Captain Planet Foundation Environmental Grants

The Captain Planet Foundation funds hands-on environmental projects to encourage youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities.

Grants are intended to serve as a catalyst to getting environment-based education in schools and inspire youth and communities to participate in community service through environmental stewardship activities. All projects must promote understanding of environmental issues, focus on hands-on involvement, involve children and young adults 6-18 and promote interaction and cooperation within a group.

Schools and organizations located in the US with operating budgets less than $3 million are eligible to apply.


Preferential consideration is given to requests seeking seed funding of $500 or less and to applicants who have secured at least 50% matching or in-kind funding for their projects.

Deadline: September 30, 2013

Earth Savers Club Grants

Greening Forward is offering $50-500 to environmentally-focused, youth-led school, community, and faith-based groups that become a partner of the Earth Savers Club program. The grants are only for Club Partners, though that's easily done with an online application.

Youth-led school, community, and faith-based groups with an environmental focus can sign up to become a partner of Greening Forward's Earth Savers Club Program. (It is free to become a partner.) Partners are granted access to a number of resources, including mini grants ($50-500), social activism training, mentorships, and the Earth Saver Award.

http://www.theearthsaversclub.org/   
Deadline: None 

DoSomething Grants: $500 for youth

Know a young library nerd with a great idea that can improve your community? C'mon, sure you do.

In their words: 

"DoSomething.org is the country's largest not-for-profit for young people and social change. We have 1,666,208 members (and counting) who kick ass on causes they care about. Bullying. Animal cruelty. Homelessness. Cancer. The list goes on. DoSomething.org spearheads national campaigns so 13- to 25-year-olds can make an impact - without ever needing money, an adult, or a car. Over 2.4 million people took action through DoSomething.org in 2012. You know, because apathy sucks."

DoSomething's grants have a rolling deadline; one $500 grant is awarded every week. 

 

Eligibility: In order to be eligible to apply for a Do Something Grant applicants must be 25 or younger and be a U.S. or Canadian citizen. One may apply for as many grants as one would like, but one can only win ONE grant from within a 12 month period.

Purpose: What Makes A Strong Grant Application?

1. Youth Led And Driven. The Grant Applicant Is In Charge Of Or Plays A Very Active Role In Designing, Leading And Implementing The Proposed Project.

2. Measurable Change. The Grant Applicant’s Project Strives Toward Tangible Results And Measurable Impact. The Applicant Has Clear Goals And A Focused Plan Of Action For Reaching Them.

3. Community Focus. The Grant Applicant’s Project Focuses On Improving Community Problems And Engaging And Involving The Community In Their Project . How An Applicant Defines His Or Her “community” Is Up To Him Or Her.

4. Long-term Problem-solving Action. The Grant Applicant’s Project Can Be A One-time Event Or An Ongoing Program; Either Way, It Should Strive To Make Lasting Change In His Or Her Community.

5. Creativity. The Grant Applicant’s Project Is Creative, And Demonstrates An Original Idea For Solving Problems And Creating Change In Their Local Communities.

6. Diversity. The Grant Applicant’s Project Promotes Diversity And Brings Different Kinds Of People Together.

WaysToHelp.org Grants

Hot on the heels of yesterday's Do Something grants for youth comes WaysToHelp.org grants. 

WtH exists to "engage, inspire and enable high school students to make a positive difference in the world. We do this by making it easy for them to learn about, and take action against, 16 of today's most pressing social issues. At the highest level, they help teens engage" in:

• Saving the environment
• Improving conditions in their communities
• Helping people in need

Applicants must be no older than 19 years old on the day that they apply. It's ok for the applicant(s) to work with others to develop and implement their ideas (in fact, its encouraged), but the original idea for the initiative must have been youth-initiated and must be youth-led.

Primarily funding follows 16 issue areas and occasional others. Deadlines are rolling and the award maximum is $500. 

Sohn Foundation

The Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation has been formed to continue the vision and legacy of its founders. Their vision of a “wholistic” life, lived synergistically with nature and the environment, in which all people can breathe clean air, eat wholesome organic food, and be exposed to the wonders of music, dance and literature, continues in the Foundation. 
The Foundation will support a broad spectrum of causes which support the environment, alternative health care and the arts. The Foundation is particularly interested in funding educational projects which bring an awareness of the environment, alternative health care and the arts to those who are underserved, particularly to young people. 

See the program web site for complete information, the site states that applications should contain at least this information. 

Organizations seeking support from the Foundation should submit the following:
1. Detailed description of the mission of the organization and services which it provides.
2. Description of the project/program for which funding is sought.
3. Total budget for the project/program.
4. Timing for project/program.
5. Copy of IRS Form 990-PF
6. Copy of audited financial statements.
7. Copy of 501(c)(3) tax exempt status letter from the IRS.

Kellogg Foundation’s Youth and Community Engagement Grants

The Kellogg Foundation seeks to fund organizations working to promote new ideas about how to engage children and youth in learning and ways to bring together community-based systems that promote learning. The foundation will consider grants in four priority areas: Educated Kids, Healthy Kids, Secure Families, and Civic Engagement.

Deadline: Rolling

Check out the Kellogg program site for all the information, but there are several educative aspects that libraries could spearhead or participate in.The three main areas - with links - are:

Educated kids e.g., success by the Third Grade: Increase the number of children who are reading and math proficient by third grade. 

Healthy kids e.g., healthy birth weight and optimal development: Increase the number of children born at a healthy birth weight and who receive the care and nutrition they need for optimal development. 

Secure families e.g., children and Families at 200% above poverty: Increase the number of children and families living at least 200% above the poverty level.