Below is a list of funding resources specific to outdoor learning initiatives in the District of Columbia. Many funding opportunities become available around the same time each year; therefore, it can be helpful to create a funding calendar to flag when applications open and close, and plan for adequate time to compose and submit a great proposal.

General

• Funding Alert is an electronic bulletin produced by the District of Columbia Office of Partnerships and Grants Services and provides up-to-date information on grants. Consider registering for the weekly electronic bulletin to remain current on the latest competitive grant opportunities.
• OSSE Grants Forecast Tool provides information about the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) grants including general information about funding and application timelines.
• Earth Force lists funding opportunities for student action projects, which can include schoolyard and outdoor learning initiatives. In particular, see the Caring for our Watersheds program.
• EcoRise Eco-Audit Grants are available for students who complete one or more Eco-Audits from EcoRise’s Sustainable Intelligence Curriculum. Students are eligible to apply for up to $700 per project to support green campus projects and initiatives that tackle sustainability challenges identified during the Eco-Audit.
• KidsGardening maintains a list of funding opportunities for school garden programs.
• The Bridge the Gap program from Live It Learn It aims to bridge the “Experience Gap” by providing equitable access through financial assistance, logistical support, and programmatic support for experiential, project-based, and field-based learning opportunities, helping pre-K-12 educators across public schools in the District improve their students’ school experience. Eligible costs include transportation, entrance fees, supplies and kits, cultural experiences, and outdoor and environmental education.

Supplies and Infrastructure

• American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Program awards funds to schools, day-cares, parks, and other nonprofit organizations for installing permanent shade structures where children learn and play. Each shade structure award is a maximum of $8,000, which includes the cost for shade structure materials and installation. In addition to the grant, the academy also provides a permanent sign to be placed near the shade structure featuring sun-safety tips.
• Department of Energy and Environment’s RiverSmart Schools program offers funding and training to schools for schoolyard greening projects that focus on incorporating landscape design principles that create habitat for wildlife, emphasize the use of native plants, highlight water conservation, and/or retain and filter stormwater runoff while having the added benefits of an outdoor classroom that supports effective teaching practices and promotes student learning.
• Urban Wood Reuse: for Schools is an initiative of the District Department of Transportation Urban Forestry Administration (DDOT/UFA) that provides free wood products, including wood chips, stumps, benches, logs, and tree cookies to District schools.

Field Trips

• Conservation Nation has field trip grants to cover the cost of bus transportation for DC-area Title I schools that plan nature-based field trips using their Educator’s Guide to Exploring Nature in Washington, DC. Grants range from $500-$1,000, depending on school needs.
• Living Classrooms offers field trips to increase the environmental literacy of District students by providing equitable access to outdoor environmental education programming at Kingman and Heritage Islands Conservation Area in the Anacostia River. Field trips are specifically for Title 1 schools in under-resourced communities, and K-3 and middle school grades.
• National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day School Grants Program helps under-resourced US schools and students to discover and explore parks, historic sites, public lands, and waters. Title I, pre-K through 12 classrooms in the US and its territories are eligible to apply for grants of up to $1,000 for in-park experiences.