Big Yellow School Bus

April 13, 2023 | Agency Mosaic High School visiting the OAC Riffe Gallery's 2023 Arts Beacon of Light exhibition Supporting School Visits to Arts and Cultural Activities 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 student transportation costs to professional arts and culturally diverse 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. Big Yellow School Bus grantees generally receive their full request. ELIGIBILITY Eligible organizations include—but are not limited to—public, private, charter, or parochial schools (pre-kindergarten through grade 12) and associations of home-schooled students. Multiple applications from a single school or 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 students from underrepresented areas of Ohio. All applicants must possess nonprofit status or nonprofit intent. Funds must be used for field trip-related travel expenses, including 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, adjudicated student events or showcases, or students’ own performances. Examples of activities that would be ineligible for a Big Yellow School Bus award include visits to student-only performances as either observers or participants (e.g., to an adjudicated band contest or school concert), college or university campus visits (that do not include a focus on professional artists), and non-arts activities that include only a superficial arts component. Please refer to Appendix A for other OAC funding restrictions that may affect your request. HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS The Big Yellow School Bus program supports student transportation costs for educational field trips to art galleries, museums, festivals, and exhibitions, as well as music, dance, or theatre performances within Ohio. Applicants are responsible for making all transportation and destination arrangements. Payment of a grant award will be processed once a final report is received and approved. OAC staff may request additional information regarding grant activities prior to approving payment. HOW TO APPLY Big Yellow School Bus applications must be submitted via the ARTIE system. Please refer to Appendix F for a step-by-step look at applying for, accepting, and managing a grant through this program. New applicants are encouraged to contact the Arts Learning coordinator to learn more about the program. Applications must include a copy of an official document verifying the actual transportation cost (a purchase order, transportation company contract, vehicle rental agreement, letter from a superintendent or other authorizing official, etc.). REVIEW CRITERIA OAC staff members evaluate Big Yellow School Bus grant applications. Funding recommendations are presented to the OAC executive director for final approval. Review criteria include: A clear description of trip’s purpose with destination details Trip provides an arts learning experience tied to educational standards Staff, teachers, and/or administrators are supportive of the activity TIMELINE The following timeline outlines the typical Big Yellow School Bus grant period: Application Deadline: At least 8 weeks prior to event Grant Award Announcement: 4-5 weeks prior to the event *Grant Agreement Signed in ARTIE: At least 2 weeks prior to event *Final Report Deadline: 30 days following event *If the OAC does not receive your grant agreement and final report before their specified deadlines, your grant is in danger of immediate cancellation. Grantees who fail to submit required and acceptable final report packages may not receive any other OAC funding for five years following the due date of the final report they failed to submit. APPENDICES: IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONAL GRANTEE INFORMATION Appendix A: Funding Restrictions for Organizations Appendix C: Legal Requirements Appendix D: Accessibility Appendix E: Fiscal Agent Projects Appendix F: Step-by-Step Applications for Organizations Launch ARTIE Login Big Yellow School Bus. This link will open in a new window odx-additional-downloads Big Yellow School Bus PDF Grant Guidelines Appendices PDF Grants Lifecycle Infographic Share this odx-more-information APPLICATION DEADLINE Applications accepted year-round, at least eight weeks prior to planned travel. STAFF CONTACT Chiquita Mullins LeeArts Learning CoordinatorEmail Chiquita 614-728-4455 GLOSSARY Visit our Glossary of frequently used grantmaking terms.