Grant and Volunteer Resources
The Alabama Wildlife Federation and a variety of other organizations, agencies, and companies provide financial and volunteer assistance for conservation education projects and programs.  For more details please view the following information:

Local Grant Opportunities:
*Alabama Wildlife Federation Outdoor Classroom Grant Program:  Deadline March 7, 2008
* Alabama RC&D Councils’ Conservation Education Grants (PDF):  Deadlines Vary
* Legacy Environmental Education Competitive Grants, Mini-Grants, & Earth Month Grants: Deadlines Vary

Additional Grant and Volunteer Resources:
* Funding and Volunteer Resources for Schools Interested in Conservation Education (PDF)

AWF Outdoor Classroom Grant Program

The purpose of the Alabama Wildlife Federation’s (AWF) Outdoor Classroom (OC) Grant Program is to provide financial assistance and faculty support to schools who wish to create sustainable wildlife habitats and effective outdoor classroom sites on their school grounds. More details are below.

Grant Guidelines | Grant Pre-Proposal |Grant Application

An outdoor classroom site is designed to attract wildlife by providing habitat elements crucial to wildlife survival including food, water, cover from predators, and places to raise young, while also providing hands-on learning opportunities for students of all ages to utilize multiple-disciplinary skills in a fun and exciting environment. The 2008 AWF OC Grant Program focuses on directed study opportunities and will specifically provide assistance and support for Woodland Learning Stations and Birds & Butterflies Learning Stations to be incorporated into schools’ outdoor classrooms. Note: A school can submit two AWF OC Project Proposals and Grant Applications (one for Woodland Learning Stations and one for Birds & Butterflies Learning Stations) if the school has enough space and support to carry out both projects in their outdoor classroom site. Grant Application Process & Deadlines Step 1: Grant Project Pre-Proposal (PDF) The Pre-Proposal includes your basic project ideas so that we can evaluate whether your project meets the purpose of our grant program. The Pre-Proposal is not a grant application, but it is a necessary step in the AWF OC Grant Application Process. All Pre-Proposals must be postmarked by March 7, 2008. Step 2: Summer Workshop If your Pre-Proposal is selected, then two of your Outdoor Classroom Planning Committee members must attend a summer workshop(s) on the topic related to your grant project – either Alabama’s Woodlands (PDF) and/or Alabama’s Birds & Butterflies (PDF). All selected schools must register for their topic-specific workshop by April 30, 2008. Step 3: Grant Application (PDF) Once your Pre-Proposal has been selected and you have attended the workshop(s), then you are eligible to submit a Grant Application for an AWF OC Grant. All Grant Applications must be postmarked by September 12, 2008. The purpose of this grant application process is to ensure that teachers fully comprehend the topics (Alabama’s Woodlands / Alabama’s Birds & Butterflies) and fully understand the potential projects and related activities available through the AWF OC Grant Program.

2008 GRANT CALENDAR

GRANT ADMINISTRATION DEADLINES AWF will begin accepting Pre-Proposals for AWF OC Grants from schools enrolled in the Alabama Outdoor Classroom Program. February 4, 2008 Deadline for grant applicants to submit Pre-Proposals to the AWF. March 7, 2008 AWF will announce selected Pre-Proposals. April 11, 2008 Deadline for selected grant applicants to register for summer Alabama’s Woodlands and/or Alabama’s Birds & Butterflies workshop(s). Note: Each selected school must send to at least two representatives to the topic-specific workshop associated with their Pre-Proposal. April 30, 2008 “Discovering Alabama’s Woodlands” Workshop at AWF’s headquarters in Millbrook. June 24-26, 2008 “Discovering Alabama’s Birds & Butterflies” Workshop at AWF’s headquarters in Millbrook. July 15-16, 2008 The AWF will begin accepting Grant Applications from selected grant applicants that participated in the summer workshops. Upon Completion of Summer Workshop(s) Deadline for grant applicants to submit Grant Applications to the AWF. September 12, 2008 AWF will announce Grant Awards. October 31, 2008 AWF will distribute grant funds to each grant recipient upon receiving a signed AWF Outdoor Classroom Grant Memorandum of Understanding from the school. November 2008 Grant recipients must schedule an on-site visit with AWF Conservation Education staff at some point during the project period. October 31, 2008 – October 31, 2009 AWF will send Final Report for grant recipients to fill out and return to AWF on completion of the project. January 31, 2008 Deadline for grant recipients to complete funded projects. October 1, 2009 Deadline for grant recipients to submit Final Report for grant to AWF. October 31, 2009