Funding Fun: May & June 2013 Environmental Education Grants

April 22nd, 2013 by Sarah

Shadia Fayne Wood, Brower Youth Awards winner '04, presents Jacob Glass with his award. Image: Earth Island Institute

Finding funding to support environmental education can be a real challenge and identifying applicable grants can be a hassle. To help you kick-start the process of getting your classroom project off the ground, we here at Bay Backpack have identified some great grant opportunities that are about to fly by. Some of these grants are not directly related to environmental or Chesapeake Bay education, but all could be used to support it. Be sure to note the submission deadlines, and good luck with your applications!

BGE Green Grants

BGE Green Grants of between $500-$10,000 are now being offered to local communities within the BGE service area.  Applicant’s must be a 501c3 non-profit with a Board of Directors, and will be considered for new and existing programs that fall within the Environmental Focus Areas (conservation, education, energy efficiency, pollution prevention and community activism) as well as requests for funding that clearly demonstrates improvement in environmental efforts of the community. Applications are due by May 10, 2013.

Brower Youth Awards for Environmental Leadership

The Earth Island Institute established The Brower Youth Award for Environmental Leadership to recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people who are working for the protection of our shared planet.  Each of the six recipients of the Brower Youth Awards will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a professionally produced short film about their work, and flight and lodging accommodations for a week-long trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. Applications are due by May 13, 2013 by 9:00 p.m. Pacific time

Stream Restoration Challenge

The Stream Restoration Challenge is once again accepting applications for projects that enhance or establish forested stream buffers while creating service learning and environmental literacy activities for students.  With $4 million dollars available, the State of Maryland will add to the 364 acres of buffer funded from the first solicitation and the 13,300 Maryland students that will already be actively engaged.  All proposals are due by Thursday May 30, 2013 at 5pm.

Learning & Leadership Grants

The NEA Foundation’s Learning & Leadership grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: (1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; or (2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. Applications are due by June 1, 2013.

Student Achievement Grants

The NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Grant requests can be submitted for $2,000 and $5,000. Applications are due by June 1, 2013.

K-12 Environmental Education Mini Grants

The Chesapeake Bay Trust Mini Grant Program supports activities such as Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE), teacher professional development and programs to advance environmental literacy in the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams.  Non-profit organizations, community associations, faith-based organizations and more in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia can apply for funding of up to $5,000.  Applications are due by June 7, 2013 at 5:00 pm.

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Funding Fun: April 2013 Environmental Education Grants

April 1st, 2013 by Sarah

Youth raking the roadside on National Public Lands Day. Image: NEEF

Everyone knows of an amazing environmental educator or youth who’s inspiring work so often goes unrecognized. How can we call out their exemplary work?

Finding funding can be a real challenge for formal and informal educators.  Where can they start searching for grants, and what should they search for?

Get creative! Look for ways to integrate environmental education and award recognition  with “hot topics” such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).  Find ways to connect environmental learning to arts education and reading programs.

To kick-start your search, we here at Bay Backpack have assembled a list of grants and award programs that you might be interested in.  The programs included in this list have application deadlines this April. Check them out below, and good luck with your proposals, nominations, and applications!

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching 7-12th Grade

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the Nation’s highest honors for teachers of mathematics and science. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. The 2013 Awards will honor math and science teachers working in grades 7-12. Nominations are due by April 1, 2013, and teacher applications are due by May 1, 2013.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species 2013 Request for Proposals

The mission of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species (MAP) is to assist state and federal agencies and other stakeholders in developing and implementing strategic, coordinated, and action-oriented approaches to preventing and controlling aquatic invasive species in the mid-Atlantic region. This year, one of MAP’s big focuses for grant funding is on education (developing programs and curricula about aquatic invasive species or evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs) and behavior change. Proposals are due by April 15, 2013 at 5:00 PM EDT

Farm to School Program Grants

The USDA Food & Nutrition Service is implementing a Farm to School program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. On an annual basis, USDA awards up to $5 million in competitive grants for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs. In this funding round, USDA is soliciting applications for three types of grants: Planning grants, Implementation grants, and Support Service grants.  Proposals are due at midnight EST, April 24, 2013.

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

Each year, the Barron Prize honors twenty-five outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. The top ten winners each receive a $2,500 cash award to support their service work or higher education. The primary goal of the Prize is to shine the spotlight on these amazing young people so that their stories will inspire others.  Nominate a young hero by April 30, 2013.

