Grantor Name: The Marshall Foundation

Program Name: Act One’s Tucson Field Trips Program

Grant Amount: $25,000

Recipient Name: Act One

Overview of Use of Funds: Good Works Grant Writing is elated to congratulate our client, Act One, for being selected to receive a $25,000 grant from the Marshall Foundation. Funding will support Act One’s Tucson Field Trips Program, which currently collaborates with nine partners to provide in-person arts experiences to an estimated 2,500 students attending Title I schools in southern Arizona annually. Act One fully covers student transportation costs and negotiates a significantly reduced ticket price ($1/person) for Title I schools to experience arts and culture. Alternatively, their free Virtual Reality field trip program is a mobile, immersive arts program that brings virtual arts field trips to classrooms throughout Pima County, reducing the financial, geographic, and logistical barriers for schools to access the arts.

Overview of Grant Objective/Impact: Act One’s signature Field Trips Program has been running strong for more than ten years, providing hundreds of thousands of students from Title I schools access to live performances, music, theater, and museums. According to a 2018 report from the Arizona Department of Education, 796 Arizona schools offered no arts education, 40% of which are designated as Title I schools. Arts education field trips take students beyond the classroom to expand their imagination and are an essential component of a well-rounded education. Although many arts venues offer student matinees at a reduced price, Title I schools do not have the resources to support ticket purchases and transportation. Act One addresses this equity gap through both in-person and virtual reality field trips. Access to the arts is an essential tool for youth development and is proven to improve physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive development for youth, particularly those in poverty.