Category Archives: Environmental

Biodiversity Conservation Grant: Enhancing Pollinator Habitats

The Biodiversity Conservation Grant: Enhancing Pollinator Habitats is a partnership between the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and Toyota Motor North America. This program offers awards of $50,000 – $100,000 for one year projects that create or restore habitats for pollinator species. A total of $200,000 in funding is available.

Letters of Intent are due by March 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST. After an initial review period, some applicants will be invited to submit a full application due May 1, 2024. Grants will be awarded on June 10th.

Eligibility

Applicant

This funding opportunity is open to:

Federal, state, or local government agencies
Federally recognized Native American Tribes
501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
Educational institutions

Project

Eligible projects must:

Take place on public land (i.e. accessible to everyone)
Cover at least 200 acres
Apply best management practices to the creation and maintenance of pollinator habitats
Incorporate community outreach and education

Application Requirements

Applicants should be prepared to submit the following if their LOI is approved:

A step-by-step plan for the creation or reclamation of the pollinator habitat
A detailed timeline of the grant year including educational and community engagement events
Letters of Support from all project partners
Annual organizational budget
Audit for previous fiscal year or balance sheet and profit/loss statement, if audit unavailable

Projects Near Toyota Sites

One of the final projects selected for funding will be within one hour of the following communities, located near a Toyota manufacturing or corporate sites:

Long Beach, CA
Henderson, NV
Chandler, AZ
San Antonio, TX
Plano, TX
Troy, MO
Tupelo, MS
Huntsville, AL
Alpharetta, GA
Greensboro, NC
Georgetown, KY
Jackson, TN
Buffalo, WV
Evansville, IN
Ann Arbor, MI

Veterans and Nature Grant Program

The Veterans and Nature Grant Program is a joint project of the National Environmental Education Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service. They support projects that expose veterans to the physical and mental health benefits of time spent in nature.

Applications for up to $10,000 are due by March 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM PT.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and groups with a fiscal sponsor who have a partnership with a public lands entity. Public lands staff must be involved in both the preparation of the application and adminstration of the project.

Public Lands – “Any federal, state, local, county, or regional land or waterway held in the public trust and/or spaces that are accessible to the public.”

Allowable Expenses

Grant funds may be used for:

Recreational and educational services
Equipment and supplies
Administrative costs
Billed labor

Funds may not be used to pay for transportation.

Potential Activities

Potential activities under this grant include:

Outdoor recreation (hiking, biking, fishing, etc.)
Community science programming
Environmental service projects
Adaptive programming
Conservation

Priority Consideration

Priority consideration will be given to projects that:

Work with an organization that serves veterans and include a letter of support from them
Discuss how they will address accessibility issues
Work with veterans who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and/or have disabilities
Involve Forest Service staff

Dr. Scholl Foundation

The Dr. Scholl Foundation has invested over $312 million since 1980 in organizations improving the world through Innovation, Practicality, Hard Work, and Compassion. These were core values for Dr. William M. Scholl, MD, founder of the foot care company, and they inspired him to establish his foundation.

Letters of Inquiry are accepted on a continual basis and applicants should expect a response within five business days. Full applications, for those invited to submit, are due by March 1, 2024 at 4:00 PM CT. There is no limit to the request amount, but the average award is $5,000 to $25,000.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations who can provide at least three years of financial documents. Publicly supported government entities are rarely approved.

Applicants from outside the United States may be considered if a board member has direct knowledge of their activities.

Primary Focus Areas

The Foundation is primarily interested in funding projects in:

Education
Social service
Healthcare
Civic and Cultural
Environmental

This list should not, however, dissuade applicants from submitting worthwhile projects in other categories. Grant guidelines are intentionally broad to allow for flexibility.

Allowable Expenses

Use of grant funds is also flexible. However, they cannot be used for:

General support
Capital campaigns
Endowments
Loans
Event sponsorships
Political activities

Robert F. Schumann Foundation

The Robert F. Schumann Foundation supports projects in the United States focused on Arts, culture, and humanities, Education, the Environment, and Animals. The Foundation is administered through Wells Fargo Philanthropic Trust Services.

Applications are accepted year round, but must be submitted by February 28th to be considered at that year’s annual grant meeting.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the United States. Special consideration will be given to organizations in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and on the East Coast.

Focus Areas

The Schumann Foundation supports projects focused on:

Arts, culture, and humanities
Education
The Environment (especially open space habitats)
Animals (especially ornithology)

The 2024 Ashden Awards

The Ashden Awards support climate innovation in the United Kingdom and countries in the Global South receiving Official Development Assistance. Winners receive up to £25,000, access to funders, and a promotional film made about their work.

