Youth Arts Engagement Grants

Youth Arts Engagement Grants is sponsored by Arizona Commission on the Arts. Supports programs for individuals aged 24 and under, focusing on creative expression in safe environments, rooted in youth voices, and utilizing community assets.

Youth Arts Engagement Grant | Arizona Commission on the Arts Youth Arts Engagement Grants support arts learning projects for young people that occur outside of traditional school hours. The application period for Fiscal Year 2027 funding is now closed. Applications for Fiscal Year 2028 will open in early 2027.

Youth Arts Engagement Grants support projects that… focus on young people, ages 24 and under, occur outside of traditional school hours (before/after school and/or during school holidays/breaks), and center arts learning practices.

Such projects should also… provide opportunities for creative expression in safe and nurturing environments, honor youth voices, narratives, and perspectives, and utilize the assets of the community being served. Projects may take place in… other youth-oriented settings.

Download the Grant Guidelines Descarga los Lineamientos Arts learning projects feature sequential, hands-on learning through the arts to develop artistic skills, processes and creativity. Artistic and/or cultural discipline(s) may include, but are not limited to dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theatre, traditional and folk arts, and visual arts.

Arts learning projects include specific objectives, outcomes and methods of evaluation that are well defined and relevant for the learners involved. Organizations can request $2,500 to $5,000. There is no cash match required for this grant opportunity.

Eligible applicants for Youth Arts Engagement Grants include: Arizona nonprofit organizations* with tax-exempt status See FAQ #1 in the FAQ section below for more information on eligible organizations. *An unincorporated organization without tax-exempt status may apply through a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. An organization may submit only one application per fiscal year.

Across grant programs, the Arts Commission limits the number of applications that may be submitted by a given organization or unit of government to one (1) application per funding period (July 1 – June 30 of the following year). While an organization or unit of government may be eligible for more than one grant program, they may only apply for one of them in a given funding period. (See FAQ #8 below for more information.)

Additional Considerations for Teaching Artist Individual teaching artists or arts organizations may be listed as partners on a maximum of three (3) funded arts learning grant applications (both Lifelong Arts Engagement and Youth Arts Engagement) in a given fiscal year.

If the number of applications on which a given individual teaching artist or arts organization is listed as a partner in a single funding cycle exceeds the total number that may be funded for that fiscal year, they will be asked to advise the Arts Commission on which application(s) will be withdrawn from consideration. The Arts Commission requests that prospective applicants consider this restriction before applying.

Teaching artists are encouraged to seek out partnerships with eligible organizations, schools, or units of government. The entity you partner with will then serve as the direct applicant. When building a partnership with an organization, school, or unit of government, make sure they are not applying to the Youth Arts Engagement Grant for a different project or to another grant program through the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

Grant funds may be used for any of the following (this list is not comprehensive): artist, consultant, and other fees administrative costs related to the project in-state travel costs technology Grant funds cannot be used for any projects, or days of a project, that take place before the start date of the fiscal year (July 1, 2025).

If your full project timeline starts before or ends after the funding period, you are still eligible to apply and should articulate the full timeline in your application, but should only request and use grant funds for project activities taking place within the funding period. Funds are delivered approximately 6-8 weeks after all necessary paperwork has been submitted by the grantee.

This includes the award agreement, state W-9 and payment form. Applicants are encouraged to do the following prior to beginning their application: If you require accommodation in completing the application, or otherwise participating in the grant application process, please contact the Director of Arts Learning, Elisa García-Radcliffe, by phone at (602) 771-6528 or by email at eradcliffe@azarts. gov .

Prepare Narrative Responses You can type your proposal narrative or you can upload audio recordings of your responses. For each narrative question you will find a maximum word count (not character) and a maximum recording length. If you share your proposal narrative via audio recordings, keep it simple and to the point.

Don’t worry about impressing the panelists with your recording technique, just make sure we can hear and understand you. All audio files must be uploaded as MP3 files (. mp3).

Some applicants find it helpful to develop their responses using word processing software, outside the application platform. This allows them to draft responses with team members and monitor their word counts for each question. Download a Word document version of the narrative questions .

