Grants

Allied Arts manages a number of grant programs to help ensure a dynamic, sustainable cultural community in central Oklahoma.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Provide quality arts and cultural programming to the community
Be a nonprofit arts organization, tax-exempt corporation as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service (have current 501(c)(3) status)
Be established and functional for at least three years
Have current financials and an active, volunteer board of directors
Have headquarters in central Oklahoma (defined by the 10-county area including the counties of Oklahoma, Kingfisher, Logan, Lincoln, Seminole, Pottawatomie, Cleveland, McClain, Grady and Canadian)
Have current registration as a charitable organization with the State of Oklahoma
Be self-identified as “Arts, Culture, and Humanities” using the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities system
Submit an evaluation report for previously awarded grant funding

If an applicant or grantee – or representatives of an organization – defames the name of Allied Arts, Allied Arts reserves the right to deny funding for a new request or pull funding from a previously-funded request.

Details related to each grant program can be found below including submission deadlines.

Educational Outreach

2021 Fall Cycle Deadline is August 23, 2021.

The Allied Arts Educational Outreach program provides funding to nonprofit arts organizations working to impact the lives of youth through cultural programming and serving other segments of the community with arts outreach. The focus remains on providing arts experiences for underserved K-12 Oklahoma students with an expansion to include broadening outreach to groups outside of K-12 school-aged children including programming for veterans, hospitalized adults, developmentally disabled adults and the elderly. The Educational Outreach Program will also enhance access to meaningful, sustained arts experiences for youth with low socioeconomic status or who have historically lacked access to arts programs. Examples include paying teaching artists to conduct programming in low socioeconomic schools, libraries and community centers as well as covering operating expenses for organizations who strictly work with communities of color.

Cash grants and Hobby Lobby store gift cards are available. NEW: Organizations of all budget sizes can apply for up to $5,000 in cash grants. Hobby Lobby card distributions will be in addition to the cash award maximum amount.

Allied Arts member agencies as well as other nonprofit arts organizations are eligible for the Educational Outreach Program.

The Allied Arts 2021-2022 Educational Outreach program is made possible with the generous support of the following organizations:

ChappelWood Financial Services
Compellier
Dobson Family Foundation
Flogistix
Gannett Foundation
Hobby Lobby
JPMorgan Chase
Kimray
Oklahoma Natural Gas
UMB Bank
UPS Foundation

For additional information, please email jennifer.bryan@alliedartsokc.com.

Recent Recipients

Spring 2021

Agency	Project Description	Grant Amount
Arts Council Oklahoma City	Support afterschool visual arts instruction at the Boys & Girls Club Memorial Park site	$6,000
Aspiring Attitudes	Support the scholarship fund	$3,500
Canterbury Voices	Acquire a digital piano for Canterbury Youth Voices rehearsals	$3,302
deadCenter Film	Support the annual deadCenter University	$5,000
Edmond Historical Society & Museum	Fund family workshops led by a local artist	$2,000
Firehouse Art Center	Support the summer art program	$3,000
KidsAlive!	Sponsor three spring productions and fund scholarships	$5,000
Lyric Theatre	Support Kids Clubhouse Musical Interactive	$5,000
Metropolitan School of Dance	Support spring programming and spring break camp	$4,000
OKC Ballet	Support the scholarship fund	$5,000
Oklahoma Arts Institute	Fund scholarships for the 2021 Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute	$5,000
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	Fund scholarships for spring and summer camps	$5,000
Oklahoma City Philharmonic	Host a Discovery Family Concert at the Zoo Amphitheatre	$5,000
Oklahoma Hall of Fame	Teach traditional storytelling focusing on Te Ata to third-fifth grade classrooms	$5,000
Oklahoma Youth Orchestras	Offer weekly sessions via Zoom beyond traditional rehearsal	$3,000
Opry Heritage Foundation	Support the Granville School of Music	$3,000
Prairie Dance Theatre	Support afterschool and weekend classes	$4,000
Science Museum Oklahoma	Support the annual Space Day program	$5,000
Sooner Theatre	Support the scholarship fund	$5,000