Applications are due by January 25, 2024 and may be submitted in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Eligibility

Applicant

This award program is open to:

For-profit businesses
Charities/NGOs
Government/public sector entities
Social enterprises
Community groups

Applicants must be able to demonstrate good governance and management

Project

To qualify, projects must:

Be based in work that is already available to clients, customers, or beneficiaries
Have an innovative approach
Have the potential to make a significant impact through either expansion or replication

Award Categories

Photo by Nitin Sharma: https://www.pexels.com/photo/windmills-in-mountain-viewing-lake-under-orange-skies-2861857/

The categories for the 2024 Ashden Awards are:

Ashden Award for People’s Energy – UK
Ashden Award for Energy Innovation – UK
Ashden Award for Energy Innovation – Countries receiving ODA
Ashden Award for Natural Climate Solutions – UK
Ashden Award for Natural Climate Solutions – Countries receiving ODA
Ashden Award for Powering Refugees and Displaced People – Countries receiving ODA
Ashden Award for Powering Futures in Clean Energy – Countries receiving ODA

Application Process

Submit application and all requested information by January 25
Applicants who are shortlisted will be contacted in early February and asked to provide more information about their project and financial viability
Finalists will receive a request for a virtual assessment which will include meetings with the chief executive, financial officer, project head, and other employees

Review Critera

All applications will be reviewed based on:

Decarbonization, material use reduction, and environmental protection
Resilience and adaptation
Boosting green skills and work
Reducing inequality
Participation and democratization
Communications potential

Natoora Farm Fund

Natoora is on a mission to preserve the flavor in food by protecting the planet and its people. They do this through supply chains that source ingredients directly from growers and supporting young farmers with their Farm Fund.

The Farm Fund helps farmers 35 and under in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe overcome financial barriers to establishing sustainable farming practices. Applications for up to $12,500 are due by February 2, 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to farmers in the US, UK, and Europe who are:

Individuals aged 35 and under
A cooperative or partnership primarily made up of individuals aged 35 and under

Key Areas

Grantees must be committed to agroecological methods that preserve rather than deplete the environment. Projects must address at least one key focus area and be able to measure progress in achieving their goals.

Key areas:

Soil Health
Cultural Preservation
Innovation
Biodiversity
Education
Access to Land
Accessible Scale

Grantee farms are also expected to keep synthetic interventions as a last resort, if they use them at all.

NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)

The Bay Watershed Education and Training program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides funding for projects that expose youth to meaningful watershed educational experiences.

To place these experiences within a local context, the program is administered through seven regional NOAA offices: California, Chesapeake, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, New England, and Pacific Northwest. All applications should be submitted through Grants.gov, but deadlines and award amounts vary by region. No matching funds are required.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

K-12 public and independent schools and school systems
Institutions of higher education
Nonprofit organizations
State or local government agencies
Interstate agencies
Native American tribal governments

Regional Offices

California

The California B-WET program is not being offered in 2024.

Chesapeake

The Chesapeake office serves states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed which includes Maryland, the District of Columbia, and parts of Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York. Projects should advance the environmental literacy goals of both the NOAA Education Strategic Plan and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Applications are due by February 16, 2024 for requests of up to $150,000.

Great Lakes

The Great Lakes office serves New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Projects are separated into Conventional and Indigenous Communities.

Conventional applications are due by February 29, 2024 for requests of $30,000 – $150,000. Indigenous Communities applications are due by March 1, 2024 for requests of $50,000 – $100,000.

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico office serves Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Applications are due by February 5, 2024 for requests of $25,000 – $100,000.

Hawaii

Applications to the Hawaii office are due by January 31, 2024 for requests of $50,000 – $150,000.

New England

The New England office serves Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Applications are due by February 20, 2024 for requests of $25,000 – $150,000.

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest office serves Oregon and Washington. Applications are due by February 1, 2024 for requests of $60,000 – $150,000.

Green Our Planet Garden Grants

Green Our Planet is on a mission to teach youth in the United States to love and protect the environment through garden-based STEM activities. These gardens become living laboratories where they learn about topics like conservation, nutrition, and financial literacy.

The garden building program is only available in Las Vegas, but the Garden Connect STEM Program and Hydroponics STEM Program are open to schools throughout the US.

