Grant Request Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in applying for a Burbank Arts & Education Foundation grant. We support innovation and excellence in schools, including arts education, STEM programs, student safety and wellness, and other needs within the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD). 

Burbank Arts & Education Foundation’s mission is to engage and inspire the community to invest in meeting the diverse educational needs of all 15,000+ BUSD students. Applications that reflect diversity, equity, and inclusion are encouraged. Awards will be distributed via our bi-annual grant-making program, which specifically correlates with BUSD’s most significant areas of need.

We encourage all school sites to think strategically and plan ahead. This will ensure that you have ample time to fully complete your application and acquire the appropriate signatures. All of the Foundation’s grant-making cycles are competitive within each cycle. Foundation staff is available to answer any questions or offer advice on your application before submission deadlines. Please feel free to contact us anytime during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 am-4:30 pm at (818) 729-5593, or by email at Grants@BurbankArtsandEd.org.

For more information on the Foundation and our history, please visit our website at: https://burbankartsanded.org/.

Priorities for Funding

The Foundation supports quality education programs that are aligned with the California Department of Education Content Standards, and for arts, the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Standard. We welcome applications for instructional materials and programs that reach students in an equitable manner.

1. The Foundation will only consider requests for funds to support projects, based on merit, that:

  • Occur during the standard school day 

  • Are curriculum-based and have a direct connection to student learning

  • Fulfill a need or gap 

  • Utilize granted funds within one academic year

  • Are aligned with CA Department of Education Content Standards (and VAPA standards when applicable.)

2. The Foundation will give preference to requests for funds to support projects that:

  • Are district-wide and benefit a large number of students

  • Cover grade-level Content standards (Click HERE) and/or VAPA standards (Click HERE)

  • Have other income sources either identified or secured

  • Support staff professional development 

  • May require seed money, and can grow with the site, District, or other support over time

  • That reflects diversity, equity, and inclusion 


3. The Foundation will not consider requests for funds to support programs that:

  • Are extra-curricular and/or do not fall during the school day

  • Transportation costs

  • Do not meet all of the criteria in section (1)

Who Can Apply:

Burbank Arts and Education Foundation will accept grant applications from qualified applicants (listed below). Applicants may include:

  • District Administrators 

  • Principals

  • CTE and Arts Coordinator

  • Credentialed Classroom Teachers

  • PTA Presidents

  • School Site Fundraising Committee Chairs 

Please Consider:

  • The Foundation offers two grant applications: one for grants up to $500 and another for grants up to $5000. 

  • Foundation funds can be used as a partnering grant to a school site budget, PTA or Fundraising Committee funds, donor gifts, local business investments, etc. (please be sure to include letters of support or commitment from funding partners with your application)

  • Outside organizations and/or teaching artists cannot directly apply for funding. A school site may apply for the funds to contract with the organization and/or artist.

Approval Signatures:

All funding requests must have the appropriate signatures.

Approval is required to ensure all Foundation funding represents individual school site plan needs and priorities. Please see Helpful Resources for contact information for specific BUSD staff if needed. Required signatures may include:

  • Applicant (required for all applications). 

  • Grant applications requesting funds for a district-wide program must be signed by a district-level administrator.

  • Site-based applications must have the signature of the school principal.  NOTE - The principal’s signature guarantees approval from the Fundraising Advisory Committee for any new or pilot program.

  • Grant applications requesting funds for a program or project that impacts the physical space (construction of any kind, mural, electrical or wiring, classroom, or auditorium enhancement) must be signed by the Director of Facilities.

The Signature Page Form can be found HERE to be uploaded with your grant application.  Please download and edit on your home computer/device or make a copy and fill it out on Google Docs. It may also be printed, signed, and then scanned. The grant application form will accept your completed Signature Page Form as a PDF, doc, docx, or image upload.

Applications without proper signatures will not be processed. All signatures must be original or electronic signature. If an original signature is not possible, please send an email or written explanation and approval from the required signatory. 

Application Review:

Grant applications can be accepted at any time. They will be considered for funding twice a year, typically in the Spring and in the Fall. Please check the website for the next deadline for consideration.

Checklist:

When submitting your completed and signed application, please include:

  • Completed Application

  • Background information, a letter of support, contract/bid or letter of agreement if you are requesting funds to employ services of a specific organization or teaching artist, to be uploaded at the end of your application

  • Bid for potential expenses for supplies or materials to be uploaded at the end of your application

  • Budget of Total Expenses and Income for the project, including commitments from other funding partners. You may upload an Excel file, word document, or PDF of your budget. Please see the Budget Template tool.

  • Signed Signature Page Form. Please download the form and have the page signed by the required signatories.

  • Letters of support from other funding partners can be uploaded at the end of the application

  • Approved meeting minutes acknowledging matching funds from the PTA unit or Fundraising Committee can be uploaded at the end of the application

Submission Process:

Applications can be completed at https://BurbankArtsandEd.org/grants.

Receipt of Application:

All applicants will receive a confirmation email with a copy of their submission after completing the online application.  You may need to check your “spam” folder if it does not appear in your inbox.

Review Process Policy:

Grant applications will be reviewed by a panel of Foundation board members, invited guests, and BUSD representatives.  Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their request within 45 days after the submission deadline. The panel’s recommendations will then be presented to the Foundation’s Board of Directors for final approval.

Payment of Funds:

Funding will be disbursed to grantees within 45 days after the submission deadline.  Checks must be cashed within 60 days. Grant checks will ONLY be made payable to either your school site or Burbank Unified School District. Please remember to include your BUSD account string number on the application.  Checks cannot be made payable to individual teachers, parents, artists, partner organizations, PTA units, or Fundraising Committees.

Acknowledgment of Foundation’s Grant:

If funded, we ask you to acknowledge Burbank Arts & Education Foundation in all of the following ways specific to your discipline and project to help us continue to support Burbank schools. When notified in advance and if possible, Board Members will be happy to attend or support your performance or exhibition.

  • State in any related printed materials, newsletter, websites, eBlasts, promotional pages, invitations and electronic announcements: “This project was made possible with funding from the Burbank Arts & Education Foundation.” Please include the Foundation’s logo, mission statement, and URL: www.BurbankArtsandEd.org

  • Use the Foundation’s logo, mission statement, and URL: www.BurbankArtsandEd.org when posting/displaying student work

  • Notify the audience at performances/activities of the Foundation’s role in the project

Please contact the Foundation’s office for an up-to-date logo in the format required.

Final Report:

All grantees of applications up to $5,000 are required to submit a Final Report about their project. Grantees have one year to produce their project/program. Once your project is complete, you then have 60 days to complete the Final Report at (insert link)

Failure to complete this form will result in ineligibility to apply for future funds. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.

Find more information on our website at https://burbankartsanded.org/grants

THANK YOU!