Fall 2020 Cycle

Agency	Project Description	Grant Amount
Arts Council Oklahoma City	Produce digital content for use by OKCPS elementary and middle school students distance learning	$6,000
Aspiring Attitudes	Support the scholarship fund for families with financial limitations	$3,500
Canterbury Voices	Fund an additional 20 full scholarships for the upcoming youth season	$5,000
Fine Arts Institute	Provide virtual lessons to third and fourth grade EPS students	$6,700
Firehouse Art Center	Support the Art After School program	$5,000
KidsAlive!	Support fall programming	$3,000
Lyric Theatre	Support Lyric Theatre’s Gaylord Academy	$5,000
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art	Provide virtual art classes and virtual, live tours to classrooms and homeschool groups	$5,000
Metropolitan School of Dance	Offer a free two-day fall break camp for youth residing in the Page Woodson area	$3,000
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	Support scholarships and discounted tuition for half- and full-day classes	$5,000
Oklahoma City Ballet	Support BalletReach	$5,000
Oklahoma City Museum of Art	Provide arts education to hospitalized children at SSM Health facilities with personalized art supplies	$6,900
Oklahoma City Philharmonic	Launch a new program at OU Children’s Hospital broadcasting concerts over a closed circuit system directly into the patients’ rooms and throughout the hospital	$3,715
Oklahoma Contemporary	Launch Virtual School Tours	$5,856
Oklahoma Shakespeare	Launch a series of online master classes for high school students	$3,000
Oklahoma Youth Orchestras	Provide financial assistance for low-income students to participate	$3,000
Painted Sky Opera	Support the creation of virtual lessons and live-streaming performances	$3,000
Prairie Dance Theatre	Offer onsite afterschool and Saturday programming	$3,000
Sooner Theatre	Purchase technology to facilitate distance learning	$8,312