Garden Connect STEM Program

Grants for this program are available for $2,500; schools are expected to provide an additional $1,000 to cover the full cost of the program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Eligibility

This grant is open to public, private, and charter schools in the United States.

Requirements

Applications must include:

A signed letter of support from the school principal
Three digital photos of the garden or garden space

Grantees will also be expected to:

Commit to at least one year of participating in the Garden Connect STEM Program
Participate in monthly surveys and quarterly reports to assess the program

Program Elements

Program participants will receive:

STEMWorks accredited Outdoor Garden STEM Curriculum for grades K-5, MS & HS Health Curriculum, and K-12 Financial Literacy Lessons
1-on-1 Virtual Consulting with Garden Connect Coordinators
Access to Resource Library
Access to Virtual Academy
Online community through Green Our Planet’s Magic Garden Portal

Hydroponics STEM Challenge

Grants for this program are available for $8,000; schools are expected to provide an additional $2,000 to cover the full cost of the program. Applications from schools outside Nevada are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications from schools in Nevada are currently under consideration.

Eligibility

This grant is open to

Public, private, home, and charter schools
Libraries
Community centers

Requirement

Applications must include a signed letter of support from the administrator.

Program Elements

Program participants will receive:

Hydroponics systems for 20 classrooms
Seed germinator
Nutrient fertilizers
pH measurement tool
Total dissolved solids (TDS) measurement tool
The Green Our Planet Hydroponic Manual
Support from a Green Our Planet Hydroponic Coordinator

Powering Climate & Infrastructure Careers Challenge

The Powering Climate & Infrastructure Careers Challenge from The Families & Workers Fund will provide financial and technical assistance to infrastructure and clean energy projects in the United States. Projects must have or be applying for funding from climate, infrastructure, or other government funding.

Round One applications for $150,000 – $1.5 million in direct funding or technical assistance over 1-3 years are due by January 19, 2024. Invitations to apply for Round 2 will be issued to a select number of Round 1 applicants. Finalists from Round 2 will be invited to interview with the Fund who expects to award 10-20 grants total.

Eligibility

This funding opportunity is open to:

501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
Public agencies
Native American Tribal governments
Public-private partnerships, such as workforce development boards

Applicants must also:

Have or intend to apply for climate, infrastructure, or other government funding
Be committed to advancing career opportunities and improving economic mobility, especially for underinvested communities

Funding Tracks

Projects may fall under both of these tracks, but they must be under at least one.

Training & Career Pathways

Projects in this track will be working to train, place, support, and retain a diverse workforce to meet growing demands in the clean energy, infrastructure, and related industries.

Appropriate applicants for this track include:

Nonprofit organizations
Institutions of higher education
Workforce agencies
Employer partnerships
Other training providers

Government Planning & Implementation

Projects in this track will support partners with workforce data analysis and planning, procurement, and job quality efforts.

Appropriate applicants for this track include government agencies and nonprofit organizations on Native land or in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, or Wisconsin.

Government Funding Sources

https://blog.ucsusa.org/charlie-hoffs/how-are-wind-turbines-made/

Applicants may be leveraging funds from:

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
CHIPS and Sciences Act
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)
Private investment or contracts from businesses receiving federal funds
Other (must specify)

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

For 20 years, The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation has been planting fruit, nut, and medicinal trees alongside Native American tribes, schools, and animal sanctuaries. Their goal is to help plant 18 billion trees around the world to protect the environment by improving the soil, water, and air quality, to feed those in need, and to strengthen communities.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Most funded projects are in the United States, but they accept applications from international projects as well.

Eligibility

Applicant

This grant is open to:

Nonprofit organizations
Non-government organizations
Public schools
Government entities serving a charitable purpose

Applicants must also:

Own or have a long term lease on the planting site or have a long term usage agreement with the non-profit or governmental entity that owns it
Be committed to caring for the orchard indefinitely
Have a clear goal for how the orchard can help them fulfill their charitable mission
Be able to recruit and coordinate volunteers for planting day

Site

The site must:

Be suitable for planting trees about 15 feet apart with holes dug to 18 inches deep and 2 feet wide
Have a year-round irrigation source. The Foundation may be able to provide hoses or a drip irrigation system, but there must be somewhere to hook them up.

There isn’t a set number of trees required per project but they typically consist of at least 15-20 trees.

Grant Package

Grantees will receive:

Assistance with designing the layout of their orchard
Trees and shrubs
Equipment
Horticultural workshops
Training and manuals on the care and maintenance of the trees
Funds for deer fencing and irrigation systems is available on an as needed basis
Optional educational materials for schools