Grant Resources

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TIME SENSITIVE DEADLINE DEC 12

Join the Lexus Ecochallenge Empowering Teens to take action and help the environment

http://www.scholastic.com/lexus/waterchallenge_welcome.asp

PRIZE: Sixteen (16) prize winning Teams consisting of two (2) middle school teams in each of four Lexus market regions-Eastern, Southern, Central, and Western as shown on the attached map (the "Four Lexus Market Regions") AND two (2) high school teams in each of the Four Lexus Market Regions will each receive a $10,000 prize. The $10,000 prize is to be distributed as follows: $1,000 grant awarded directly to the Teacher Advisor for to be used toward purchasing school-related supplies and/or supporting educational programs/school clubs or initiatives, $7,000 to be evenly distributed among the Team members in the form of checks made payable to the parent or legal guardian of each Student who was part of the winning Team, and $2,000 to the winning team's school. The sixteen (16) winning Teams will also be invited to compete in the Final Challenge-Challenge #4.

Total approximate retail value ("ARV") of all prizes and awards for Challenge #1 combined: $160,000.

Registration Opens: November 3, 2008

Deadline: December 12, 2008

Royal Bank of Canada Blue Water Project Grants

http://www.rbc.com/community/donations/blue-water.html

RBC has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. Water has become an integral part of that commitment, as water is fundamental to the sustainability of all life on the planet. The first phase of the RBC Blue Water Project, announced in late 2007, is a grant program of $50 million over ten years to support charitable initiatives that foster a culture of water stewardship.

The project has three grant levels:

Visionary Grants are significant grants to global organizations that show vision, foresight and innovation to support programs around the world related to watershed preservation, access to safe drinking water, and that provide education and awareness on these issues. Our inaugural Visionary Grant was to ONE DROP, created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. Additional Visionary Grants will be announced on an irregular basis over the 10 years of the RBC Blue Water Project. RBC will not have an open call for proposals for Visionary Grants and unsolicited applications will not be accepted. We will proactively contact and work with prospective grant recipients directly.

Leadership Grants: Ranging from $25,000 to $500,000, these grants focus on watershed protection and/or access to safe drinking water and are available to local, regional, national or trans-border organizations for projects in any of the countries in which RBC is located, including Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and the UK. Deadlines for applications are June 30 and March 1 annually. Applications received after a deadline will be deferred to the next funding period.

RBC Blue Water Project Leadership Grant Application

Community Action Grants: Ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, these grants are focused on watershed protection and are available to local or community organizations in Canada, United States or the Caribbean. Some restrictions apply. Applications are accepted year long, starting in June, 2008.

RBC Blue Water Project Community Action Grant Application

Tom’s of Maine Wants your River Video in 2008

Tom’s of Maine is running a video contest on YouTube this year. They are asking folks to tell stories of how they are making a difference for rivers and watersheds, and the grand prize is a Toyota Prius Hybrid. Many people are working to make a difference for rivers and watersheds, and their stories will prove the best inspiration to get others involved.

Join the “River Stories” YouTube group. You need to be a member of YouTube to do this, but signing up takes about three minutes. Once you’ve registered (http://www.youtube.com/signup) and signed in, go to http://www.youtube.com/group/riverstories to join the group.

Post your videos! Whether official contest entries or not, it would be great to get a few more videos going on the site. If you have any already created, please feel free to post them so we can share them with others.

One last note, if you end up entering the contest yourself, don’t forget the additional step of registering at www.tomsofmaine.com/savingrivers.

IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY FOR $60,000 GRANT FOR VOLUNTEER MONITORS DUE APRIL 15, 2008

YSI Foundation Minding the Planet 60^th Anniversary Grant

In honor of our 60th Anniversary YSI will be awarding a special $60,000 grant to an organization focused on protecting water resources. Since 1990, YSI has publicly demonstrated commitment to its core values and being a good corporate citizen through its 501(c)(3) Foundation. The Foundation grants have funded a variety of projects, including university environmental science scholarships, large scale restoration projects, a wetlands data center, and equipment for fishermen who lost their livelihood in the December 2005 tsunami. This year the Foundation is pleased to recognize the important work local volunteer monitoring organizations are doing to improve the quality of the nation’s water.

Goals of Grant

The YSI Foundation will award $60,000 to an organization that demonstrates a need for capacity building in a volunteer monitoring organization, whose work focuses on activities throughout an entire watershed. The YSI Foundation defines capacity building as any of the following:

assistance with staffing, or
the development or enhancement of outreach and training programs, or
infrastructure development.

Examples of the types of projects and programs that are eligible for funding with this grant include:

New watershed volunteer monitoring programs that are being developed and implemented.
Existing watershed volunteer programs in need of additional staffing such as a coordinator or administrative support.
Existing watershed volunteer programs that have an opportunity to extend their program through community outreach, training, and education.
Existing watershed volunteer programs in need of office space, supplies, equipment, etc.

