Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud Partnership Grant

The Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud Partnership Grant is administered by the Oklahoma Arts Council to support the coordination and implementation of the statewide Poetry Out Loud program in high schools. Poetry Out Loud is a national initiative led by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, designed to promote the study and appreciation of poetry through memorization and recitation. Since its launch in 2006, the program has engaged millions of students across the United States, helping them develop public speaking skills, self-confidence, and a deeper understanding of literary heritage. Through this grant, the Oklahoma Arts Council selects a single organization to serve as the state partner responsible for administering the program across Oklahoma. The primary purpose of this grant is to ensure effective delivery of the Poetry Out Loud competition at the state level. The selected organization is expected to conduct outreach to high schools statewide, distribute program materials, provide technical assistance, and coordinate both regional and state-level competitions. Additionally, the organization will support the winning student’s preparation and travel to the national competition in Washington, D.C. The program aligns with the Oklahoma Arts Council’s strategic goals of advancing arts education, supporting community engagement through the arts, and strengthening access to arts programming across the state. Funding for the program is provided as a grant of up to $20,000 per organization, contingent on continued support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The funding is intended to reimburse eligible project-related expenses incurred during the grant period, which runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Allowable expenses include costs associated with artistic and administrative personnel, contracted services, marketing and promotion, travel related to program activities, venue or equipment rentals, and consumable supplies. Certain costs such as food, drink, per diem, and capital improvements are explicitly excluded. There is no cost share or matching requirement for this grant. Eligibility for the grant is limited to organizations operating within the State of Oklahoma. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations incorporated in Oklahoma, colleges and universities, and public libraries. Applicants must be in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Oklahoma, and must be registered with a SAM Unique Entity Identifier to receive federal funds. Organizations must not be listed on federal debarment or suspension lists. These requirements ensure that applicants have the legal and administrative capacity to manage federal and state grant funding responsibly. The application process requires submission through the Oklahoma Arts Council’s online grant portal. Applicants must create or access an account, complete all required application fields, and upload supporting materials directly within the system. Email submissions are not accepted. The application period for this cycle runs from April 1 through May 1, 2026, with a submission deadline of 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the closing date. Applications are reviewed by grant review panelists, Oklahoma Arts Council staff, and the Governor-appointed Council, which ultimately determines funding awards. Selected organizations receive a pre-award notification in late June or July, followed by a formal Notice of Award upon completion of required documentation. The timeline of program activities follows the academic calendar, with outreach and planning occurring in the fall semester, regional contests typically held in February, the state competition in March, and the national competition in April. While the grant is awarded annually, the Oklahoma Arts Council may offer the selected organization the opportunity to continue administering the program in subsequent years, although it retains the right to solicit new applications each cycle. Throughout the grant period, recipients must comply with reporting requirements, contractual obligations, and administrative procedures outlined by the Oklahoma Arts Council to ensure proper use of funds and successful program delivery.

Emphasize strong statewide outreach capacity alignment with arts education goals and ability to serve under resourced communities