DEP offering 2016 Environmental Education Grants Applications are due by December 18

Projects and programs geared toward environmental education are now eligible to apply for grants up to $3,000 from the Department of Environmental Protection. Schools,county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, municipalities and businesses can to apply for the grants.

The grants provide funding to develop programs and projects that support environmental education about issues, including:

• Sustainable Living: rain gardens, rain barrels, clean energy, radon protection, composting, and other related topics.

• Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Education: reducing non-point source pollution, abandoned mine drainage/reclamation, water conservation, private water wells, groundwater, and other related topics

• Air Quality: ground level ozone, climate change, transportation, and electric generation issues

• Brownfields: brownfield redevelopment and creating sustainable communities

• Energy: energy efficiency and conservation, as well as, school energy teams, natural gas, coal, wind, solar, and other clean energy sources and technologies

• Keystone Energy Education Program (KEEP): school energy teams to reduce school building’s energy use

• Climate Change: climate change and mitigation strategies

• Environmental Literacy: engage educators and stakeholders in content standards and field-based environmental education

• Environmental Education Certification: develop and implement institutionalized and community-based certification programs designed for teachers, naturalists, and educators working in schools and environmental education facilities

• Natural Landscaping and Trees: native plant landscaping, riparian buffers, and invasive plant management

• Connecting Children with Nature: immersive outdoor education

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, teacher professional development; curriculum integration; outdoor learning resources, such as trails, shelters, streamside plantings, and educational programming; transportation to field study sites; water chemistry testing equipment; and educational events.

In April, DEP awarded 110 grants totaling more than $304,000 to groups in support of environmental education programs across the state. Since the program’s inception, DEP has awarded more than $9.8 million in grants.

Applications are available online at www.dep.state.pa.us, or by contacting DEP’s Environmental Education and Information Center at 717-772-1828 or adevine@pa.gov. The deadline to apply is December 18.