Create or Update the SurveyMonkey Apply Account for Your Organization You will submit your application through an online submission platform called SurveyMonkey Apply. Prior to applying, all new applicants will need to register their organization at https://azarts. smapply.

io/. If your organization already has an account, we encourage you to confirm that all information is up to date and add/remove any team members as needed. For instructions on how to create or update your account, visit our applicant resources page: https://azarts.

gov/grants/applicant-resources /. When you’re ready, click/tap the “Apply Now” button below. You do not have to complete the application in one session; at any point you can save a draft of your application and complete or submit it later.

The application period for Fiscal Year 2027 funding is now closed. Applications for Fiscal Year 2028 will open in early 2027. Your organization’s application materials will be reviewed by an independent panel according to the following criteria.

Please note: need is not a criterion. Application merit is based upon strength of response in relation to the review criteria. Quality of Proposed Project Application demonstrates a strong arts learning project.

What panelists will be thinking about: Does the application clearly outline the important details of the arts learning project? Integrity of Proposed Project Application demonstrates an asset-based premise that centers the voice of the learners. What panelists will be thinking about : Does the application articulate the specific assets and contributions of the community of learners and collaborators involved?

Does the application articulate how the proposed project reflects or responds to the community of learners involved? Does the community of learners have a voice and agency in the development and implementation of the project? Application centers expected benefit to learners.

What panelists will be thinking about: Are the objectives, outcomes, and methods of evaluation well defined? Are they relevant for the learners involved? Application demonstrates a strong project plan and appropriateness of budget.

What panelists will be thinking about: Does the application demonstrate substantial evidence that the proposal will be realized within the proposed project timeline? Do the expenses described appear appropriate to the proposed project? All applications are subject to a public review process.

First, Arts Commission staff review each application for completeness and eligibility. Applications that are incomplete or submitted after the due date are considered ineligible for panel review and funding. Eligible applications are then evaluated by independent review panels made up of arts learning specialists from communities throughout the state.

They evaluate each application on its own merits and solely on the basis of the published evaluation criteria. Panelists first review applications individually. They then meet as a body to discuss the applications and finalize assessment as a group.

This meeting is open to the public and while applicants are not permitted to participate in the discussion, they are encouraged to attend or listen-in online. Applicants being reviewed will be notified when panel dates are set. At the conclusion of their deliberations, the panel submits their funding recommendations to the Arts Commission’s Governor-appointed board of commissioners for approval.

This program does not fund the following: Projects that take place during traditional school hours and seek to supplant arts programs, curriculum or arts educators. Strictly field trip or performance-based activities. (See FAQ #3 in the FAQ section below for more information) Producing organizations to tour or present themselves.

Support for individual professional development activities. Support for projects which would otherwise be eligible for a Festival Grant. Food and beverages for any purpose.

Organizations and schools that received Arts Commission funding in Fiscal Year 2025, but failed to file a final report. Applications submitted by for-profit organizations. An individual may not apply to the Youth Arts Engagement Grant directly or as an individual with fiscal sponsorship.

Grant administration, overhead or processing fees taken by an umbrella/parent organization as a percentage of the total award, with the exception of fiscal sponsors. Religious institution-led or religious group-sponsored projects not open to participation by non- congregants.

Religious institution-led or religious group-sponsored projects whose primary purpose is the religious socialization of individuals or which exist as parts of religious sermons or services. This list is not comprehensive.

Additionally, according to the Arts Commission’s enabling statutes, “Notwithstanding any other law, no monies from the Arizona Commission on the Arts may be spent for payment to any person or entity for use in desecrating, casting contempt on, mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, trampling or otherwise dishonoring or causing to bring dishonor on religious objects, the flag of the United States or the flag of this state.

” Recipients of Arts Commission support are further instructed to “take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public” within funded programs. Frequently Asked Questions What types of organizations can apply for Youth Arts Engagement Grants?

Eligible organizations include arts and cultural organizations, community-based service organizations, libraries, neighborhood centers, parks and recreation departments, social service organizations, university/ college departments, PreK-12 schools or school districts who serve youth 24 and under outside of traditional school hours. An organization without tax-exempt status, may apply through a nonprofit fiscal sponsor.

What is asset-based vs. deficit-based language? How can we address various inequalities in our narrative? Asset-based language focuses on the unique attributes the participants bring to the project (passionate, capable, thriving) as opposed to deficit-based language that define people and places by perceived insufficiencies (like at risk, lacking, marginalized, underserved).

Let’s not define people and places by their deficits. This reinforces negative stereotypes and is not conducive to the type of arts learning this grant program seeks to support. Deficit-based language also contributes to a dynamic where learners are not seen as partners, but as objects of charity.

