Radical Renovation: School Edition initiative
Ford Motor Company has joined with National Geographic to create the Radical Renovation: School Edition initiative, a new program that asks elementary school students how they would make their school more environmentally friendly.

Teachers across the United States are encouraged to submit their students' vision of a sustainable, eco-friendly school for a chance to win $100,000 for eco-renovations.

Applicants must be kindergarten through sixth grade teachers at a public or private school entering the contest on behalf of his/her class.

See the National Geographic Web site for complete program information.

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Nomination Deadline: April 30, 2024
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2005 awards. The Barron Prize recognizes young people ages 8 to 18 in the U.S. and Canada who have shown leadership and courage in public service to people and our planet. Each year, ten winners each receive $2,000 to support their service work or higher education. Half of each year's winners are chosen for their work on behalf of the environment.

Greenworks Grants
Greenworks Grants of $200 - $2,000 are available from Project Learning Tree at the national level, for projects involving youth, adults in communities, with positive environmental effects. Someone trained in Project Learning Tree activities should be involved. Tip: Request a letter of support from Sue Wintering in the Ohio PLT office, 614-265-6657 or [email protected]

WILD School Grants
WILD School Sites grants of up to $500 are available from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, with applications accepted between January 1 and May 31. Project director must have completed either Project WILD of Science and Civics: Sustaining Wildlife training. See also the national WILD School Sites Website for good supporting information. Tip: Submit early, only ten are available this year.

Toyota Tapestry Grants
Toyota Tapestry grants up to $50,000 and mini grants up to $2,500 are available to science teachers and administered by the National Science Teachers Association.

Learn and Serve Ohio Grants
Learn and Serve Ohio grants are available through the Ohio Department of Education for schools to develop service learning programs to help students and communities address education, public safety, human and environmental needs. Ohio schools can apply for up to seven years of continuous funding, through different types of grants, for a total of $133,000. Contact Charlotte Jones-Ward, (614) 466-8920.

Ohio Environmental Education Fund Mini Grants
Ohio Environmental Education Fund mini grants of $500 - $5,000 are offered by the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education, with application deadlines every January 15 and July 15. Projects must show how education activities will align with Ohio's Academic Content Standards. Construction activities are not eligible. Larger grants up to $50,000 are also available, but much more competitive. Tip: Submit a draft early to the OEEF staff for a pre-review. (614) 644-2873.

Ohio EPA 319 Grants
Ohio EPA 319 grants (named for Section 319 of the Clean Water Act) pass federal funds through to local watershed organizations to improve water quality. These sometimes include funding for education components. Contact your local watershed coordinator. Tip: Find your watershed coordinator via the Ohio Watershed Network.

US EPA Environmental Education Grants
US EPA Environmental Education grants are awarded through both the national Office of Environmental Education and smaller grants (but less competition) through the Region 5 office in Chicago (contact Megan Gavin at [email protected]). Application is usually announced in the Federal Register in September, with deadlines in November. Tip: Pay attention, this program's funding is perennially in jeopardy in the federal budget process.

NiSource Environmental Challenge Fund Grants
NiSource Environmental Challenge Fund grants are available for ecological restoration projects, in the service area of Columbia Gas of Ohio. Application deadline is usually in February. Largest grant awards are $10,000, most under $5,000. Tip: Involve a local university's biology program or agency such as OSU Extension, your Soil and Water Conservation District or Park District, or garden clubs, The Nature Conservancy, or other sources of scientific expertise to help document the ecological benefits of the project.

Plant Pride Not Litter (PDF)
Organize a litter pick up for Ohio's litter prevention month in April. Help your neighborhood, school or local park look beautiful by being litter free. Earn trees that benefit wildlife and/or are native to the region to plant at the school. Over time this program will provide different species of trees to help create outdoor learning labs.

Youth Venture
Youth Venture provides seed money grants of up to $1,000 for new youth-created, youth-led, sustainable ventures that benefit the community. Youth ages 12-20 who want to start a new ongoing environmental club or organization can get guidance on how to plan, organize, and launch their venture, along with funds for start-up expenses. Visit the website to get information and start the application process.

Dow Social Responsibility Fund
The Dow Chemical Company has made available $20 million in grant funds to support proposed initiatives concentrating on math and science, teacher training and parental involvement for K-12 school districts. Grant proposals should focus on giving K-12 students science and engineering experiences, giving teachers the training to provide these experiences and fostering parental and community involvement. School districts and school boards nationwide, as well as programs that promote systemic education reform in math and science, are eligible to apply. Special attention is given to school districts around communities where Dow is located.

Braitmayer Foundation K-12 Education Grants
The Braitmayer Foundation offers grants of up to $10,000 to fund a broad range of K-12 education programs. The foundation is particularly interested in curricular reform initiatives and professional development opportunities for teachers, particularly those encouraging people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching. All K-12 schools in the United States, as well as independent 501(c)3 organizations with an education focus, are eligible.