Every Day Capacity Building Grants

Our nation’s public lands need our support every day. The National Environmental Education Foundation, with generous support from Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., seeks to strengthen nonprofit organizations whose missions are focused on serving public land. The Every Day Capacity Building Grants provide Friends Groups with grant funds of up to $5,000 to help the Friends Groups build their capacity to serve public lands. Summer cycle grant proposals are due by April 30, 2013.

Arts, Culture & Design in Schools Grant

Supporting programs that bring the arts to school kids helps expand their horizons and stay on track for a brighter future. A well-rounded education includes music, art, dance and drama, and allows kids to express themselves creatively. Through grants, Target is helping schools bring more arts and culture into the classroom.  Each Arts, Culture & Design in Schools Grant is $2,000. Grant applications are accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year.

Early Childhood Reading Grants

Target is helping kids across the nation get a head start on reading. Reading makes a world of difference in learning. That’s why Target award grants to schools, libraries and non-profit organizations that support programs like after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Each Early Childhood Reading Grant is $2,000. Grant applications are accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year.

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

The Bill James Environmental Grants, An Opportunity for Schools Involved in Environmental Education

March 18th, 2013 by Elizabeth Buxton

Students at the Greenmount School in Baltimore, MD

The students at the Greenmount School weren’t the only ones who benefited from a Bill James Grant last year that funded an expansion of their vegetable gardens.  The vegetables that were harvested last fall were enjoyed by the students, their families, and community at large. This grant provided the opportunity for low income youth to learn about the principals of sustainable gardening and encouraged a sense of stewardship and personal responsibility for the environment. The Garden Expansion Project stimulated a better understanding of environmental issues and helped the kids learn how a community garden can improve the neighborhood and provide locally produced foods.

The Bill James Grants are part of the Keep Maryland Beautiful Program administered by the Maryland Environmental Trust. Up to $1,000.00 is available to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other non-profit youth groups for environmental education projects.  Previous recipients have included:

  • The Pine Grove Middle School for its terrapin hatchlings project in partnership with the National Aquarium.  Students, monitored, raised and released the hatchlings into their natural habitat.
  • Perryville High School for its project involving freshman students who constructed a gazebo, rain barrels, picnic tables and rain gardens.
  • Manchester Valley High School for an experiment involving three young blue crabs in which two students monitored the effects of different salinity levels on the crabs.

The objectives of the grants are to encourage a sense of stewardship and personal responsibility for the environment; to stimulate a better understanding of environmental issues; to aid in the elimination or reduction of an environmental problem, and to encourage the protection of rural areas and sensitive resources.

These grants are given in memory of Senator William S. James who drafted legislation to create the Maryland Environmental Trust and to incorporate the activities of the Governor’s Committee to Keep Maryland Beautiful.

For more information about the Bill James Environmental Grants and the Keep Maryland Beautiful program, please visit the Maryland Environmental Trust website or contact Cathy Ford at 410-5147-7900 or kmb@dnr.state.md.us . The deadline to apply is March 31, 2013.

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Elizabeth Buxton is the Director of the Maryland Environmental Trust.

Funding Fun: February 2013 Environmental Education Grants

January 14th, 2013 by Sarah

It's not all about the Benjamins, but it certainly helps. Do Something Seed Grants give out cash to awesome community projects and organizations.

The weather outside is still a bit frightful, so while you are still trying to stay warm indoors take some time to  find funding for your class’s outdoor environmental or watershed education activities and projects!

Finding funding can be a real challenge, so get creative and look for ways to integrate environmental education with “hot topics,” such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).  To kick-start your search, we here at Bay Backpack have assembled a list of grants with application deadlines this February. Check them out below, and good luck with your applications!

Do Something Seed Grants

Do you know a student (under 25 years old) who wants to start a community action project or program? Do they need money to put their ideas into action? Encourage them to apply for a Do Something Seed Grant! This program gives out a $500 every week to help young people turn dream projects into a reality and take existing projects to the next level. Past grantees have included some great projects with environmental focuses, such as creating a community-run organic farm! Application Deadline: Rolling

Toshiba Grants for Grades 6-12

Do you teach 6-12 science or math? Do you have a wish list of instructional equipment that will make learning more exciting for your students? If the answer is yes to these questions, Toshiba America Foundation would like to hear from you. Grade 6-12 grant applications for $5,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the calendar year. If you wish to submit a grant request for more than $5,000, applications are due by February 1, 2013.

