Arts Education Framework Grants

OVERVIEW
Through the Arts Education Framework Grant Program, Creative Sonoma makes grant funding available to Sonoma County public school districts, to encourage and support delivery of more arts education by implementing new—or strengthening existing—arts education curriculum and/or through arts integration.
Utilizing the Sonoma County Arts Education Framework, the program prioritizes reaching students who have limited access to arts education and/or live and attend school in geographically or economically underserved areas of the county. Rural districts and those that are located in improvement areas as defined by the 2021 Update to Portrait of Sonoma (measureofamerica.org/sonoma/) are especially encouraged to apply.
Funded by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, these grants will allow districts to get the help they need to make arts education an essential component of their plans to create a better future for their students.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- Support customization of an arts education strategic plan for a district (scroll to the bottom of the page for samples from the schools and districts that were grantees in the first two rounds of this program)
- Identify strengths, challenges, and available resources during the Consultancy process, including personnel involved or necessary personnel
- Create and define overall goals with a timeline
- Develop action steps for implementation and an assessment plan
IMPORTANT DATES
- Application Opens: June 1, 2022
- Application Workshops: June 15, 2022 (watch workshop recording HERE) or August 25, 2022 (register HERE), both via Zoom at 5:00-6:00pm
- Deadline to Apply: October 12, 2022
- Awards Announced: November 2022
- Funding Period: January-June 2023
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants may include Sonoma County public school districts that are serviced by SCOE. See the Application Packet (attached under “Application Packet and How to Apply” below) for more information.
The following are NOT eligible to apply:
- Private school districts
AWARD AMOUNT
EVALUATION CRITERIA
A peer review panel, drawn from experts outside of Sonoma County, will assess these applications on the following criteria (see the Guidelines for more information on each of these points):
- District readiness for Consulting and Implementation of the Framework
- Effective and sustainable impact on district articulated priorities
- Proposed strategies to impact targeted youth populations through arts education
- Capacity to administer and manage a strategic arts plan and implementation activities
- Demonstration of how the consultation that is available through this award will build future arts education opportunities
- Completeness and clarity of the consultation application
HOW TO APPLY
Read the Application Packet, which includes the guidelines and all of the application questions and instructions. No handwritten or paper-based applications will be accepted. Applicants will need to have – or to create – an account in Submittable, Creative Sonoma’s online application portal.
The online application will appear in the list of open Creative Sonoma opportunities at on June 1, 2022. Click on the black Submittable button to get started.

ARTS PLAN SAMPLES
2020 Arts Education Framework Planning Grants: Completed Strategic Arts Plans
- Bellevue Elementary School
- McNear Elementary School
- Santa Rosa City Schools
- Taylor Mountain Elementary School
- West Side Union Elementary School District
2021 Arts Education Framework Consultancy Awards: Completed Strategic Arts Plans