A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place
The Guide explores the concepts of community and culture and provides tools for identifying, assessing, and working cooperatively within the social dynamics and local values connected to environmental protection. These tools also help individuals define community, identify stakeholders, enhance education and outreach, build partnerships and consensus, identify resources, plan and set goals, and integrate local realities with ecological issues. The Guide is designed for people involved in community-based initiatives, including those affiliated with community and watershed-based organizations, universities, and federal, state, tribal, and local agencies.

For more information about the Guide or Community Culture and the Environment trainings, send an email to [email protected], call 410.356-8993 or visit the EPA's site.

To request a FREE copy of the Guide (publication number EPA 842-B-01-003), call the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at 1.800.490.9198 or visit the EPA's site.

A Bird's Eye View
The American Birding Association's youth program includes a Young Birder of the Year Contest with 4 modules (essay, field notebook, illustration, and bird photography) that are adaptable for classroom use, a Scholarship Program to subsidize attendance at summer camps, a bi-monthly newsletter called A Bird's-Eye View which is written by and for young birders, and Youth BirdQuest and Tropicbirds teams which are bird-a-thon events that combine education, conservation and fund-raising components that are designed to get young people out into the field to learn more about birds and raise awareness about bird conservation issues.

Please contact Brete Griffin for more information.

The Green Squad
The Green Squad web site gives kids the tools and skills they need to help locate, and solve, environmental and health problems in their schools. The site is designed primarily for students in fifth through eighth grade, but also offers information for younger and older students as well as parents and teachers. The Green Squad is a collaborative project of the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Healthy Schools Network (HSN) and is available in English and Spanish.

Ecological Literacy Project
The Ecological Literacy Project engages middle and high school students in a science-based exploration of their local environment and trains them in professional radio production. With guidance from radio professionals from Living On Earth, National Public Radio's weekly environmental news program, students produce compelling, original audio journalism about topics relevant to their own lives. Their work is broadcast over local and national radio and is featured on Living On Earth's website.

Schools Go Green
The Center for Environmental Education of Antioch New England Graduate School has launched Green Schools Guidelines, a new initiative for spreading the word about exciting projects kids and schools are doing for environmental preservation. For the next year they will be regularly showcasing the great work of schools who are partnered with the Center for Environmental Education. The purpose of this initiative is to spark ideas for other great projects, and to encourage long term support for the Schools Go Green Grant program.

Toshiba America Foundation Grants
The Toshiba America Foundation encourages programs, projects and activities that have the potential to improve classroom teaching and learning of science, mathematics and the science and mathematics of technology. Funding is available for private and public schools, grades 7 - 12. Applications for small grants ($5,000 or less) are accepted year round. Applications and guidelines are available online as a PDF.

Community Tree Planting Grant
The National Tree Trust, a non-profit tree planting organization, has grants available for tree seedlings through the Community Tree Planting program. Seedlings are available for delivery January through April 2003. Seedlings are allocated on a first come, first served basis. The main requirements of the grant include: planting trees on public land, utilizing volunteers for planting and/or maintaining seedlings, obtaining matching funds, and two years of annual reporting.

Pennies for the Planet
World Wildlife Fund's 2002-2003 Pennies for the Planet program targets three outstanding places from the Global 200 - the Everglades and South Florida, the Atlantic Forest, and the Miombo Woodlands . The program teaches students about what biodiversity is, why it's so important, and international efforts to protect it. Activities and support materials are available from the Pennies for the Planet web site.

Think Earth
The Think Earth Environmental Education Foundation released a new and improved web site and interactive database. The new site enables Think Earth to coordinate the work of environmental educators and members of school-based environmental clubs, and promote the use of high quality environmental education materials. Environmental education organizations, clubs, students (6-12), and educators are invited to register with the Think Earth database free of charge and become a part of the Think Earth network.

Site features include peer reviews of Environmental Education materials, an online calendar of events, a searchable database of EE organizations, programs and clubs, and a new site design.

Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN)
Earth Force GREEN has launched a new, interactive resource allowing users to:

• Enter, analyze and share the watershed data they collect;
• Access interactive maps, calendars, guides and resources;
• Download classroom activities;
• Keep an ongoing project log to track progress made towards solving a watershed problem; and,
• Share pictures and stories of your group in action.

Solar Schools - Bright Ideas
The Solar Schools program enhances student learning with solar technology at your school. Students benefit with hands-on learning in science, math and business. The community around the school is involved through funding raising and installation. The program supports the installation of solar energy systems on school grounds, provides solar technology curriculum ideas and resources and assists with developing the necessary partnership to make the initiative happen. This program is sponsored through and the U.S. Department of Energy. Call #312-353-6749 for a local contact in The Ohio Energy Project.