Arts Learning Projects Grants

The Nebraska Arts Council’s Arts Learning Project Grants provide targeted financial support for arts education initiatives designed to benefit PreK-12 students and community members across Nebraska. Administered by the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), a state agency committed to promoting, cultivating, and sustaining the arts, these grants fund projects that demonstrate a strong educational emphasis, whether implemented in traditional school settings or within broader community contexts. By integrating recognized educational standards and involving qualified teaching artists or cultural partners, the program seeks to enhance arts learning across a range of disciplines. School-based projects must align with the Nebraska State Fine Arts Standards, National Arts Standards, or applicable local school district benchmarks. In community settings, projects are required to define and incorporate measurable educational learning outcomes in the arts. Priority is given to those proposals that show promise in establishing best practices in educational and cultural collaborations. These collaborations should meaningfully address the integration of educational standards and demonstrate a strong commitment to the communities and students served. The funding amounts range from $2,000 to $15,000. However, requests exceeding $7,500 are subject to stricter requirements: they must either be school-based projects involving more than one school or include robust outreach efforts across multiple communities. All applicants are required to provide a full cash match for the grant amount requested. In-kind contributions cannot be used to satisfy the match requirement, although they may still be included in budget narratives to demonstrate additional project value. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations incorporated in Nebraska with federal tax-exempt status, public agencies and subdivisions of governmental entities, and PreK-12 accredited schools. Colleges and university departments are also eligible but must demonstrate significant public involvement beyond campus. However, organizations may only apply for either an Arts Project Grant or an Arts Learning Project Grant per deadline cycle. Those already receiving Annual Programs in Arts Learning (APAL) grants are ineligible for this program. Entities receiving Basic Support Grants may apply only for distinct projects in schools or community outreach initiatives. Applications must be submitted via the NAC’s online portal, and applicants must use the required budget templates. Two application deadlines are offered annually: March 15 (spring cycle, for projects running July 1–June 30) and October 1 (fall cycle, for projects from January 1–June 30). Projects spanning the summer may have a start date as early as June 1 and run through August 31. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale across three weighted criteria: Artistic Quality (up to 35 points), Planning & Evaluation (up to 35 points), and Outreach & Engagement (up to 30 points). Review rubrics are provided via the NAC website. Applicants must submit narratives detailing project scope, participants, goals, and alignment with educational standards, along with evaluation plans. Additional required components include work samples, bios of teaching artists, a proposed budget, and two letters of support from community partners. Contact for the program is Anne Alston, available at the Nebraska Arts Council office, 1004 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE, or by phone at (402) 595-2122. Full guidelines are available in PDF format on the NAC website.

Prioritize alignment with educational standards and demonstrate measurable outcomes. Focus on public access and underserved communities.