GRANTS: Big Yellow School Bus

GRANTS: Big Yellow School Bus

Website: http://www.oac.ohio.gov/grants#4435-arts-learning

 614-728-4455

 30 E. Broad Street, 33rd Floor, Columbus, OH, Unknown

School field trips play an important role in arts education efforts, providing exposure to arts events otherwise inaccessible to many students. The Big Yellow School Bus program helps schools and other educational groups defray transportation costs to professional arts and cultural activities. These early arts experiences create new relationships between Ohio’s youth and the state’s creative sector, and support in-school arts learning activities that are critical to overall academic development.

GRANT AWARDS: Applicants may request up to $500. No match is required.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications accepted year round, at least eight weeks prior to planned travel.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible organizations include—but are not limited to—public, private, charter, or parochial schools (pre-kindergarten through secondary) and associations of home-schooled students. Multiple applications from a single school district are permissible within a single fiscal year. When funds are limited, priority will be given to new applicants. Priority status is also given to rural and urban students from underserved areas of Ohio. All applicants must possess nonprofit status or nonprofit intent.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS: The Big Yellow School Bus program supports transportation costs for educational field trips to art galleries, museums, festivals, and exhibitions, as well as music, dance, or theatre performances. Applicants are responsible for making all transportation and destination arrangements. Funds must be used for field trip-related travel expenses, including but not limited to securing buses or vans and licensed drivers, fuel and parking costs, and accessibility expenses. Funds may not be used for other related costs or activities, such as event admission fees, or adjudicated student events or showcases. Please refer to the Introduction and Overview for a list of activities the OAC cannot fund.

HOW TO APPLY: Big Yellow School Bus applications must be submitted via the ARTIE system. Please refer to ARTIE: Organizational Grant Applications for a description of the process. New applicants are encouraged to contact the Arts Learning coordinator to learn more about the program. Applications must include a copy of a document verifying the actual transportation cost (a purchase order, written estimate, transportation company contract, vehicle rental agreement, letter from a superintendent or other authorizing official, etc.).