A great art program doesn’t have to come out of your general fund. Most K–8 schools already have access to funding that can pay for a standards-based art curriculum. Some of it arrives every year whether or not you apply. The rest comes from grants that teachers and schools can win on their own.

This guide is for principals, curriculum directors, and teachers who are just starting to look for money for Meet the Masters. It covers where the biggest dollars are, which grants are open to private schools, and which popular “art grants” won’t actually cover curriculum, so you don’t waste time on them.

Start here: the money your district may already have

The largest funding sources for art curriculum usually aren’t competitive grants. They are formula funds that districts receive every year. A school asks for them through its district’s federal programs or business office. If you only have time to pursue one lead, start with these.

Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment)

Amount: A formula allocation to every district that receives Title I. Districts receiving $30,000 or more must spend at least 20% on “well-rounded education,” and the arts are named in that category.
Who applies: The district. Schools request funds through the federal programs office.
Why it fits: State education agencies list arts curriculum as an allowable use. Arizona’s guidance includes print and digital curriculum among funded arts activities, and Washington’s lists buying curriculum to support the arts. Funds must add to existing arts spending, not replace it.
Learn more: U.S. Department of Education: Title IV-A

Title I, Part A

Amount: A formula allocation based on each school’s share of low-income students.
Who applies: The district and Title I schools.
Why it fits: Schoolwide Title I schools (40% or more low-income students) can fund arts programming when it is written into the schoolwide plan. The Arts Education Alliance’s Title I toolkit lists arts curriculum as an allowable expense. The purchase needs to connect to raising student achievement.
Learn more: Arts Education Alliance Title I Toolkit (PDF)

California Prop 28: Arts and Music in Schools

Amount: About $1 billion a year statewide. Every California public and charter school receives its own allocation and has three years to spend it.
Who applies: No application is needed. The principal writes a site expenditure plan.
Why it fits: In districts with 500 or more students, at least 80% of funds go to arts staffing. The remaining share can pay for training, supplies, curriculum, materials, and arts education partnership programs. That covers both a curriculum purchase and an arts partner who teaches onsite. Schools with fewer than 500 students can request a waiver for more flexibility.
Learn more: Prop 28 overview (Long Beach USD)

California Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant

Amount: A one-time allocation per student, spendable through the 2028–29 school year.
Who applies: No application is needed. Funds go directly to districts, charters, and county offices.
Why it fits: The California Department of Education describes these as discretionary funds and does not approve or deny individual spending decisions. Your district decides whether arts curriculum is a priority.
Learn more: California Department of Education

Grants a teacher or school can apply for

Competitive grants are smaller, usually $500 to $10,000, and they are often written by a single teacher or a small team. They work well for piloting Meet the Masters in one grade or one school before a wider rollout. Deadlines change every year, so check each link for the current cycle.

Grant	Amount	Who can apply	What it funds
McCarthey Dressman Teacher Development Grants	Up to $10,000 per year, for up to 2 years	Small teams of licensed K–12 teachers, public or private	New approaches to classroom instruction, with results documented. A team piloting a new art curriculum is a natural fit. Applications are due April 15 and close early once 200 are received.
Voya Unsung Heroes	$2,000 to each of 50 finalists, plus top awards of $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000	Full-time K–12 educators at accredited public or private schools	Innovative classroom projects, including classroom materials and art education. Applications are typically due in spring.
NEA Foundation Student Success Grants	$1,500–$5,000	Public school educators who are National Education Association members	Projects that build critical thinking and cultural understanding. Funds can buy materials, supplies, equipment, or technology. There are several deadlines each year.
Walmart Spark Good Local Grants	$250–$5,000	K–12 public schools and nonprofit private schools	Community and education needs near a local Walmart, Sam’s Club, or distribution center. Applications are accepted in three cycles a year.
National Art Education Foundation: Mary McMullan Grants	Up to $3,000	Art educators with at least one year of NAEA membership, public or private	Curriculum models and pilot projects that improve how art is taught. The proposal should focus on teaching and learning, not just a purchase. Guidelines update each August.
National Endowment for the Arts: Grants for Arts Projects	$10,000–$100,000, with a 1:1 cost share required	School districts and 501(c)(3) organizations with at least five years of arts programming	Extended, standards-based arts instruction for students. Best suited to a district-wide initiative where curriculum is one part of a larger project.
U.S. Department of Education: Assistance for Arts Education	Large multi-year awards; the 2025 competition offered about $13 million across up to 4 grants	Districts, state agencies, arts nonprofits, and universities	Arts education for disadvantaged students, including instructional materials. Highly competitive and best for large district or regional proposals.