Spring 2020 Cycle

Agency	Project Description	Grant Amount
Arts Council Oklahoma City	Expand afterschool programming for teens at the main site of Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County	$5,000.00
Canterbury Voices	Fund an additional 20 full or partial need-based scholarships for students from low-income families to partcipate in Canterbury Youth Voices	$4,000.00
Carpenter Square Theatre	Offset transportation costs for high school classrooms to attend matinee performances of “The Library” at the theatre	$1,900.00
Cimarron Opera	Support the touring of professional opera performances into Oklahoma elementary schools and libraries with a focus on reaching more rural and Title I schools	$2,500.00
deadCenter Film	Sponsor deadCenter University for high school students in Oklahoma held during the annual deadCenter Film Festival	$5,000.00
KidsAlive!	Support the “Once On This Island, Jr.” production featuring the Kaleidoscope cast of Mirrors (experienced young performers) and Gems (children with special needs)	$3,000.00
Life Change Ballroom	Sponsor in-school programming at Buchanan Elementary School and costuming for advanced students performing at the Festival of the Arts	$3,000.00
Lyric Theatre	Support the touring of “Cinderella – A Literary Tale Interactive” at school libraries, gyms, cafeterias and auditoriums statewide	$5,000.00
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art	Fund scholarships for students from low-income families, affordable class fees, art supplies and free classes to underserved children in other summer programs	$3,500.00
Metropolitan School of Dance	Support workshops and lecture demonstrations at partnering elementary, middle and high schools, along with workshops at the organization’s studio at the Page Woodson	$2,800.00
Myriad Gardens Foundation	Fund the creation of original pieces to transform the gardens for Pumpkinville and the Children’s Garden Festival	$5,000.00
Norman Firehouse Art Center	Support scholarship opportunities, and quality materials and supplies for students in the Youth & Teen Program at Firehouse	$3,500.00
OK City Chorus	Sponsor a day-long clinic teaching four-part a cappella harmony and choreography	$1,500.00
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	Sponsor scholarships for students from low-income households to enroll in summer camp and a portable display for artwork created by students	$5,000.00
Oklahoma City Ballet	Support ArtsReach in-school programming and a live performance of “A Little Peace” at the Civic Center	$4,500.00
Oklahoma City Museum of Art	Fund healing art activities at SSM Health Behavioral Health for young patients	$4,500.00
Oklahoma City Philharmonic	Sponsor the third and final concert of the Discovery Concert Series, “Peter and the Wolf”	$4,500.00
Oklahoma Contemporary	Support the “Arts for the Underserved” program which consists of free arts experiences for youth and families	$5,000.00
Oklahoma Hall of Fame	Offset the cost of fuel for classrooms participating in the Free Fieldtrip Program at the museum	$2,620.00
Oklahoma Shakespeare	Sponsor a matinee of “Romeo and Juliet” for seventh through 12th grade students at OCCC’s performing arts center	$3,000.00
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC)	Fund a pilot program matching OVAC artists with 10 A+ Certified High Schools in central Oklahoma	$3,000.00
Oklahoma Youth Orchestras	Provide financial assistance and special scholarships for students from low-income households	$3,000.00
Opry Heritage Foundation	Offset supplies, curriculum and operating expenses, as well as instrument repair, rental and/or purchases for the Granville School of Music	$3,000.00
Painted Sky Opera	Support touring to central Oklahoma schools to teach K-12th grade students about opera	$3,000.00
Prairie Dance Theatre	Fund in-school dance instruction for 3rd graders at Southern Hills Elementary and 2nd-4th graders at Prairie Queen Elementary	$3,000.00
Red Earth	Sponsor the Youth Art Competition & Exhibition held in conjunction with the annual Red Earth Festival	$3,000.00
Science Museum Oklahoma	Offset transportation costs for Title 1 schools to visit Science Museum Oklahoma on Space Day 2020	$2,500.00
Sooner Theatre	Fund scholarships for students from low-income households to participate in summer camp	$5,000.00

Capacity-Building Grants

2021 Fall Cycle Deadline is August 23, 2021.

The Allied Arts Capacity-Building program assists nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in building organizational capability to better serve their constituencies and fulfill their missions.

Organizations can apply for a grant not to exceed $5,000 with no matching component; Allied Arts will consider fully funding project requests. An organization with an annual operating budget of $500,000 or more is limited to one request per Allied Arts fiscal year.

Examples of projects that have been funded include requests for organizational training, board development, volunteer management, strategic planning and professional development opportunities. Allied Arts understands that funding is also needed to meet the unique challenges related to navigating post-COVID challenges and will consider capacity-building requests, such as:

 Filling full-time, part-time, contract and seasonal staff openings lost to COVID
 Employing artists to conduct programming
 Equipment and tools to provide virtual/remote programming, events and activities
 Capital requests to conduct programming outdoors
 Modifications to facilities to conduct indoor programming safely

Allied Arts will also consider capacity-building requests related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, such as:

 Supporting collaborations between established cultural nonprofits and emerging groups
 Funding projects that address racial, social, gender injustice through the arts
 Operating expenses for organizations led by people of color and serving communities of color

Priority is given to projects that result in tangible, concrete results and efficiencies. Regarding professional development, priority is also given to opportunities within the state of Oklahoma and region.

Submission of a proposal does not guarantee funding. Funds are limited.

Allied Arts member agencies as well as other nonprofit arts organizations are eligible for the Capacity-Building Program. To be eligible, applicants must have an updated profile on Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s GiveSmartOKC.

For more information, please email jennifer.bryan@alliedartsokc.com.