Student Achievement Grants

The NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Grant requests can be submitted for $2,000 and $5,000. Application Deadline: February 1, 2013

Learning & Leadership Grants

The NEA Foundation’s Learning & Leadership grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: (1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; or (2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. Application Deadline: February 1, 2013.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Urban Waters Grants

The multi-agency Urban Waters Restoration Program provides financial assistance to local partnerships for restoration with a focus on urban waters and watersheds. Approximately $1,500,000 is available. Competitive projects will focus on education and training, outdoor recreation, monitoring, storm water management or urban forest restoration. Application Deadline:  February 7, 2013.

NOAA Funding for Coastal and Marine Restoration

NOAA’s Restoration Center recognizes that healthy habitat is critical to recover and sustain fish populations. To that end, NOAA is currently soliciting applications for restoration projects that use a habitat-based approach to foster species recovery and increase fish production under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Roughly $20 million could be available over the next three years. Application Deadline:  February 19, 2013.

Captain Planet Foundation Grants

These grants are intended to promote and support high-quality educational programs that enable children and youth to understand and appreciate our world through learning experiences that engage them in active, hands-on projects to improve the environment in their schools and communities. Funding will be awarded to non-profits, schools, and community-based environmental and educational organizations, and preferential consideration is given to requests seeking funding of $500 or less and to applicants who have secured at least 50% matching or in-kind funding for their projects. On occasion, grants of up to $2,500 may be awarded.  Application Deadline: February 28, 2013.

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Funding Fun: Winter Environmental Education Grants

December 3rd, 2012 by Sarah

Encourage one or more students you know to apply for the President's Environmental Youth Awards and see what a difference they can make for the environment with an award-winning project.

‘Tis the season… to recognize excellence in environmental education and stewardship! There are plenty of award and grant programs that can help you celebrate success and support future your future environmental efforts.

To save you some time and to help support your Chesapeake Bay watershed, environmental and outdoor education-related activities and projects, we have assembled a list of award and grant programs with application deadlines in December and January. Check them out below, and good luck with your applications!

Outreach and Community Engagement Grant – Maryland Only

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is soliciting proposals for projects that increase public understanding of watershed challenges, build ownership of local watersheds, engage more individuals and organizations in stewardship practices and projects, and expand the base of citizen support necessary to advance the restoration of the Bay. Application Deadline: December 7, 2012.

Environmental Education Regional Model Grants

The purpose of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Education Grants Program is to provide money to support environmental education projects that increase the public’s awareness about environmental issues and provide them with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, and that will serve as models that can be replicated in a variety of settings. Application Deadline: December 12, 2012.

2013 Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards Program – Maryland Only

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is currently accepting applications and nominations for the Student of the Year Scholarship, the Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship, Teacher of the Year, Ellen Fraites Wagner and Melanie Teems awards. Application Deadline: December 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

President’s Environmental Youth Awards

The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people across the U.S. for protecting our nation’s air, water, land, and ecology. Recognized projects are developed by young individuals, school classes (K-12), summer camps, and youth organizations to promote environmental stewardship.  Encourage one or more students you know to apply for PEYA and see what a difference they can make for the environment with an award-winning project!  Application Deadline: December 31, 2013.

K-12 Environmental Education Mini Grants

Through this grant program, the Chesapeake Bay Trust seeks to increase student awareness and involvement in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its local streams and rivers. Grant requests can be made for up to $5,000 for funding Watershed Education Experiences and Programs, Service Learning and Action Projects, or Professional Development Workshops and Curriculum. This program has expanded to fund K-12 environmental education in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Application Deadline: January 11, 2013 at 5:00 pm.

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

EPA has Extended the Deadline to Apply for the EE Regional Model Grant Program

November 12th, 2012 by Karen Scott

Previous grantee, Wilderness Inquiry from Minneapolis, MN, helped students assess how their local community interacts with the river though a service learning project. This photo captures participants engaged in discussion with Rangers about the Mississippi River.

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the deadline for our current request for proposals, the Environmental Education Regional Model Grants Solicitation Notice for 2012 (EPA-EE-12-01), Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No. 66.951. The new application deadline is Wednesday, December 12, 2012.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to:

  • Increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues, and
  • Provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed environmental decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment.

