CALL FOR ENTRIES : BRIGHT GREEN FUTURE SCHOOL GRANTS!

The City of Austin's Office of Sustainability has released a new grant to fund eco-learning ! For more information, see below.

Bright Green Future Grants

A City of Austin program to fund sustainability projects at Austin schools

Call for Entries | Do you have an innovative idea for a school-based project that will inspire K-12 students to become lifelong environmental stewards? 

If so, we want to hear from you! The City of Austin is seeking entries for a competitive grants program that will award three $3,000 grants for the 2012-2013 school year. 
 

Deadline:  Oct. 31, 2012  Entry form available online (after Sept. 4) at www.austintexas.gov/sustainability/schoolgrants

 

Grants Program Coordinator: Mary K. Priddy, Office of Sustainability, City of Austin, mary.priddy@austintexas.gov  (512) 974-2539

What projects are eligible?  The project should advance sustainability by: reducing resource consumption; decreasing car trips/miles driven; promoting local healthy food; educating students about the issues of sustainability and climate change; and/or advancing other “green” innovations. The project should provide hands-on student involvement and learning. Winning entries will offer measurable environmental benefits, provide school-wide educational engagement, and potentially have larger community impacts.

Who can submit an entry?  Project proposals are invited from public or charter schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels located within the City of Austin. 

How will entries be judged?  Questions on the entry form correspond to evaluation criteria that will be used to select the winning projects. A panel of judges composed of staff from the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, as well as community members who serve on the City’s Environmental Board and other related Boards and Commissions will evaluate project entries. 

What is the project timeframe?  Grant awards will be announced Dec. 13, 2012 and funding will be available by Jan. 7, 2013.  The project funded must be completed by May 31, 2013. Preference will be given to projects that can be sustained and grown into the future, beyond the initial grant year.

Please note: Grants cannot be used to fund needs outside the specific project, such as the purchase of HVAC system or other standard school-facility upgrades, general classroom supplies, refreshments, project components that are already funded, debt reduction, etc.