Transportation Fund

Who can apply?

Any school transporting at least 20 students to a qualifying school matinee at the Kauffman Center can apply for a bus transportation allowance. Transportation Fund applications must be submitted at least five business days prior to attending a school matinee at the Kauffman Center.

How will applications be approved?

The Kauffman Center’s Transportation Fund will award funds based on the following guidelines:

1. All public schools with 40% or more of their students participating in the free and reduced lunch program (commonly called Title 1 schools) will be guaranteed to receive a 100% bus transportation allowance.
2. All public schools with 20 – 39% of their students participating in the free and reduced lunch program will be guaranteed to receive a 50% bus transportation allowance and can request consideration for the remaining 50%.
3. All other public schools as well as private and non-traditional schools can apply for a full or partial bus transportation allowance.

How much can my school receive?

Your Transportation Fund allowance will be determined based on the number and grades of the students attending. Elementary students in grades K – 5 will be allowed up to $3 per child for a transportation allowance and secondary students in grades 6 – 12 will be allowed up to $4 per student. The transportation allowance will not be available for adults attending the performance.

For example, if your school purchases seats at a qualifying performance for 70 students in the 8th grade, your transportation allowance could be up to $280 or 70 students x $4 per student. Transportation costs in the metropolitan area vary – this reimbursement formula is designed to try to cover the actual costs of transporting students to the Kauffman Center. The actual transportation costs charged by your district may vary.

How long will it take to review my application?

Applications will be processed as they are received and approvals sent to the teacher within one to two weeks.

Which performances at the Kauffman Center are eligible for the Transportation Fund?

Each year, there will be more than thirty eligible school performances and rehearsals listed under the School Matinees tab on the header. All events listed there qualify for Transportation Fund assistance.

Will the Transportation Fund pay for the cost of the seats to the school matinee performance?

Transportation Fund only applies to the cost of bus transportation for schools bringing 20 or more students to a performance. Seats for all performances must be purchased directly from the arts organization offering the school matinee.

If my school is approved for a bus transportation allowance, will this also reserve seats for my students at the performance?

No. You must reserve and purchase your seats for the school matinee directly from the arts organization.

I am interested in getting some tickets for my group through the Kauffman Center’s Community Tickets program – will Transportation Funds be available for those performances?

Community Tickets and the Transportation Fund are two different parts of the Kauffman Center’s outreach to schools, children and families. Performances eligible for Community Tickets will be different than those covered by the Transportation Fund. Kauffman Center Presents student matinees are the only exceptions as the $2 discounted tickets are available to school groups who can also apply for bus transportation assistance.

When will the funding be distributed to my school?

After you have attended the performance, the Kauffman Center will mail a check to the address indicated on the Form W9 you submitted as part of your Transportation Fund application.