Recent Recipients

Spring 2021

Agency	Project Description	Grant Amount
Edmond Historical Society & Museum	Convert existing Living History content/performances to a virtual format	$3,000
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art	Work with a consultant to draft a new strategic plan	$3,000
Metropolitan School of Dance	Attend a National Guild for Community Arts Education conference	$660
Oklahoma Arts Institute	Transition to a database allowing for connectivity with marketing and development tools	$3,000
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	Acquire equipment to support the increase in virtual program offerings	$4,310
Oklahoma City Philharmonic	Conduct an organizational audit with additional consultant training and guidance	$4,000
Oklahoma Contemporary	Build the technology infrastructure to offer live-streamed classes	$5,000
Oklahoma Hall of Fame	Undergo Unconscious Bias training led by a consultant	$3,300
Oklahoma Museums Association	Acquire laptops and two printers for staff use	$2,134
Oklahoma Shakespeare	Acquire computers for office administration and a sound system for outdoor performances	$5,000
Opry Heritage Foundation	Purchase equipmen and a portable stage to continue producing virtual concerts and programs	$5,000
Painted Sky Opera	Attend local training workshops on donor relations and cover a donor management subscription	$1,100
Prairie Dance Theatre	Conduct a fundraising planning and team-building session led by a consultant	$695
Red Earth	Acquire equipment to create a video resource library for schools	$3,000
Sooner Theatre	Conduct financials audits	$5,000

Fall 2020 Cycle

Agency	Project Description	Grant Amount
Canterbury Voices	Create a new strategic plan	$3,000
deadCenter Film	Establish a small, portable studio in-house to connect with the community virtually	$3,553
Jazz in June	Purchase new technology to ensure data retention as well as more efficient fundraising and stewardship	$600
Lyric Theatre	Fund participation in the OK Center for Nonprofits’ nonprofit management course	$1,900
Metropolitan School of Dance	Sponsor registration for the virtual National Dance Educators Organization’s annual conference	$575
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	Purchase technology to perform at new COVID-safe locations and to record performances professionally	$3,648
Oklahoma City Ballet	Purchase technology to facilitate distance learning	$2,806

Spring 2020 Cycle

Agency	Project Description	Grant Award
BLAC Inc	For the executive director and a board member to attend the annual Kennedy Center Partners in Education conference in Washington, DC	$1,205.00
Life Change Ballroom	For the purchase of a computer, mouse, two monitors and necessary software for office/administrative usage	$883.00
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art	For two staff members to attend the American Alliance of Museums conference in San Francisco	$1,500.00
Metropolitan School of Dance	To support participation in Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits board and organizational development programs	$1,625.00
Oklahoma Children’s Theatre	To offset the cost of technology upgrades to enhance student camper check-in and check-out, and to manage employee and volunteer positions	$4,572.00
Oklahoma City Ballet	For the artistic director and executive director to attend the Dance USA Conference in Denver	$2,000.00
Oklahoma Contemporary	For two staff members to attend the Tessitura Learning & Community Conference in Denver	$2,500.00
Oklahoma Museums Association	For two staff members to attend the American Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting & Expo in Las Vegas	$1,952.00
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition	To support website enhancements and digital accessibility	$1,325.00
Oklahomans for the Arts	To support donor data conversion to an online database system	$3,680.00
Opry Heritage Foundation of Oklahoma	To offset the cost of technology upgrades to Stockyard Central	$5,000.00
Painted Sky Opera	For staff and board attendance at the OPERA America conference in Seattle	$1,688.00
Red Earth	To support an organizational strategic planning process	$2,250.00
Sooner Theatre	To support a consultant-led review of organizational bylaws, policies, strategic plan and board management, as well as to become formally accredited under the Standards for Excellence code	$3,000.00

Allocations

2022 Allocations Deadline will be announced soon.

Annually, Allied Arts distributes campaign funds to its member agencies through the allocations process. Agencies utilize these funds for a host of needs – from offsetting administrative costs to bringing world-renowned exhibits and performances to central Oklahoma. This program is only open to the 25 Allied Arts member agencies.

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Grants

Allied Arts manages a number of grant programs to help ensure a dynamic, sustainable cultural community in central Oklahoma.

Educational Outreach

Recent Recipients

Capacity-Building Grants

Recent Recipients

Allocations

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