Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: COCA – Center of Creative Arts
Legal Name (if Different): N/A
Also Known As: COCA
Mailing Address: 6880 Washington Avenue
City: St. Louis
State: Missouri
Postal Code: 63130
Main Phone: 314-725-6555
Main Fax: 314-725-6222
Organization Website: cocastl.org
Employer ID Number: 43-1395056
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)3

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 3/29/2024
Requested Amount: 10,000

Project Title: COCAedu – After School Arts Education for Underserved Youth
Project Description:

COCA is a leader within the St. Louis arts scene by virtue of its locale, its mission, and the young constituencies it serves to advance a youth-focused strategy towards a more diverse, safe, equitable, and inclusive community. COCA’s After School Arts Education program is at the center of COCA’s mission to enrich lives and build community through the arts. The project engages children through a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis (BGC), with sequential, multidisciplinary learning in the arts led by professional Teaching Artists during out of school time. The partnership began in 2015 when BGC asked COCA to provide arts learning residencies to address summertime declines in cognitive development (which disproportionately affects students from low-income backgrounds) because learning through the arts is an effective tool to develop literacy. The immediate positive impact of the program prompted the launch of a year-round after school arts curriculum.

COCA reduces barriers to participation by providing nearly $1M annually in tuition assistance and free arts programming to students in underserved schools and neighborhoods. Further, we have built consistent, trusting relationships with public schools, community organizations, and leaders from Title I and in the St. Louis Promise Zone, who help recruit children and families who might not otherwise discover COCA or become involved in its programs, activities, and events.

COCA’s After School Arts Education programming is supported entirely by contributed resources. Programming is provided free of charge to participants. COCA raises funds to cover the gap between earned income and program expenses. The program receives support from individual, foundation, and corporate funders.

In the short-term, students who attend COCA’s programs demonstrate positive growth in the realms of academic achievement and behavior. In the long-term, they develop critical skills that improve their lifelong ability to read, write, and communicate effectively.

Total Project Budget: $482,607.19

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): COCAedu – After School Arts Education for Underserved Youth

Project Duration: COCAedu is an annual COCA program that operates year round serving local, under-resourced public PreK-12 schools
Geographical Area Served: St. Louis, MO Metropolitan Area
Age Group To Be Served: 3yrs to 18yrs

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Dr.
Contact First Name: Brandy
Contact Last Name: Boyd
Contact Title: Grants Coordinator
Contact Phone: 314-561-4864
Contact Email: bboyd@cocastl.org