Grant FAQs

CPS schools with a principal-nominated Arts Liaison that have completed the Creative Schools Survey for the prior school year can apply, as long as they are not currently supported through a Multi-Semester CSF grant.

Competitive CSF grants support multi-week partnership residencies between schools and arts partners, taking place during the school day.

$10,000

Programs supported by this cycle of CSF grants must take place during the Spring 2025 semester, between February and June 2025.

Grant funds are expected to be disbursed in mid-February 2025.

No, schools that are already receiving support through a Multi-Semester CSF grant this school year cannot apply for additional support this year.

Yes, schools that received a grant last year are eligible to receive a grant again this year – as long as they do not have an active multi-semester grant.

Schools are welcome to apply with the partner of their choosing, even if they have previously partnered together and received a grant in the past – as long as they do not have an active multi-semester grant. Schools that were not granted/rejected in previous years are also welcome to apply.

Your school needs to have an Arts Liaison to apply.  If you don’t currently have an Arts Liaison, please reach out to artlook@ingenuity-inc.org about how to nominate one.

This annual survey on artlook® collects information about your school’s 2023-24 arts programming and offerings from the prior year. Arts Liaisons are designated to complete the survey. The survey deadline is September 27.  After completing the survey, your school will receive $1,000 in Arts Essentials and you are eligible to apply to the Creative Schools Fund.

Pre-K – 12th grade

No, CSF grants can only support programming taking place during the school day.

Yes, as long as they are connected to a multi-week residency in collaboration with an arts partner.

Yes, as long as it is connected to a multi-week residency and led by an arts partner.

Yes, as long as they are connected to a multi-week residency in collaboration with an arts partner.

No, we are not accepting applications for capital improvements this cycle.

An arts partner is an arts organization or independent artist working as a vendor to provide arts education to CPS students.  Arts Partners must have an up to date artlook profile.  Additionally, in order to work with a CPS district-managed school, they must have an active vendor ID number.

You can use artlook Map to find a partner based on geography, artistic discipline, and a number of other factors.

artlook® is a data-sharing platform that allows schools and arts organizations to: 

• Understand the landscape of arts education across CPS
• Share and find up-to-date information about the arts programs and partnerships 
• Search and locate other schools and/or arts organizations for collaborations

 There are three components of artlook: 

• public-facing map (chicago.artlookmap.com)
• school portal
• partner portal

Arts partners must have an arlook profile and CPS vendor number to apply. If your partner is a CPS vendor but not listed in artlook, contact artlook@ingenuity-inc.org to learn how to create a profile. Arts partners that are in artlook but do not have a CPS vendor number may only apply with a non-district managed school.

The process to become a CPS vendor takes about 3 – 6 months, so we would not recommend applying to be a CPS vendor in order to apply for this cycle of the Creative Schools Fund.  To learn how to become a vendor, take a look at our Back 2 School Arts Partner Guide. There is a section on becoming a vendor among other helpful resources for newer arts partners.

This is not a hard and fast rule, but this is what we are recommending to partners at this time given how competitive grants continue to be. It is also our way of encouraging breadth and equity of partnerships.