Small Grants Program

ParkWorks is offering schools in the Cleveland Municipal School District the opportunity to participate in a small grants program to obtain renewal funds for the use and development of outdoor environmental education as a supporting educational tool to reinforce what is taught in the classrooms. The purpose of the ParkWorks Green School Small Grants Program is to encourage and support educators to create activities, lessons and programs that fit their curriculum needs using outdoor learning centers and/or instructional gardens on school grounds.

Eligible Applicants:

• Every school currently active in the Green School program -or-
• Every school that has a ParkWorks' outdoor learning garden -or-
• Every CMSD school currently participating in other non-ParkWorks' outdoor educational program -or-
• Community members, parents and other informal educators currently delivering gardening activities and/or outdoor education programs or planning to do so at school grounds in the City of Cleveland

Any questions regarding eligibility are welcomed and strongly encouraged.

Programs Eligible for Application: Programs, projects or activities must involve students in outdoor hands-on activities in one or more of the following areas:

• Environmental Education
• Math
• Science
• Language Arts
• Fine Arts
• Social Studies
• Computer Science
• Entrepreneur Programs (i.e. projects that enable students to plant and grow flowers that they will sell for a profit)
  

Grant Requests: Grants will be given in installments up to $500.00 twice a year per team or school depending on available funds.

Proposal Elements: All proposals should be concise (no more than five one-sided pages plus attachments if needed) and must include:

• Background on applicant team/school
• Description of project including the use of outdoor environmental education to teach curriculum objectives in the areas above
• Background on staff assigned to project implementation
• Project timeline
• Method of assessing and evaluating program's success
• Budget outlining total costs (does not cover staff salaries or fees.)
• Letters of support from school principal

The following elements are not eligible for Small Grants funding:

• Salaries
• Stipends
• Transportation
• Event tickets
• Machinery or tools that would be inappropriate for a student's use (i.e. weed whacker, lawnmower, etc)
• Events/Activities that would take place exclusively indoors, with no tie to outdoor education
  (Note: It is understood that many teachers will choose to expand on their outdoor lessons in the indoor classroom, which is expected and encouraged)
  

Evaluation and reports: Grantees must present a report illustrating the outcomes of their projects in order to re-apply for another grant installment. Funding will not be awarded until outcome report is received. Follow-up letters will be issued to grant winners.

Proposal Submission and Review:

MAIL:
ParkWorks
Education Department
Attn: Green School Small Grants Program
1836 Euclid Avenue
Suite. 800
Cleveland, OH 44115

FAX: 696-2326

EMAIL: nromanoff@parkworks.org

Questions regarding the ParkWorks Green School Small Grants Program may be referred to Augusto Bordelois, (216) 696-2122 x 114 or Nora Romanoff, x 124.