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Nature of Learning Grants

National Wildlife Refuge Friends Group Grant Program

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Nature of Learning Grants

Deadline: June 15, 2009
Note: Applications must be submitted on-line

Is your group interested in Environmental Education?
4th Graders at Blackwater NWR © USFWS

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Foundation), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), and National Wildlife Refuge Association, is pleased to solicit applications from organizations interested in initiating The Nature of Learning in their communities. The Nature of Learning is the National Wildlife Refuge System's community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to:

  • Use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues;
  • Encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement;
  • 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.

Start-Up grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to support initial expenses associated with new programs. Follow-Up grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded on a comprehensive basis to provide continued support to existing The Nature of Learning Programs.

The Nature of Learning framework includes:

  • Partnerships: Central to each The Nature of Learning site is a partnership among learning institutions, i.e., neighborhood schools, nature clubs, youth groups, and natural resource professionals and community members. These partners use The Nature of Learning methodology to create site-specific goals and an action plan for achievement.
  • Integrated Learning: The Nature of Learning outlines a process by which a community-based curriculum is developed utilizing formal and non-formal education expertise at the site.
  • Standards-based: Using the standards-based curriculum from collaborating schools, teams of teachers and resource specialists blend the resources from the classroom with existing activities and programs used on public lands. The framework guides educators in a standards-based instructional process that encourages an interdisciplinary approach.
  • Stewardship Projects: Community projects are planned and implemented as a culminating activity of this initiative. After building an understanding of conservation issues, students are encouraged to identify tasks that put their awareness into action and enhance their community.
  • Professional Development: The Nature of Learning framework assists site teams to build local site workshops to meet professional development needs. Partnerships with local organizations that have similar missions are highly recommended. In addition, the FWS National Conservation Training Center offers many courses that can be directly applied to The Nature of Learning Initiative.

The Nature of Learning supports one of the six Fish and Wildlife Service’s priorities of connecting people with nature ensuring the future of conservation. The Nature of Learning also supports the FWS Manual Policy (605 FW 6) as an environmental education initiative that has the ability to promote awareness, appreciation and understanding of the role that the Refuge System plays in the conservation of wildlife. As a priority use, FWS encourages environmental education within refuge missions and purposes, supports site-specific environmental education, and uses on-site programs to focus on refuge issues and emphasize species of importance. Meeting the education objectives of the National Wildlife Refuge System is an important goal of The Nature of Learning, but it will take the collaboration that includes the community to achieve it.

Who should apply for The Nature of Learning start-up grants?

Schools or non-profit organizations, including "Friends" organizations, cooperative and interpretive associations, youth organizations, etc., are eligible to apply for funding. By becoming part of the Nature of Learning program, your partners will be eligible for financial and technical assistance to help achieve the following:

  • Build educational value on refuges so that visits, exposure and enthusiasm on public lands expand and continue;
  • Introduce a process to enhance critical thinking skills and better prepare students as future community leaders;
  • Create long-lasting relationships among teachers, local businesses, community leaders and refuge personnel; and
  • Develop and nurture a strong sense of stewardship and civic pride using the refuge and community as outdoor classrooms.

To learn more about the Nature of Learning program, please visit: http://refuges.fws.gov/generalinterest/education.

Grant Guidelines:
Programs must involve a partnership among a local school(s), community group (e.g., a Friends Organization, nature clubs), and a national wildlife refuge. Letters of support are strongly encouraged and a letter from the refuge is required.

  • Programs must be designed to meet all of the key elements of The Nature of Learning framework (i.e., partnerships, integrated learning, professional development, etc.) over time. Moreover, programs must promote an understanding of local conservation issues, improve scientific literacy, and conform to appropriate academic standards of learning.
  • Projects must be completed within 18 months.
  • Grant funding will be disbursed at the beginning of each phase of the project with 10% of the funds held back for dispersal upon receipt of The Nature of Learning program final accomplishment report.
  • Programs are expected to include an outdoor classroom experience for students and teachers at a national wildlife refuge and must also include a community stewardship project.
  • Existing conservation education programs are eligible for funding and technical assistance so long as there is a commitment to meet all of the elements of The Nature of Learning framework (see website for additional information on key elements).
  • Preference will be given to start-up programs that can demonstrate a commitment to sustaining the program over time.
  • Matching contributions are not required; however strong preference will be given to applications that leverage the grant award with contributions of funds, goods and services from project partners (see application form for additional details).
  • First year start-up grants are available for up to $10,000.
  • Second year follow-up grants, up to $5,000, are available to support continued implementation of The Nature of Learning program.
  • To receive a follow-up The Nature of Learning program grant, you must reapply and will need to provide an accomplishment report with your application. The accomplishment report must detail the outcomes and achievements of the 1st year start-up grant.