Don’t overlook local sources. District education foundations, PTAs and PTOs, and community foundations are often the fastest path to funding. Most of them accept requests for curriculum.

Public school teachers can also crowdfund. DonorsChoose lets public and charter school teachers post classroom projects for donors and corporate matching programs to fund. Check with us before posting so we can help you set up the request.

Funding options for private schools

Private schools can’t receive Title I or Title IV-A directly. They can, however, benefit from these funds through equitable services. Every district that receives these funds must set aside a share for eligible private school students and consult with private school leaders each year about how it is spent. Instructional materials are an allowable use. The district purchases and owns the materials on the private school’s behalf.

Next step: Contact the federal programs office of the public school district where your school is located, and ask to join the annual equitable services consultation.

Private schools can also apply directly for the Voya Unsung Heroes, McCarthey Dressman, Walmart Spark Good (nonprofit schools), NAEF Mary McMullan, and NEA Grants for Arts Projects programs listed above.

“Art grants” that usually won’t cover curriculum

Many art-grant lists include programs that only pay for consumable supplies, equipment, or visiting teaching artists. These are still worth knowing about. Just don’t count on them for a curriculum purchase.

Art-supply-only grants, such as the P. Buckley Moss Teacher Grants and state classroom supply grants, typically fund paint, paper, and clay but not curriculum.
Equipment grants, such as NAEF SHIP Grants, cover items like kilns and other classroom equipment.
Arts-in-Education residency grants from state and local arts councils usually pay rostered teaching artists only.
Arts council grants for nonprofits only, such as most California Arts Council arts-education programs, list schools as ineligible applicants.

Five tips for a stronger funding request

Lead with standards. Funders want to see alignment to state or national visual arts standards. We can provide standards alignment for your state.
Show it supplements. Federal funds must add to arts instruction, not replace what you already pay for. Describe what students don’t have today.
Connect art to the whole child. Many grants reward cultural understanding, critical thinking, and cross-curricular learning, and art history touches all three.
Use real results. Point to schools already using the program. See our customer success stories.
Get an exact quote early. Grant budgets need real numbers. Request pricing before you start writing.

Frequently asked questions

Can Title IV-A funds be used to buy art curriculum?

Yes. Title IV-A supports a “well-rounded education,” which includes the arts, and state education agencies such as Arizona’s and Washington’s list arts curriculum as an allowable use. Funds must supplement existing arts spending, and your district makes the final call.

Can California schools use Prop 28 money for an art curriculum?

Yes. After the required spending on arts staff, Prop 28 funds can pay for training, supplies, curriculum, materials, and arts education partnership programs. Schools with fewer than 500 students can request a waiver for more flexibility.

Can private schools get federal funding for art curriculum?

Indirectly, yes. Through equitable services, the local public district uses a share of its Title I and Title IV-A funds for eligible private school students. Private school leaders should join the district’s annual consultation to request it.

What grants can a single teacher apply for?

Voya Unsung Heroes, the NEA Foundation Student Success Grants (for National Education Association members), McCarthey Dressman Teacher Development Grants (for small teams), and NAEF Mary McMullan Grants (for NAEA members) are all teacher-led options.

Where should we start if we’ve never applied for funding before?

Ask your district’s federal programs office about Title IV-A and Title I. In California, also ask your principal about your school’s Prop 28 plan. These are usually the largest and fastest sources.

School Grants and Funding to Buy Art Curriculum from Meet the Masters