Our goal is to support environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens. This grant provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, and that will serve as models that can be replicated in a variety of settings.

In order to assist our applicants, EPA has hosted 2 webinars during which we answered many questions including concerns about eligibility requirements, budgetary requirements, and application submission instructions. You can access the slides, audio and written transcripts of these webinars, as well as the full RFP and our Frequently Asked Questions at: http://www.epa.gov/education/grants/index.html After taking advantage of our online resources, if you still have questions, please email us at: EEGrants@epa.gov

As EPA has never issued a solicitation with the focus on model, replicable programs, we are excited about the possibilities that applicants will have to share with us.  We hope that these grant awards will bring continued support to the good work that environmental educators are doing across our country.

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Karen Scott is a Senior Environmental Education Specialist in the Office of Environmental Education at the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.

Applications for B-WET Competitive Grant Program Now Being Accepted

October 5th, 2012 by Kevin

Environmentally literate citizens with the skills and knowledge to make well-informed environmental choices are key to sustaining the nation’s ocean and coastal environments.

K-12 programs that provide students with meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEE) related to the Chesapeake Bay and related teacher professional development and capacity building, this one’s for you:  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is now accepting applications for FY13 B-WET (Bay Watershed Education and Training) funding to support your program.

Proposals for FY13 funding must:

  • Be a systemic MWEE program that strives to reach the entire student and teacher population in one or more grades in an entire school system or recognized sub-unit of a school system;
  • Build the capacity of agencies and organizations to develop deliver, and sustain comprehensive STEM or environmental education programs that advance the MWEE at the state or regional level;
  • Pilot the replication of highly successful urban STEM programs to urban communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

If you’re interested, be sure to read the full NOAA Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity for details and requirements. Also note that letters of intent must be submitted by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, October 30, 2012, and that the deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Eastern Time, December 19, 2012.

Informational webinars about the FY13 competition will be held October 10 at 10 AM, and October 12 at 1 PM (both times Eastern). To register for a webinar, visit http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/b-wet-workshops

Contact B-WET Chesapeake Manager Kevin Schabow with any questions.

UPDATE – October 26, 2012:

Due to the looming threat posed by Hurricane Sandy we have decided to postpone the deadline for letters of intent to the FY13 B-WET Chesapeake funding opportunity.  Letters are now due by 5 PM Eastern Time on Monday, November 5th.  This will not change the application deadline or time frame for receiving feedback on letters.

We’ve updated the B-WET website with this information, and the Grants.gov site will reflect this change shortly.

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Kevin Schabow is an Education Specialist at NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office.

Funding Fun: Fall 2012 Environmental Education Grants, Part II

September 10th, 2012 by Sarah

Lowes Toolbox for Education grants

Searching for funding or grant programs that you can use to support your Chesapeake Bay watershed, environmental and/or outdoor education-related activities and projects can be a time consuming pain… Skip the hassle by taking a look at this shortlist of funding sources that have deadlines this October and November:

Lowes Toolbox for Education

This grant program provides individual public K-12 school or non-profit parent group associated with a public K-12 school with financial tools to help improve their children’s schools.  This year, the foundation is challenging itself to seek ways to prioritize basic necessities while providing the greatest impact.  Lowe’s will donate $5 million to selected applicants at more than 1,000 different schools during the school year. Grants of between $2,000 and $5,000 per school are available.  Application Deadline: October 12, 2012 by 5:00 pm EST, however, if 1500 applications are received before the application deadline, then the application process will close.

Big Help Grants

The Nickelodeon & NEA Foundation Big Help Grants program is dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas, techniques, and approaches to addressing four key concerns — environmental awareness, health and wellness, students’ right to a quality public education, and active community involvement.  Multiple grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to select applicants. Public school teachers or public school education support professionals practicing in the U.S. are eligible to apply. Application Deadline: October 15, 2012

Learning & Leadership Grants

NEA Foundation’s Learning & Leadership grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of the following two purposes: (1) Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research; or (2) Grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement. The grant amount is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups engaged in collegial study. Application Deadline: October 15, 2012

Student Achievement Grants

The NEA Foundation provides grants to improve the academic achievement of students in U.S. public schools and public higher education institutions in any subject area(s). The proposed work should engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students’ habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Proposals for work resulting in low-income and minority student success with honors, advanced placement, or other challenging curricula are particularly encouraged. Grant funds of between $2,000 and $5,000 may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, software, or scholars-in-residence. Although some funds may be used to support the professional development necessary to implement the project, the majority of grant funds must be spent on materials or educational experiences for students. Application Deadline: October 15, 2012

