment to the arts

2) One (1) copy of the following, if cultural partner is an organization:

• Brochure or a one-page fact sheet outlining the mission and activities of the organization
• Proof of nonprofit status in one of the following forms:
  • Form: BSM 189 from the Department of State
  • Certificate from the NY State Office of Charity Registration
  • Certificate of Incorporation under NY State Section 402 (Non-profit)
  • Charter issued by Board of Regents under NY State Section 216 (Education)
  • Letter of determination of 501(c)3 status from U.S. Internal Revenue Service

3) Work samples in an appropriate format (see Work Sample Instructions below for more details), each labeled with:

• Applicant's name
• Sample number (e.g. Work Sample #1)

4) Optional support materials in the form of press clippings, letters of recommendation, brochures, student feedback, and evaluation materials. There is no guarantee that the panel will have time to review these materials.

5) Optional self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for the return of work samples (stamps only; metered postage not accepted). If no SASE is included with the application, work samples will not be returned after review. NOTE: All documents must be on 8.5" x 11" paper. Do not staple, package or bind materials. Incomplete, illegible, emailed, or faxed applications will not be reviewed. Please type your application.

Work Sample Instructions

Work samples are an important element of your application. Prepare a well-organized presentation that best shows how your work sample relates to your proposed project.

Work samples can be from one or both categories below, as best represents your project. Documentation can be from:

i) A school-based project: Applicants are encouraged to submit a sample of work that resulted from previous school based projects under the direction of the artist/cultural partner.

ii) The artist or cultural partner: Applicants may submit one work sample (from within the past three years) of the work of artists who will be involved in the project. Work Sample Formats Submit samples in one of the following formats. Contact LMCC staff for guidance if you would like to combine formats.

Recordings (2 maximum): Audiotapes, CDs, DVDs, Videotapes:

Recordings must be cued to play or must include a cue time. Please cue to a portion of the recording best represents your work and your proposed project. Do not send marketing clips - send actual work or work in progress.

Manuscripts (5 pages maximum): Journal Entries, Scripts, Poetry, Prose:

The sample may be no longer than five (5) pages of writing. Use the Work Sample Description, outlined above, as a title page. Unless the sample represents student-created writing samples, the manuscript must be typewritten, double-spaced on 8 1/2” x 11” white paper.

Images (8 maximum): Printed Reproductions, CD of Images:

A maximum of eight (8) images may be submitted. Printed images should be no larger than 8 1/2” x 11”. Digital images must be in a JPEG, GIF, or TIFF file format. Each file should not exceed 300K and should have a maximum height x width of 1000 pixels x 1000 pixels. Please do not send original artwork.

Submit applications to:

Creative Curricula
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
125 Maiden Lane, Second Floor
New York, NY 10038

For specific questions contact Liza White, Program Associate at 212-219-9401 x129 or lwhite [at] lmcc.net