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Through the Oklahoma Poetry Out Loud Partnership Grant, one organization is selected to partner with the Oklahoma Arts Council in coordinating and implementing the annual state Poetry Out Loud competition in high schools statewide. The competition is part of the national Poetry Out Loud program administered by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, encouraging the nation’s youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. Launched in high schools nationwide in 2006, Poetry Out Loud helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. The program has grown to involve millions of students across the country annually.

The organization selected by the Oklahoma Arts Council to implement the state program will receive a grant of up to $20,000. The Oklahoma Arts Council may extend to the selected organization the opportunity to administer the program in subsequent years, reserving the right to seek bids for Poetry Out Loud on an annual basis.

Program Objectives

• Help students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life
• Create lifelong lovers of poetry and creative writing
• Improve students’ analytical skills through reading and interpreting a variety of poems

This grant program supports the following focus areas of Oklahoma Arts Council’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan:

Goal 1: Cultivate and Support the Arts in Oklahoma

• Invest in Oklahoma’s Arts and Cultural Assets
• Elevate Artistry and Catalyze Creative
• Community Development

Goal 2: Advance Arts Education

• Invest in Quality Arts Education and Lifelong Learning
• Build and Empower Partnerships to Ensure Access Statewide
• Provide Professional Development and Networking for Arts Educators
• Ensure Access in Arts Education

Goal 3: Strengthen Oklahoma Arts Council Services and Capacity

• Enhance Efficiency, Transparency, and Constituent focus
• Expand Partnerships
• Ensure Access Within Agency Priorities

Overview

Project Activity Dates
July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 (Grant Period FY2027)

Grant Amount
Up to $20,000 per organization (contingent on funding support from the National Endowment for the Arts)

Application Period
April 1 – May 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time

Match/Cost Share Requirement
No match is required

Who Can Apply?

Applicant organizations must be one of the following:

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations incorporated in the State of Oklahoma as a Domestic Not for Profit Corporation
• In good standing with the IRS (Organizations that have had their IRS status revoked are not eligible for Oklahoma Arts Council grant support. It is the organization’s responsibility to ensure that its status is current at the time of the application and throughout the life of the award.)
• In good standing with the State of Oklahoma
• Registered with a SAM UEI and eligible to receive federal support (organizations cannot be listed under the SAM Exclusions federal debarred or suspended list)
• Colleges and universities
• Public libraries

What is the Scope of Work?

The Poetry Out Loud program requires broad outreach and promotion of the contest to high schools across Oklahoma, distribution of Poetry Out Loud materials to schools wishing to participate, provision of technical assistance as needed, facilitation of regional and state level recitation competitions, and coordination of winning student’s preparation and travel for the national contest. Within the scope of work, the selected organization will be given, and encouraged to fully leverage, latitude for originality in its implementation and execution of the program. The contest schedule is as follows: 

• Fall Semester – Outreach and promotion; distribution of materials; regional and state contest planning

• February – Oklahoma regional contests (optional)

• March – Oklahoma state contest

• April – National contest (Washington, D.C.)

For assistance with determining scope of work, contact Jennifer Allen-Barron, Arts Education Director, at jennifer.allen-barron@arts.ok.gov or 405-521-2036. 

What Expenses Are Allowable?

Funding from this grant program can be used to reimburse the following expenses:

• Artistic personnel: Costs for artists contributing to the creation, presentation, or instruction of project content.

  • Organization staff payroll (full-time and part-time): Wages paid through payroll (W-2) for artists on staff working on the project (e.g., teaching artists, performers, artistic directors).

  • Contracted: Fees for independent artists contracted to deliver artistic components of the project (e.g., outside teaching artists, guest performers, composers).

• Administrative personnel: Costs for administrative staff providing management, coordination, or support for the project.

  • Organization staff payroll (full-time and part-time): Payroll wages for admin staff whose work supports the project (e.g., program managers, coordinators, finance staff).

  • Contracted: Fees for contracted administrative services tied to the project (e.g., consultants, grant writers, support staff).

• Marketing and promotion: Costs for printed materials, advertising, social media, graphic design, or publicity efforts tied directly to the project.

