AccessArts Grant Program (2025-2026 School Year Grants)

AccessArts Grant Program (2025-2026 School Year Grants) is sponsored by TOLD Foundation (administered by TOArts). This program intends to spur investments in providing high-quality arts education to elementary students in Ventura County and specific cities in Los Angeles County.

AccessArts provides funding to local elementary schools to fund arts education projects Arts education plays a vital role in student achievement, equitable education outcomes and community success. TOArts is reaching beyond the Bank of America Performing Arts Center to support the teachers and students of Ventura County and the cities of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Oak Park in Los Angeles County with its AccessArts Grant Program.

Please carefully review the guidelines before submitting an application. For any questions after reviewing guidelines, please contact niki@toarts. org and reference AccessArts Grants in the subject line.

AccessArts has a vision for all public elementary schools in our community to provide K-5 students much needed equal access to high-quality sequential arts education. 2025-2026 School Year Grants funded by Application Deadline: Rolling Grants are reviewed within 60 days of receipt of application Award Amount Range: $500 – $9,999 (grants over $10,000 will require additional detail – please contact Niki@TOArts.

org to discuss) Who Can Apply?

Credentialed classroom teachers, principals or district representatives for Public Elementary Schools in Ventura County, and the cities of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, and Oak Park Only The AccessArts Grant Program intends to spur investments in providing high-quality arts education to elementary students of Ventura County and the cities of Westlake Village, Oak Park and Agoura Hills, whether in the classroom, throughout a school, or district wide.

Those investments may be in the form of classroom activities, teaching innovations or long-term investments in equipment and facilities. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: Classroom Activity – Funding for arts education projects that will be implemented within the current school year.

Examples include but are not limited to: curriculum purchases, teaching artist expenses, lesson supplies, remote arts education costs, etc. Teacher Innovation – Funding for costs associated with teacher innovation.

Examples include but are not limited to: professional development opportunities, collaborations, integrating arts education learning standards with other subject area learning, creating new teaching approaches, etc. Arts Education Investment – Funding for costs associated with longer term investments in arts education infrastructure.

Examples include but are not limited to equipment purchases, facility renovations or upgrades, curriculum development, seed money for arts education staffing, etc. AccessArts grants should not replace other sources of arts education funding. We seek to supplement funding for schools with existing arts education resources and to help catalyze arts education investments in schools that don’t have additional resources.

The project for which you are seeking support MUST meet the following criteria: Are curriculum-based and have a direct connection to student learning Are aligned with VAPA standards [ California VIsual and Performing Arts Standards for Public School .]

Fulfill a need or a gap in arts education Occur during class time in a standard school day Utilize the grant funds within one year (Arts Education Investment applications can be multi-year) Include an evaluation and documentation component Applicants must be credentialed classroom teachers, school principals or district representatives Preferential review will be given to projects or purchases that meet ANY of the following criteria: Integrate the arts into other core general education subjects (Math, English, etc), with specific learning outcomes intended for each subject area Address equity and access issues in meeting the needs of particular types of students or a diverse group of students Are sustainable or provide sequential learning for students Support professional development for teachers Have other income sources identified or secured (example: school budget, PTA or Booster funds, donor gift.

AccessArts grants may not be used for extracurricular activities or transportation costs. Complete and submit the Application Form .

The form includes the following components: Budget (only for Arts Infrastructure Investment) Required Signatures – All funding requests for single-site projects must be signed by the school’s principal; and all multi-site or District-wide projects must be signed by the District Superintendent or his designee. All facility related projects must be signed by the District Director of Facilities.

Upload Additional Documentation Samples of assessment tools (i.e. rubric, survey, matrix, grade, etc.) used to determine student evaluations Letters of support from other funding partners and approved meeting minutes acknowledging matching funds from Booster or PTA units Failure to complete and submit these materials will result in ineligibility to apply for future funds.

Application Review Process Grant applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a committee of the TOArts Board. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their request within 60 days after the submission has been received. Funding will be disbursed to grantees within 45 days after the applicants have been notified.

Checks will be made payable to the entity specified on the application. Grant checks will ONLY be made payable to either your school site or School District. Checks cannot be made payable to individual teachers, parents, artists, partner organizations, or PTA or Booster units.

All grantees are required to submit a Final Report about their project. Grantees have one year* to produce their project/program. Once your project is complete, you then have 60 days to submit the following evaluation materials to Niki Richardson niki@toarts.

org *Arts Education Investment applications can be multi-year. AccessArts Final Reports require the following components: Provide your assessment tool for the lesson or activity (i.e. rubric, survey, matrix, observation, grade, etc.) used to determine student evaluation. Share a specific story from a student or about a student.

Provide no less than three (3) testimonials from students/parents or classroom teachers. Photographs/videos of students engaged in the art-making process or images of final works/projects and signed media release forms (available for download on our website) Any related program materials (i.e. newsletters, website pages, eBlasts, promotional flyers, invitations, electronic announcements) displaying the TOArts’ logo and URL www. toarts.

org along with the following acknowledgment: “This project was made possible with funding from TOArts AccessArts” NOTE: Arts Education Investment Grants may require the installation of a permanent plaque (7” x 3” size) to be affixed in/near the investment. This will be provided by TOArts and can be affixed without structural changes.

Media Release Form – English Media Release Form – Spanish 2021-2022 Grant Recipients Grantee Project Funded Amount Funded Acacia Magnet School For Enriched Learning The creation of an outdoor classroom to include a stage and seating area $20,000 Westlake Elementary School 8-week performing arts curriculum $9,500 Walnut Elementary School Converting a computer lab into a performing arts space and dance studio $9,000 Conejo Elementary School Fine arts program for TK-5th grade students $8,500 University Preparation Charter School Art supplies for 7 classrooms to incorporate into their art history curriculum $7,000 Conejo Valley Unified School District Strategic Arts Consultant to create a 5-year strategic arts master plan to provide arts for K-12 students at CVUSD $5,000 Ladera STARS Academy 24 weeks of Creation Rotations, a program that allows K-5 scholars to explore visual and performing arts and design $4,600