Funding period:

The grant will be awarded at the 2008 National Water Quality Monitoring Conference in Atlantic City , NJ , May 18-22, 2008 .
One grant will be awarded for $60,000 to the selected organization.
Grant monies must be spent within three years of receipt. Those monies not spent must be returned to the YSI Foundation for redistribution to other grants.

Eligibility for grant:

Must be a 501(c)(3) organization or in partnership with a 501(c)(3) organization.
Organization must conduct work in area(s) relevant to grant theme and on a watershed scale.
At least 80% of grant must go toward direct activity as written in the application.
Preference will be given to those organizations that demonstrate an ability to attract matching funds and have a sustainability plan in place.
Preference will be given to those organizations that can demonstrate an ability to publish or present their work to the larger water monitoring community.

Grant timeline:

Solicit grant applications:       March through April 10, 2008
Grant applications due:          April 15, 2008
Selection process:                 April 15 through May 1, 2008
Grant award announced:        May 19, 2008 *

*The grant award recipient will be notified prior to May 19th so arrangements can be made for them to accept the award in person at the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference.

Application:

There is no official application form. The grant application should contain no more than five (5) pages of text, written in English, including any figures or tables (but not including any cover page or table of contents pages). The grant application must include the following information at a minimum:

Name of the organization.
Statement of the purpose or charter of the group.
Name and title (if appropriate) of the contact person, including contact information (address, telephone number, and email).
Statement of how the group meets the basic eligibility criteria; 501(c)(3) IRS documentation must be included.
Brief statement of qualifications.
Scope of work and project’s impact, goals, and objectives.
Clearly defined measures of success, such as:
- a watershed based monitoring plan
- the expected reach of an outreach program
- the expected number of participants in the program
Proposed schedule and budget.

Other than the page limit, there are no requirements for formatting of the application.

Responsibilities of grant recipient:

Submit annual accounting of grant to YSI Foundation.
Create a final project report describing the goals of the grant, the activities undertaken to achieve goals and objectives, difficulties encountered, work products, and funds spent. The final project report is to be completed within 90 days of the end of the funding period, or within 3 years of receipt of funding, whichever comes first. Include photo documentation.
Create a final financial report showing the final balance sheet.
Recipients agree to be featured in news articles about their projects, written and submitted to the media by YSI.
Recipients agree to work with YSI to publish or present their work to the larger water monitoring community.

Contact for information and application submittal:

YSI Foundation
Attention: Susan Miller, Foundation President
1725 Brannum Lane
Yellow Springs , OH 45387
937-767-7241 ext. 406
email: smiller@ysi.com

Deadlines approaching for funding:

Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level.

January 2008 Watershed News has information on a couple of grants programs that might be of interest to volunteer monitors and community educators. The Watershed News can be found at http://www.epa.gov/watershed/news.html Add this website to your favorites and go back to it frequently for current funding opportunities.

Just to name a few funding opportunities listed in the Jan. 2008 Watershed News: EPA announces availability of around $3 million in cooperative agreement funding through 2008 CARE request for proposals. Application deadline: March 17, 2008

Five Star Restoration Challenge Grants Deadline: Feb. 15, 2008

Fantastic new funding source.

Teachers fillout a simple application online for a project grant to get supplies. Anonymous donors choose what projects to fund. Donors receive thank you notes and pictures. A brilliant and successful program for those environmental projects requiring kits or equipment.

www.donorschoose.org/homepage/main.html

An Outdoor Classroom Grant Program - Don’t miss out!

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper and National Geographic Explorer! classroom magazine have partnered to create an outdoor classroom grant program to provide schools with additional resources to improve their science curriculum by engaging students in hands-on experiences outside the traditional classroom. All K-12 public schools in the United States are welcome to apply.

This school year, the program will award grants up to $2,000 to at least 100 schools. In some cases, grants for up to $20,000 may be awarded to schools or school districts with major outdoor classroom projects. The grants can be used to build a new outdoor classroom or to enhance a current outdoor classroom at the school.

This program only considers outdoor classroom proposals. Please submit all other grant proposals for community improvement projects and K-12 public school initiatives to the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation at www.lowes.com/community.

Click here to begin your online grant application.

Classroom Grants for Enviro-ed

Classroom Grants for Enviro-ed with a Virginia emphasis on mandated meaningful watershed experience but lots of new and continuing sponsorships for other states too! Take a look at an awesome variety of grants available for individual students, classrooms, non-profits, school districts, nature centers, museums, etc. Provided by the:

Virginia Naturally
c/o Department of Environmental Quality
Virginia Naturally Coordinator
PO Box 10009
Richmond, VA 23240
tel: 804-698-4235
fax: 804-698-4533.

http://www.vanaturally.com/grants.html

California benefits from the Whales Tail Grant Program which supports projects up to $50,000.

