Early Childhood Arts Partnership Grants
Overview
(Formerly Head Start Arts Integration Grants)
Early Childhood Arts Partnership Grants support arts education for preschool-aged children through partnerships with arts organizations or teaching artists.
Applicants may be Vermont public schools, school districts, or nonprofit organizations. See the guidelines for full eligibility.
Grant amounts are up to $6,000.
Status: Open
Deadline: Oct. 13, 2026
What does this grant fund?
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The program prioritizes partnerships (such as with and between arts organizations, Head Start programs, regional early education collaboratives, and/or school districts) and supports programming tailored to the applicant’s learning community expanding access, engaging families, and strengthening communication and holistic instruction.
Examples of how grant funds support early childhood programming include:
- employing a teaching artist experienced in an arts discipline and in early childhood settings for a multi-day residency
- supporting children in reaching arts and arts-integrated curriculum outcomes aligned with TS Gold, Vermont Early Learning Standards, or National Core Art Standards,for example
- supporting classroom teachers with incorporating arts and arts-integrated activities in their classrooms during and/or beyond the timeframe of the grant
- promoting opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and/or planning between teaching artists and the classroom teachers
For real examples of previously funded projects, see the program’s most recent grantees and read our Grant in Action feature.
How to apply
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- Review this page and all the necessary materials carefully:
- Guidelines
- Application Preview
- Tips and tutorials
- Connect with a teaching artist, local arts organization, or childcare partner to help facilitate your project. Document your agreement with your partner regarding a scope of work, fees, materials needed for the project as well as a general timeline for the project.
- Collect documents from each teaching artist outlining their artistry, experience teaching, and experiences collaborating. Review the Application Preview to help you and the artist prepare the proposal.
- If you don’t already have a user account in our grant portal, create an account (approval takes 1-2 business days)
- Request your free Unique Entity ID if your organization does not already have one
- Apply by the deadline listed on this page. Consult the timeline table below for other important dates such as funding notification and period of grant activity.
Guidelines, application, deadline
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Guidelines and Application
FY27 Guidelines
FY27 Application Preview
Deadline
Oct. 13, 2026
Grant Portal
New user? Be sure to register! Your account will be reviewed and approved in 1-2 business days.
Get Your UEI
Tips and tutorials
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Reporting
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Final Reports
We ask grant recipients to submit final reports about their work.
Due 30 days after project completion.
Log in to the grant portal for more information.
Grant Timeline
| Application opens | Open |
| Application deadline | Oct. 13, 2026 |
| Funding notification | Mid-December 2026 |
| Grant period | Jan. 5, 2027 - Aug. 31, 2027 |
| Funding arrival | Within 60 days of receipt of grantee paperwork |
| Final report deadline | 30 days after end of grant period in contract |
Accessibility
The Council accepts grant applications via an online form. If you require an alternate format or assistance to access the application, please contact the grant program manager listed above or Michele Bailey, accessibility coordinator by email or at 802.402.4614. Voice and relay calls welcome.
Funding
Early Childhood Arts Partnership Grants are funded by the State of Vermont and the National Endowment for the Arts.