Arts NOW Grant Program
The Nebraska Department of Education, in partnership with the Nebraska Arts Council, is pleased to provide funding for arts education projects to Nebraska’s school districts.
Arts NOW Grant Program Information
This site contains complete information for the Arts NOW Grant Program.
Arts NOW Grant Acceptable Use
Arts NOW Grants focus on arts projects that help Nebraska’s public school districts serving grades K through 12 who promote excellence in arts education while implementing Nebraska’s Fine Arts Standards. Arts NOW Grant funds are to be used for projects of artistic excellence that help deliver high quality arts education instruction while implementing Nebraska’s Fine Arts Standards.
Public school districts are invited to consider arts education projects that can be implemented and have demonstrated impact on excellence in arts education instruction. Based on the number of students impacted, public school districts may apply in one of three funding tiers of the Arts NOW grant. Arts NOW Grants projects may be in a single building or in multiple buildings of the school district. Examples of acceptable grant fund use: arts supplies, new sheet music (scores), updating or fixing equipment (instruments, stereos, sound systems, stage lights, stage curtains), or acquisition of new equipment (Orff instruments, a pottery wheel, or a scrim). Materials purchased for the grant project may be used past the timeframe of the grant.
Arts NOW Grants Unacceptable Use
In compliance with § 200.403 Factors affecting allowability of cost. Arts NOW Grant funds cannot be used for general operating support, payment of salaries or stipends, payment of personal services, payment to a contractor, performance of work, public utility service, travel, rental or purchase of real property, rental of real or personal property, attendance at conferences and meetings, food, or trinkets.
If you don’t think the Arts NOW Grant is right for your school district, check out the many grants that are available from the Nebraska Arts Council.
Arts NOW Grant Application Process
- Access the Arts NOW Grant Application (Preview Copy) to assist in preparing your grant application. This document is also found in the Arts NOW Grant Program Documents section of this website.
- When you are ready to complete your application, request a grant application (bit.ly/ArtsNOWGrantAppRequest). You can also email nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov and request a link to the grant application request form.
- Districts must submit a completed grant application to nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov on or before 11:59 PM CT on Friday, October 13, 2023. A completed grant application includes the authorized representative’s signature. Confirmation of receipt of the grant application will be received by the applicant through AdobeSign within 48 hours of submission. (If confirmation is not received within 48 hours, please contact Cody at nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov or 402.314.7822. Remember, school districts are only invited to complete one application per district.
- All eligible applications will be reviewed and rated by NDE staff. Proposals will be scored on a point system found in the Arts NOW Grant Program Application Scoring Rubric. Funds will be equitably distributed among the five NeMTSS regions.
- It is anticipated that successful applicants who will receive grant funding will be notified by an email from the NDE by Friday, December 15, 2023.
- Arts NOW Grant recipients will submit verification of expenses by Thursday, February 15, 2024. All expenditures must be receipted. Financial documentation reports are due by 11:59 PM CT on Thursday, February 15, 2024. Funds will be released on reimbursement basis.
- A narrative report must be submitted by Wednesday, May, 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM CT.
Before You Bring Your Application
Before you begin your grant application. Complete the following:
- Review the Arts NOW Grant Program Packet for applicable processes, procedures, and laws.
- Review the grant application preview copy to prepare for your writing.
- Plan your grant project, including your grant budget. Due to 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles no one single item may exceed more than $5,000.
- Review the Arts NOW Grant Program Application Scoring Rubric. Self-score your grant application.
- Be sure your school district’s authorizing official is ready to sign the grant application.
Arts NOW Grant Timeline
- July 2023 – Grant Program Opens
- Friday, October 13, 2023 – Application Deadline
- December 2023 – Grant Award Notifications
- February 15, 2024 – Financial Reports Deadline
- May 1, 2024 – Narrative Report Deadline
Arts NOW Grant Program Documents
Arts NOW Grant Application
Application Deadline: Friday, October 13, 2023, 11:59 PM CT
To help districts prepare their grant application, preview copies of the grant application are available in both PDF and MS Word formats. This is not your grant application.
