WILD SCHOOL SITES | How to apply

GRANT ELIGIBILITY
Public, private or parochial elementary, middle and high schools, school districts, county educational service centers or any agency (SWCD, park district, etc.) or nonprofit community organization with established (and continual) youth programming.
These criteria must be met:
Projects must be integrated into classroom curriculum and organizational programming. If an applicant is a nonformal entity, correlations to state education standards must be shown.
must be involved in the planning, design, implementation and maintenance and/or monitoring of the project.
Project coordinator(s) must have attended a Project WILD workshop.
NOTE: Private individuals are not eligible.
AVAILABLE FUNDS
Each grant proposal must equal $500. Up to 10 project grants will be awarded each grant cycle. Funding is made possible by donations to the Wildlife Diversity Fund from Ohio's income tax check-off and cardinal license plate fees.
APPLICATION DEADLINE?
Applications are accepted from Jan. 1 through May 31 of each calendar year, pending available funding. Funding is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, provided criteria are met.
HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE?
Applicants must allow a minimum of 60 days.
HOW OFTEN CAN YOU APPLY?
Schools, agencies and organizations can apply once per application period (Jan 1-May 31).
WHAT ARE SOME ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES?
Projects that improve habitat for wildlife on school sites or a designated area on community property or property with community and school access. Examples: Planting trees, flowers, shrubs or putting up nesting boxes in a school, park or playground. Planting a bird or butterfly garden in a schoolyard.
Development of an outdoor environmental education area that is integrated with a habitat improvement program and classroom curricula, state education standards or organizational programming. Examples: Developing access trails to a wildlife habitat area for use in environmental education studies. Enhancing an area for wildlife and for environmental education programs in areas where habitat already exists. Project must include a habitat enhancement element.
UContact the ODNR-Division of Wildlife's Wildlife Education Coordinator at (800) WILDLIFE or (614) 265-6316 before applying to confirm eligibility of a project.