Description of Opportunity
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), with funding support from US Forest Service (USFS), is offering $32,200 through mini-grants for health promotion activities that will also help restore and protect America’s forests.
Awarded grantees will be expected to conduct activities on:
- local Forest Service lands,
- other federal partner public lands,
- local and municipal public lands, or
- public lands within urban communities that seek to connect to urban forests and nature-based spaces.
Grant-funded activities will mobilize a diverse community of volunteers, primarily youth and families from Latinx/Hispanic communities, and educate participants about how protecting the long-term sustainability of their local public lands greatly benefits people’s health.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59 PM EST, Friday, March 1, 2019
Average Award Amount: Applicants can request up to $4,000. Awarded amounts will vary based on the scope and cost of work proposed by each applicant, quality of the submissions, and the review and selection process.
Grant Eligibility Requirements:
- Open nationally (including US territories) to 501(c)3 organizations with a connection to a Forest Service (FS) agency. These include federal, state, and local Forest Service agencies.
- A current letter of support from a FS partner agency must be provided to show collaboration on the proposed project. The letter must also demonstrate a history with the FS partner. (Please note that NEEF will not assist applicants in developing these partnerships.)
- Applicants will host an event in April or May. Preference will be placed on those who host events during NEEF’s Environmental Education Week (EE Week), which is held April 22 through April 26.
- Applicants must incorporate health education into the proposed conservation projects.
- Applicants will partner with a health professional (e.g. physician, nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, nurse, community health worker) to provide health education and assist with guiding participants through health-related activities during the event. Activities can be educational, physical, or both. Applicants may contract with group fitness instructors in lieu of a health professional only if the instructor’s exercise includes education on the health benefits of completing the activity on the public land site.
- A letter of support will be submitted by the health professional or instructor with affiliation detailed.
- While activities do not have to occur on USFS property, they should be tied to USFS interests. This might apply to areas where USFS has invested money, perhaps through a NUCFAC grant. Acceptable public lands include: local Forest Service lands, other federal partner public lands, local and municipal public lands, or lands within urban communities.
Grant Guidelines:
- Project timeframe: mid-April 2019-June 2019. Although not required, those who organize activities during NEEF’s Environmental Education Week (EE Week), April 22-26, will receive special attention.
- Final Report will be due July 31, 2019.
*PLEASE REVIEW THE GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT and FAQ BEFORE APPLYING.
Applications are only accepted through NEEF's online system. Follow these steps to apply:
- Log in or create an account in NEEF's online grants system Please do not create a new account if your organization has an existing one.
- To access the application, click Apply on the left-hand column. Select grant titled "2019 USFS - Health in the Natural Environmental Grant" to begin your application.
- Once you have completed the application, click Submit Form. If you do not click Submit Form, you will not have applied. You will be directed to a confirmation screen upon submitting.
If you have any questions about the process, please contact us at grantsadmin@neefusa.org.
