Grants and Funding Opportunities

The Nature of Leaning is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) National Wildlife Refuge System’s community-based environmental education initiative. It seeks to use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues, utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues and involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses.

The Realize Science Technology Grant awards $20,000 worth of cutting edge science education equipment and curriculum tools to teachers across the U.S. and Canada. Winners receive new hand-held video microscopes with software to take still pictures, video, time lapse movies, etc., and accompanying curriculum books with lessons designed to meet both state and national science standards.

Pepsi accepts 1000 ideas every month for projects that have a positive impact on the community. People vote for which project they like the most and the top projects receive funding. There are up to 32 awardees a month with funding of up to $250,000.

The State Farm Youth Advisory Board funds service-learning projects between $25,000 and $100,000 that address environmental issues. Examples of projects include building a school greenhouse and developing a water pollution community education program. Visit the Web site to view other project examples. 2010 deadlines have not been announced.

Greenways—corridors of protected public and private lands—link recreational, cultural and natural features and provide multiple public benefits. They provide paths for people and wildlife; protect forests, wetlands and grasslands; and improve the quality of life for everyone. The Kodak American Greenways Program provides grants to organizations seeking to create or enhance greenways in their communities. Most grants range from $500 to $1,000. You can construct a greenway on or near your school grounds as part of your school’s greening efforts.

The Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award honors an outstanding high school teacher who has successfully integrated environmental education into the traditional classroom setting and served as an inspiration and model to others. The recipient receives a $5,000 award and a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with members of the national environmental education community.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) offers $1,500 grants for local education and outreach efforts on water quality issues. Projects should address non-point source pollution or water-quality issues, focus on one education or outreach activity and fit into a local watershed’s activities.

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program provides grants to educational organizations to establish outdoor learning centers.

Project Learning Tree’s GreenSchools Initiative provides training and funding for students and teachers to investigate environmental issues at their school and engage with their community in service-learning projects that create green and healthy learning environments.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality offers grants ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 to Montanan governmental entities and nonprofit organizations. Projects must fall under the categories of watershed restoration, ground water protection/restoration or education and outreach. Applicants must also be able to meet a minimum 40 percent non-federal, in-kind or cash match.