• Travel: Mileage, lodging, or transportation for students, artists, or staff traveling for the project. Food, drink, and per diem are not allowable.

• Outside rental costs: Short-term rental of venues, equipment, or supplies used for the project. Does not include capital improvements or purchases.

• Consumable supplies: Project-specific art supplies, materials, or other consumable items used up during the project.

• Other expenses: Other allowable project-specific costs not listed above but allowable under the grant terms and conditions. Must be clearly described and occur within the project period. Contact the OAC Grants Office if you have questions or need more information.

Please refer to the Oklahoma Arts Council General Grant Terms and Conditions for cost principles and the complete list of general allowable and unallowable costs. 

Documents and Links

General Grant Terms and Conditions
Poetry Out Loud website

How to Apply

1. Applications must be submitted by the deadline through the Oklahoma Arts Council grant portal (powered by Fluxx). If you do not have access to the new grant portal, please visit the link and register a user account.

2. All support material must be uploaded with your application(s) directly through the grant portal. Please do not email your support material – you will be asked to log in and upload your documents through the grant portal.

If you need assistance with this program, please contact Jennifer Allen-Barron at jennifer.allen-barron@arts.ok.gov.

If you need assistance with accessing the grant portal, please contact Martyna Sandoval at martyna.sandoval@arts.ok.gov.

Accessibility

If you require accommodations to apply for an Oklahoma Arts Council grant, please contact us at grants@arts.ok.gov.

Application AI Use Statement

The Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) recognizes that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including generative AI tools such as writing assistants or grammar checkers, to help prepare grant applications. Use of AI is optional and is not required or expected for any OAC grant program.

Applicants who choose to use AI can do so as a support tool, with a human guiding the process. A human applicant must develop, review, and enter all required application data. All application responses must reflect the applicant’s real plans, activities, and capacity, and should be reviewed and edited to ensure they are accurate, complete, and written in the applicant’s own voice. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review any AI-assisted content to ensure it fully answers each application question and follows all instructions. Applicants remain fully responsible for the content they submit regardless of the tools used. Because some AI platforms may store or reuse text, applicants should also use caution when entering sensitive, confidential, or non-public information.

All Oklahoma Arts Council grant applications are read and evaluated by trained human Grant Review Panelists and staff. AI tools are not used to score or evaluate applications.

Grant Process

1. Organization submits application

2. Application is reviewed by grant review panelists, OAC staff, and OAC Governor-appointed Council

3. Governor-appointed Council determines awards

If project is selected for funding:

4. OAC issues Pre-Award offer notification (anticipated late June-July)

5. Organization reviews, completes, and submits Pre-Award Requirements

6. Notice of Award is issued and project enters Granted status

7. Project activity occurs

8. Grantee submits required reporting

9. OAC processes grant payment for reimbursed expenses

Funding Priorities

The Oklahoma Arts Council has the following priorities for investment:

1. Organizations that represent, serve, and/or have missions that focus on arts access to rural and/or under resourced communities

2. Arts education and arts learning programs that focus on sequential, hands-on skill building

Grantee Requirements

If selected for funding, your organization must comply with all requirements as outlined in the General Grant Terms and Conditions, grant contract, and grant program guidelines, including but not limited to the following:

• Electronic grant contract signed by the organization’s designated Authorizing Official before the deadline specified in the pre-award offer email

• Updated contact, mailing, and payment/banking information on file with the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Supplier Portal (Oklahoma Arts Council will process grant payments to the remittance address/bank account registered through the Oklahoma Supplier Portal)

• Thank you letters emailed and/or mailed to your organization’s state legislators

• Timely submission of required report(s) by the deadline(s) specified in the Notice of Award

Questions

If you need assistance with this program, please contact Jennifer Allen-Barron, Arts Education Director, at jennifer.allen-barron@arts.ok.gov or 405-521-2036.

Accessing the grant portal and submitting an application: Martyna Sandoval, Grants and Programs Associate, at martyna.sandoval@arts.ok.gov or 405-521-2040.

Grant programs and managing your grant award: Thomas Tran, Grants Director, at thomas.tran@arts.ok.gov or 405-521-2041.