Arts Education Programs

• Must have been in existence for one year prior to the application.

• Must have been both incorporated in Maryland as a not-for-profit and have received tax exempt status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, units of government, colleges and universities are also eligible to apply.

• Schools and organizations can apply for more than one AEP Grant per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), each for a different event.

• The total amount of AEP funds awarded per fiscal year shall not exceed $3,000 to any school or organization. Only one application per event will be considered. Other AEP grant funding is available directly from the Maryland State Arts Council (www.msac.org).

• All performances, exhibits, classes, etc. must be held within St. Mary’s County and reach a broad, diverse, and interconnected audience within a targeted community, connect outside that immediate community, and have potential for growing the community which will access the programs. 

• Please note that AEP awards can also be used to cover the cost of admission and transportation to quality, educationally relevant performances or experiences inside or outside of St. Mary’s County, however applicants should refer to the below scoring rubric for information on how applications are evaluated.

• Must not have any Final Reports outstanding from prior SMCAC awards. Please note such a  final report form is always provided by SMCAC with the Grant Agreement Form (GAF) (i.e. contract) when awards are made.  This final report must be filed within 30 days of the completion of the funded event.

• Acknowledgement for the award must be given to the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council in all public service announcements, programs, press releases, web sites, etc.

• Must comply with Title VI, Section 601, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which states that no persons, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination to the arts.

• Must comply with the Title IV, Section 1681, of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Action, Section 6101, of 1975, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or age.

• Must comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which states that no otherwise qualified person shall, solely by reason of his or her handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination related to the arts.

To be considered for funding, a project must be directly related to the arts.  These categories are usually: Children’s Arts Events • Dance • Folk Art • Literature • Music • multi-Discipline • Media • Theater • Visual Arts • Craft and Design.

AEP grants can be applied towards obtaining quality performances and/or hands-on intensive workshops by visiting performers, artists, authors, poets, master teachers and professionals in the areas of music, visual art, drama, dance, and literature for educational enhancement. Grants will not be awarded to fund ongoing curricular programs or as a substitution for quality arts education within a school setting.

The SMCAC strives to provide funding to all qualified applicants, however funding may be limited. Therefore, we recommend submitting as early as possible a short Written Statement of Intent to Apply to the Executive Director at director@smcart.org or contact the SMCAC office by calling 240-309-4061. The SMCAC staff can provide valuable feedback to guide your application and aid your success.

Grant applications are accepted and reviewed throughout the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) according to the following application cycles: 

Fall Deadline: October 20

Spring Deadline: February 20

Please note that events will not be funded retroactively. All grant applications must be received for consideration by SMCAC on or before the published application deadlines.

Application form: The grant application is available in a fillable digital form or downloadable pdf form available on the SMCAC website. Hard copies are also available at the SMCAC Office. Successful applications will present all required information in a clear and professional fashion to allow easy review irrespective of format used. Depending on format, applications can be submitted online, sent via email to director@smcart.org, mailed via the US Post Office to the address below, or hand-delivered to our office during open hours.

Mailing Address:
St. Mary’s County Arts Council
PO Box 1310
Leonardtown, MD 20650

Application Components: The essential components of the application consist of Organization/School Information, Project Information, Budget Information

Download the SMCAC AEP Scoring Rubric.pdf to view full scoring rubric.

The St. Mary’s County Arts Council evaluates based off:

Merit - Enhances the culture of St. Mary’s County

Impact - Engages St. Mary’s County Residents

Feasibility - Timeliness, logistical and financial feasibility

Alignment - Connects to mission and vision of St. Mary’s County Arts Council. Read our Mission & Vision statement here.

Applicants will be notified of the funding decision shortly after final grant reviews for a funding cycle are complete. The individual listed as the primary contact in the application will receive all notifications; for organizational/school applicants, notifications will be sent to the primary contact(s) listed on the application. SMCAC prefers to notify applicants via email. Please adjust email notification and security settings to ensure receipt of these notifications. Check your spam folder if you do not see a notification in your inbox.

If the grant is funded, the notification will include a Grant Agreement Form (GAF) to review and sign. If the applicant does not have access to email, please contact the SMCAC office by calling 240-309-4061 to make alternative arrangements for notifications.

The grant funds are provided in a disbursement, which is a distribution from a dedicated fund for the specific purposes outlined in your application. The disbursement process begins when the Grant Agreement Form (GAF) is fully executed. Initial disbursement of 75% of the total award will occur approximately two weeks from the date of notification of the fully executed GAF. The remaining 25% will be awarded upon review of the required final report after the project’s completion.

*Fund disbursement may be impacted by the timing of our annual MSAC grant delivery. Every effort will be made to disburse as close to approval as possible.

If there are significant changes to the proposed activities for which a grant has been awarded, the grantee is responsible for contacting SMCAC staff right away. Staff will review these proposed changes and help ensure that they remain in alignment with the program guidelines, however there is no guarantee that proposed changes will be approved.

The Final Report Form must be completed no later than 30 days following completion of your funded project/program.

You can find the Final Report in the resources above or click here to complete.