This program focuses on funding programs that “teach California’s children and the general public to value and take action to improve the health of the state’s marine and coastal resources”. For more information about these grants, check out:

http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/pendx.html

Grant Writing Tips and Links

Environmental Education Grants listed on North American Association for Environmental Education
http://eelink.net/grants-eespecificresources.html

EPA Environmental Education Grant Program- Visit this site in late summer or fall for grants with submission deadlines usually in January; grant writing tutorial with examples
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html

Now take a look at some grant writing tutorials. These links are excellent detailed resources:

http://www.epa.gov/seahome/grants.html

http://www.carolina.com/grants/index.asp

http://www.mcf.org/mcf/grant/writing.htm

http://7-12educators.about.com/library/weekly/aa061500a.htm

Tellabs Foundation Environment Grants

Support programs to encourage understanding and protection of environment

Primarily for institutions that allocate funds to local/national protection or improvement programs

Focus on public health, clean air, clean water, recycling, waste reduction

More information: www.tellabs.com/about/foundation.shtml

At the 2002 National Science Teachers' Association Conference in San Diego, Jim Calaway (Grant Writing for the Classroom Teacher) said "If I can do $1.5 million in grants and help hundreds of teachers get millions of dollars, then you can get grant money for your school, class, or project. Everyone sees the world through their value glasses according to Festinger's theory. Also, we speak "EDUCATIONESE" and many people who give money to education still do not understand our abbreviations and lingo. Ideas are a premium, then you have a plan, then you write the plan down. Once you write down your idea, the grant writing process begins. Now we find the money."

Most important considerations:

Match the grant to your idea. Search the recommended fund sources websites listed here for topics that fit with your project ideas.
Write the grant as the instructions mandate, not one dot or title otherwise.
Apply in July and August for a year in advance.
Small grants create larger grants. Many grants, especially the larger amounts, require in-kind money. This is money you would have had to spend if it wasn't donated. If teachers donate their time, this is in-kind money. Calculate the teacher's time based on a fair hourly rate. If you get TV or radio coverage donation, use the going rate, e.g., $64 per second for any TV coverage. Other in-kind resources are donated materials and tools, financial donations, and matching funds. Start your search at the local level, followed by regional, state, and finally national.
Abstracts become the place that make or break you. Succinctly establish goals with enthusiasm structured with sequential flow. Be sure to quote them back their mission statement as part of your goals.
General strategies for monitoring and restoration proposals: Show how the project will lead to additional action, projects, and future grants. Do your homework on the rules and procedures and philosophy of the funder. Be clear on your rationale, e.g., why these sites or volunteers, this equipment, protocol. Outline the key players.
If you are approved or declined, always ask why.

If you want to talk to a grant writing consultant and biology teacher in person, contact James Calaway (jcalaway@lcisp.com). Jim has helped hundreds of teachers find millions of dollars and does Grant Writing Seminars and In-Service workshops for K-12. He is a 9th Grade Biology teacher at MacArthur Jr. High School, in Lawton, OK.

EPA Makes it easier to find FUNDING Sources for Watershed Protection ON-LINE.

EPA has recently updated the Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection. This Catalog is now online as an easy to use, searchable Web site. The Web site provides information for watershed practitioners and others on 84 Federal funding sources that may be available to help fund various watershed-related projects. To view the Web site, go to: http://www.epa.gov/watershedfunding.

Funding for Kids in Science

While local funding to add resources to your science department may be trickling in there is another way to enrich your students without reaching into your own pocket. Local service organizations are not normally contributors to school budgets, but when students are part of a club or activity that takes place outside the classroom there are some options. One of the champions for supporting children is Optimist International whose members abide by the motto "Friends of Youth". Here is a proposed outline to follow:

Go to the following website www.optimist.org and find your local club.
Find a core group of students prepared to monitor a local body of water. Visit the LaMotte website www.lamotte.com and call the technical service department (800-344-3100) to assist you in determining what LaMotte test kits would achieve your goals.
Call the local contact on the internet and let them know your plans for a student monitoring program and offer to present a request.
Visit the Optimist Club event with at least one student who can communicate the important project goals. Offer to report test results on an annual basis.
Give them two choices in the low to mid price range ($100 to $250+) and await their decision. It may take several weeks for their board to meet and allocate the funding to groups requesting assistance.

Note: A well conceived plan with student involvement can go a long way to provide a lasting relationship with a local service organization. They raise money specifically to help contribute to the development of youth. One final word is if you like what you see go ahead and join!

Go to National Science Teachers Association Website for a list of current grants: http://www.nsta.org

More State-Specific Classroom Grants

Up-to-date list of grant opportunities, some national and some are North Carolina specific: http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/research/grants.htm.

Funder's Forum

Click here for an up-to-date list of grant opportunities:

Funder's Forum (PDF)

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