Maryland’s Stream Restoration Challenge (Maryland Only)

This competitive grant program, open to local governments and non-government organizations (including watershed organizations, school systems, and other academic institutions), seeks to establish 1,000 acres of stream-side forests by 2015. For this challenge, the state and its partners have allocated $6 million to plant forested stream buffers with the goals of improving Bay water quality and creating opportunities for middle and high school students to engage in service-learning and environmental literacy activities.  There will be a webinar on September 5 at 3:00 pm for any and all interested to learn more and ask questions – more info on the webinar is coming soon. Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on October 31, 2012

2012 Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award

The Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award recognizes and supports youth gardening programs focused on teaching about our environment, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States. To be eligible for the 2012 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organization must plan to garden in 2012 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18.  This year, 50 schools or organizations will be awarded grant packages that include a $400 gift certificate to the Gardening with Kids catalog and online store for youth gardening supplies and supporting educational materials, NGA’s Eat a Rainbow Kit, full of engaging taste education and nutrition lessons, a set of hand tools and three pairs of child-sized gloves, a curriculum package from NGA, and a Plantcam to document the growth and changes of your garden.  Application Deadline: October 31, 2012

EPA’s Environmental Education Regional Grants

The EPA’s Office of Environmental Education has issued a new Request for Proposals for a grant program that will support environmental education projects that enhance the public’s awareness, knowledge, and skills to make informed environmental decisions and take responsible actions towards the environment. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $2,160,000 nationwide. EPA expects to award one grant per Region (DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV are all in EPA Region 3) for an expected total of 10 grants nationwide; the award amount for each grant will be approximately, but no more than, $216,000, subject to the availability of funds, the quality and quantity of applications received, and other applicable considerations. EPA will host webinars on September 5th and 26th for potential applicants interested in additional information about the application process. Application Deadline: November 21, 2012

Funding Fun: Fall 2012 Environmental Education Grants, Part I

Looking for more funding opportunities?  Take a look at this shortlist of funding sources that have deadlines this September and early October!

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Funding Fun: Fall 2012 Environmental Education Grants, Part I

September 3rd, 2012 by Sarah

Target Field Trip Grants support learning outside of the classroom.

It is early September in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and that means if you are a teacher you are either already back to school or are getting ready to go back.  With lesson plans to create and new students to work with, this is a very busy time of year for you.

As you get back into the swing of things this fall, be sure to keep funding in mind! To save you some time and to help support your Chesapeake Bay, environmental, and outdoor education-related activities and projects, we have assembled a list of grants with application deadlines in September and early October. Check them out below, and good luck with your applications!

America’s Great Outdoors: Connecting Youth to the Outdoors 2012 Grants

President Obama launched the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative on April 16, 2010. One of the overarching themes of this initiative is to offer opportunities to engage young people with the outdoors. In support of these goals, the National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Forest Service and The Bureau of Land Management are launching this grants program to catalyze efforts to increase the number of youth who build a connection with public lands as places for recreating, learning and volunteering. Approximately $243,000 in funding is available to support grant awards in the range of $2,500 to $20,000. Proposed projects should maximize hands-on outdoor engagement opportunities on public lands, and focus on education, recreation, and/or environmental stewardship. Application Deadline: September 19, 2012

Green Thumb Challenge

The Green Education Foundation and Gardener’s Supply Company have teamed up on an exciting funding opportunity for established youth garden projects nationwide! The organizations are calling on schools and youth groups to submit chronicles of their garden projects in a race to win a $5,000 prize. The award is designed to support the continued sustainability of an exceptional youth garden program that has demonstrated success, and has impacted the lives of kids and their community. Application Deadline: September 20, 2012

Target Field Trip Grants

Learning opportunities extend far beyond the classroom. But schools are finding it more and more difficult to bring students to museums, historical sites and cultural organizations. Field Trip Grants help give children these unique, firsthand learning experiences. As part of the program, each Target store will award three Target Field Trip Grants to K—12 schools nationwide—enabling one in 25 schools throughout the U.S. to send a classroom on a field trip. Each grant is valued up to $700. Application Deadline: September 30, 2012

Captain Planet Foundation Grants

These grants are intended to promote and support high-quality educational programs that enable children and youth to understand and appreciate our world through learning experiences that engage them in active, hands-on projects to improve the environment in their schools and communities. Funding will be awarded to non-profits, schools, and community-based environmental and educational organizations, and preferential consideration is given to requests seeking funding of $500 or less and to applicants who have secured at least 50% matching or in-kind funding for their projects. On occasion, grants of up to $2,500 may be awarded.  Application Deadline: September 30, 2012.

Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee Grants (Virginia Only)

The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Advisory Committee accepts grant applications to conduct Chesapeake Bay-related education and restoration activities. This year under the subjects of environmental education, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals related to (1) supplementing and enhancing environmental training for educators; (2) expanding environmental educational opportunities and the use of existing educational resources (curricula, publications, field studies) in schools and community programs for students, teachers and adults; (3) increasing the involvement of students and the public in Bay restoration activities; or (4) increasing public support for Chesapeake Bay restoration by purchase of Chesapeake Bay license plates. Preferences will be given to environmental education and action-oriented conservation and restoration projects within Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. These grants are funded with monies from the sale of the special Chesapeake Bay license plate, Friend of the Chesapeake. This year $371,841 in grant monies will be awarded to eligible applicants. Application Deadline: October 1, 2012 by 5:00 pm EST

Toshiba Grants for Grades K-5

Do you teach in an elementary school classroom? Do you have an idea for improving math or science instruction in your classroom?  K-5 grade teachers are invited to use Toshiba America Foundation’s short application form to describe a set of lessons or a hands-on project they would like to introduce in their own classrooms. Any K-5 teacher in a public or private (not-for-profit) school is eligible for a grant to support science or math education up to $1,000 for project materials only.  Application Deadline: October 1st, each year.

Funding Fun: Fall 2012 Environmental Education Grants, Part II

Looking for more funding opportunities?  Take a look at this shortlist of funding sources that have deadlines this October and November!

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Chesapeake Bay Trust and EPA Announce New Environmental Education Capacity Building Grant Program

July 30th, 2012 by Molly

EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust will boost its efforts to advance environmental literacy for students throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Under the new Environmental Education Capacity Building Grant Program, the Trust will award sub-grants up to $5,000 to increase the capacity of the environmental education community in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia.

“Advancing environmental education is a crucial step to restoring the Chesapeake Bay,” said Shawn M. Garvin, EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator.  “By providing funding for local efforts to increase the capacity of organizations to educate the public about the environment, we increase our chances that residents will make smart, educated decisions that help our waterways and advance our restoration goals.”

Applications for this program will be accepted through August 31, 2012 and must address both educational and environmental priorities as identified in the request for proposals.  Eligible applicants* include local education agencies, colleges and universities, state education and environmental agencies, as well as non-profit organizations to fund environmental education trainings, workshops, and educational outreach.

Specifically, applications should: 1) create and support high quality programs and educational methods that advance regional environmental education goals; 2) support state frameworks that enable students to graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed environmental decisions; 3) provide professional development opportunities for teachers and other educators; and 4) provide access for schools to maintain buildings, grounds, and operations that support positive environmental and human health outcomes.

“Every year the Chesapeake Bay Trust devotes significant resources to advance environmental education efforts throughout the Bay watershed,” said Trust Executive Director Jana Davis. “Our goal is to teach individuals, both children and adults, why they should care about the Bay so that they will be empowered to take action and improve it.  Education is the first step in a long series of efforts that is necessary to truly make a difference for our waterways.”

“Recent studies have shown that providing students with environmental education opportunities not only increases their capacity and interest in learning, but also contributes to science, math, reading, and social studies aptitude,” continued Davis.  “Partnerships like this one with the EPA on environmental education will serve as a much-needed resource to continue to advance educational efforts throughout our region.”

For more information and to apply for the Environmental Education Capacity Grant Program, visit www.cbtrust.org.

*Individual primary and secondary schools are not eligible to apply for Environmental Education Capacity Building Grants.  Applicants from Maryland or Washington, D.C. interested in Environmental Education projects targeting K-12 students to provide resources for Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences should refer to the Mini Grant Application Package for K-12 Environmental Education.  The Mini Grant program is currently open, and will accept applications for awards of up to $5,000 until August 10th.
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Molly Alton Mullins is the director of communications and development for the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 107 or at mmullins@cbtrust.org.
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