If you’re talking about a problem, use language that reflects that systematic disparities and community wide problems in fact have systemic causes, that these are not self-caused problems, and explicitly describe those systems whenever possible. Are field trips or strictly performance-based projects eligible for this grant?

No. While a field trip or culminating performance may be a part of the project, it should not be the primary focus. This grant program supports arts programs that seek to activate youth voices, narratives, and perspectives. It is important to articulate how a community of learners has a voice and agency in the development and implementation of the project.

This grant values active participation over exposure or passive engagement. Can a school district and a school within that district both apply? An individual school and a school district may each submit separate applications, but they must be for completely distinct and separate projects and be for projects that occur outside of traditional school hours.

When should I contact my district about applying for this grant? We recommend contacting the Grant Department or Fiscal Office at your district 2-3 months prior to the grant deadline. Can my organization apply for both a Youth Arts Engagement Grant and a Lifelong Arts Engagement Grant?

No. Though an organization may be eligible for more than one arts learning grant program, the Arts Commission limits the number of applications which may be submitted by an applicant to one arts learning grant program within the same funding period. An applicant who applies to the Lifelong Arts Engagement Grant program in Fiscal Year 2026 may not apply for a Youth Arts Engagement Grant that same year.

I’m an arts organization; am I eligible to apply directly and serve as a partner in another project? Arts organizations are eligible to apply directly to the Youth Arts Engagement Grant program. As outlined above, as a direct applicant an arts organization may only receive one Youth Arts Engagement grant per fiscal year.

Those arts organization may still serve as a partner in a different project, but all applications, including the one submitted directly, count toward the total partner limit of 3 arts learning applications (both Lifelong Arts Engagement and Youth Arts Engagement) per fiscal year. This is to address the competitive nature of this grant program. My organization is eligible for other Arts Commission grants; can I apply to those?

No. Across grant programs, the Arts Commission limits the number of applications that may be submitted by a given organization or unit of government to one (1) application per funding period (July 1 – June 30 of the following year). While an organization or unit of government may be eligible for more than one grant program, they may only apply for one of them in a given funding period.

As an example, an applicant who applies to the Creative Capacity Grant program or the Festivals Grant program in Fiscal Year 2026 may not apply for a Youth Arts Engagement Grant that same year. Leading up to the application due date, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will present webinar-style information sessions and workshops to help prospective applicants in preparing competitive applications.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 How do I register on behalf of an organization? Go to https://azarts. smapply.

io/ Choose the option to “Register as an Organization” Enter your name, email address, and a password. (The person who registers the organization in SMApply becomes the organization’s first “member” and the administrator of the organization’s account. Additional members may be added later and/or made an account administrator.)

Enter the requested information about your Organization, such as the organization’s name, mailing address, and general contact information. How do I add members to my Organization? Once you have created your organization you can add additional members to assist with applications and account maintenance.

Go to https://azarts. smapply. io/ Click “Manage Organization” in the top right corner Click the “Add Member” button Enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email Address of the member Select whether the member will have Administrative or Non-Administrative Access For instructions on adding members in bulk, click here .

How do I update my Organization’s Profile? Go to https://azarts. smapply.

io/ Click on “Manage Organization” in the top right corner Update your profile information SurveyMonkey Apply provides a comprehensive FAQ for applicants; in addition to the “how tos” above you can find more information and resources on accounts, completing an application, and managing your organization at https://help. smapply. io/hc/en- us/articles/360032514674- General-Account-FAQ .

Grant Guidelines: Youth Arts Engagement Grant Lineamientos: Subvenciones para la Participación Juvenil en las Artes Word Doc: Narrative Questions Arts Learning Coordinator May 2026 (dates and times TBA) July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 Resources posted here offer applicants general guidance related to the application process and our online application platform, SurveyMonkey Apply.

Grant Recipient Resources Resources posted here offer current grant recipients information related to managing Arizona Commission on the Arts grants.

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Open to artists of all disciplines and career stages, Artist Opportunity Grants help Ar... Arizona Commission on the Arts Reminder: the application period for Creative Capacity Grants, Festival Grants, Lifelong Arts Engagement Grants, and Youth Arts Engagement Grants closes this Thursday, April 16, at 11:59 pm! Arts Commission staff are available to provide technical assistance and answer questions from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

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