How to apply:

For more information please visit www.nfwf.org/natureoflearning

Applicants must complete the on-line application form at www.nfwf.org. Please do not contact the Foundation before this date in regards to the status of your application.

For additional information on The Nature of Learning program, please contact Deborah Moore at deborah_moore@fws.gov. For questions regarding grant applications, please contact Ellen Gabel at ellen.gabel@nfwf.org.

 

National Wildlife Refuge Friends Group Grant Program 2008

The deadline for the Spring cycle has passed. The next deadline is September 5, 2009.
Note: Applications must be submitted on-line

The National Wildlife Refuge Friends Group Grant Program is a collaborative effort between the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
National Wildlife Refuge Association, and National Audubon Society.

Why should Friends groups apply?

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, along with its partners, recognizes the important role refuge Friends organizations play in building critical community support for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. As such, we are requesting proposals for projects that assist organizations to be effective co-stewards of our Nation’s important natural resources within the National Wildlife Refuge System. This program provides competitive seed grants ($1,500 - $5,000) to creative and innovative proposals that seek to increase the number and effectiveness of organizations interested in assisting the Refuge System nationwide.

The National Wildlife Refuge System hosted more than 40 million visitors last year. The Refuge System provides Americans with special places to connect with nature and offers unparalleled outdoor activities to experience and showcase wildlife. Where compatible, the Refuge System prioritizes wildlife-dependent recreation uses involving hunting, fishing, environmental education, interpretation, wildlife observation, and wildlife photography. By enjoying these wildlife-dependent activities, the American public further develops its appreciation for fish and wildlife. This year's grant program will prioritize those proposals that facilitate wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities on refuges and reach new audiences to increase their understanding of and support for the Refuge System’s mission.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations or organizations that have applied for non-profit status, including refuge Friends organizations, Cooperative and Interpretive Associations, Audubon Chapters and other citizen support organizations interested in assisting a National Wildlife Refuge or group of refuges and the Refuge System as a whole. Applicants must either be tax exempt under section 501(c), OR be in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status and submit with their grant application a copy of their 501(c)(3) application filing.

What kinds of proposals will be accepted?

Grants will be provided to support proposals that fall within the following areas of emphasis:

  • Start-up Grants - Funds will be provided to assist starting refuge Friends organizations with formative and/or initial operational support. For example, funds may be requested for such things as membership drives, training (tuition), brochure and newsletter development, logo design, or consultant fees for planning a mission and strategic plan;
  • Capacity Building Grants - Funds will be provided to strengthen the capacity of existing refuge Friends organizations to enable them to be more effective. For example, activities may include outreach efforts, strategic planning, membership development, board or leadership development, designing exhibits for community outreach, or training; and
  • Project Specific Grants - Funds will be provided to non-profit organizations seeking support for a specific project. For example, funds may be requested for developing outreach and conservation education programs for local schools, communities, and private landowners, habitat restoration projects, building an observation tower, developing and providing interpretive materials and programs, or watchable wildlife programs.

While this grant program focuses on three areas of emphasis, overarching goals of the program are to help refuge Friends organizations gain experience in developing projects, expand and increase their capacity and skills, meet local refuge challenges, gain and build community recognition and support for the refuge and refuge Friends organizations, and build long-term relationships. Within each area of emphasis, priority will be given to applications that demonstrate their ability to meet these programmatic goals.

What information should be included in my proposal?

  • National Wildlife Refuge Friends Easygrants Application, www.nfwf.org/grantapplication. Once you complete the Easygrants registration, you will use your e-mail address as your Login ID. All e-mails sent by the system will be sent to this e-mail address.
  • The Program Specific Application Form
  • The Applicant and Refuge Manager Signature Page

What are the funding limitations for this grants program?

The Refuge Friends Group Grant Program will NOT fund requests for:

  • Printing for Professional Publishing Purposes;
  • Political advocacy or litigation activities;
  • Travel;
  • Salaries;
  • Non-profit filings;
  • Food or beverages;
  • Shortfalls in government agency budgets; or
  • Multi-year grants (applicant may reapply)

When are proposals due and when will applicants be notified of award status?

  • SPRING CYCLE
    May 1 , 2009 - with final funding decisions and applicant notification by August 1, 2009; and
  • FALL CYCLE
    September 5, 2009     - with final funding decisions and applicant notification by November 22, 2009.

Program Contacts

The following partner contacts are available to applicants to discuss proposal ideas and answer questions about this program.

The National Wildlife Refuge Friends Grant Program is a collaborative effort between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge Association, and National Audubon Society. For further information, please contact Ellen Gabel at NFWF, 1120 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036, or call (202) 857-0166

For more information on the program and to view the Request for Proposals, please go to www.nfwf.org/refugefriends. To apply for a grant visit www.nfwf.org/grantapplication, or contact Ellen Gabel at Ellen.Gabel@nfwf.org or 202-857-0166.

 

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