When you are ready to complete your application, you must request an Arts NOW Grant application. This form will have fillable spaces for your answers and will come pre-loaded to move to your authorized representative for signature.
Arts NOW Grant – Scoring Rubric
This document is provided as a resource to assist applicant school districts. Arts NOW Grant applicants are encouraged to self-score their grant application to ensure the grant project meets program specifications. Do not return this document with your application.
Arts NOW Grant Scoring Rubric – MS Word Format
Arts NOW Grant Scoring Rubric – PDF Format
DO NOT RETURN THIS DOCUMENT WITH YOUR GRANT APPLICATION.
Arts NOW Grant Packet
The Arts NOW Grant Packet
- provides information on the policies governing the Arts NOW Grant awarded by the Nebraska Department of Education,
- communicates the procedures and guidelines;
- ensures sound accounting practices; and
- provides consistency throughout the Department in the administration of all State and Federal grants.
The guidance and requirements are identified as applicable to grants funded by the State where they differ from Federal grants. Since regulations and guidance apply to both the State (the Department of Education) and to the agencies or organizations that receive grants from the State, there are a number of descriptors used that can be confusing (i.e., grantee, subgrantee, recipient and subrecipient, etc.). To maintain some consistency, this guidance will use the term “grant recipient” or “grantee”, whenever possible to mean the agency that receives a grant from the Nebraska Department of Education.
This grant award guidance has been collected specifically for the Arts NOW Grants. For complete grant document guidance from the Nebraska Department of Education please refer to the NDE Grant Management Requirements and Guidance. Complete Information on all NDE Grant administration is available on the NDE Budget and Grants Management website.
Arts NOW Grant Financial Report
Financial Report Deadline: Thursday, February 15, 2024, 11:59 PM CT
This document is provided as a preview copy of the financial report in order to assist you in preparing your report. The fillable report will be sent to you via AdobeSign email. If you require it earlier, you may contact nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov and request it be sent to you. The financial report form that is sent to you will have fillable spaces for your answers and will come pre-loaded to move to your authorized representative for signature.
Arts NOW Grant Financial Report (Preview Copy) MS Word Format
Arts NOW Grant Financial Report (Preview Copy) PDF Format
DO NOT COMPLETE THIS PREVIEW COPY.
Arts NOW Grant – Narrative Report
Narrative Report Deadline: Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM CT
This document is provided as a preview copy of the narrative report in order to assist you in preparing your report. The fillable report will be sent to you via AdobeSign email. If you require it earlier, you may contact nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov and request it be sent to you. The narrative report form that is sent to you will have fillable spaces for your answers and will come pre-loaded to move to your authorized representative for signature.
Arts NOW Grant Narrative Report (Preview Copy) MS Word Format
Arts NOW Grant Narrative Report (Preview Copy) PDF Format
DO NOT COMPLETE THIS PREVIEW COPY.
Arts NOW Grant Program Technical Assitance
For assistance with your Arts NOW Grant Project, you can attend our grant program zoom sessions, set up a 30-minute meeting, or contact us for more information.
Join Cody, the Fine Arts Education Specialist at the NDE, via zoom for a brief overview of the Arts NOW Grant program including details on the application process.
- Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 3 PM – 4 PM CT / 2 PM – 3 PM MT
- Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 11 AM – 12 noon CT / 10 AM – 11 AM MT
- Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM CT/ 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM MT
Use the links above to register. Registration is required to participate in the session. The sessions will not be recorded.
Arts NOW Grant Meetings
Schedule a 30 minute meeting with Cody, the NDE Fine Arts Education Specialist, for technical assistance for your school district.
Visit Cody’s Calendly page to schedule a one-on-one meeting.
Join the NDE Fine Arts Mailing List
You’ll receive newsletters, invitations to events, and special announcements.
For more information contact:
Cody Talarico, Fine Arts Education Specialist
Please use the Arts NOW Grant email (nde.artsedgrants@nebraska.gov) for all communication related to the Arts NOW Grant Program.