Girl Scouts Go Green

[from Philanthropy News Digest] Girl Scouts of the USA has announced a two-year, $1.5 million grant from the Alcoa Foundation to expand a newly launched environmental "action" project.

To mark its hundredth anniversary, the organization recently launched the Girl Scouts Forever Green project, which will focus on waste reduction, energy conservation, and the creation of rain gardens in 2012. The grant from Alcoa will enable GS councils in the United States and twenty other countries to identify and lead Forever Green projects and events focused on the environmental priorities of their local communities.

In addition, during the month of March Girl Scouts around the world will engage their families, friends, and communities in actions designed to reduce their carbon footprint. And on March 31, Girl Scouts will join millions around the world in observing Earth Hour by turning off their lights for one hour. Participating councils also will take the Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge, which encourages the adoption of impact measurement and resource conservation activities in partnership with theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program.

"This is a landmark sponsorship for Alcoa Foundation that incorporates our commitment to sustainability and inspiring the next generation of environmental ambassadors," said Alcoa Foundation president Paula Davis. "Girls are influential, ambitious, and passionate about the environment and Girl Scouts Forever Green gives them tools and resources to engage their peers and neighbors to create their own positive change in their communities — from conservation to recycling to planting trees."

“Girl Scouts of the USA Announces its 100th Anniversary Take Action Project Girl Scouts Forever Green, Take the Pledge Now!.”

Youth Environment Grants

The Captain Planet Foundation supports educational programs that enable youth to understand and appreciate our world through hands-on projects to improve the environment. The Foundation is interested in funding innovative programs that inspire youth to participate in community service through environmental stewardship activities. An additional priority is to fund programs that encourage environment-based education in schools. All funded projects must involve young people ages 6-18 (elementary through high school). Nonprofit organizations and public schools are eligible to apply for grants of up to $2,500. Applications are reviewed three times per year; the first deadline for 2012 is January 15. Online application guidelines are available on the Foundation’s website.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Funding Opportunity Title: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection Announcement Type: Announcement of availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 and request for proposals (RFP)

Funding Opportunity Number: FWS-JV-GLRI-12 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.662 – Great Lakes Restoration – Restoration, protection and enhancement of Great Lakes fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

Dates: Email or paper applications are due to the appropriate Regional Fish and Wildlife Service WSFR Offices by Friday, January 13, 2012, 4:00 p.m. local time at the Regional Office.

Purpose: The goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem by funding and implementing federal projects that address these problems. As part of this initiative, the two bird habitat joint ventures that are in the Great Lakes watershed – the Upper Mississippi and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture – will be working with the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration programs in the Midwest and Northeast Regions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to competitively fund state and other partner projects for long-term habitat restoration, enhancement or protection, for conservation of native Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations, particularly migratory birds. Preference will be given to activities that help meet the habitat goals of the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture Implementation Plan or the Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain (BCR 13) Bird Conservation Region Plan, other relevant bird conservation plans, and State Wildlife Action Plans. Award Information: Up to $1 million in funds may be available during fiscal year 2012. Grant requests between $25,000 and $290,000 will be accepted. We expect to announce the awards in February, 2012. Eligibility and Match Requirements: Eligible applicants for this competitive grant program include state fish and wildlife agencies and other non-federal conservation agencies or organizations that provide at least 25% of the grant request (Federal share) as non-federal match for habitat restoration, enhancement and protection activities.

Small biz pollution prevention grant

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) announces the availability of emergency Storm Relief Grant Funding of 50% up to $9,500 from the Commonwealth's Advantage Grant Program (Program) for small business pollution prevention. Small Business Storm Relief Advantage is a grant program which may enable a small business to implement pollution prevention project, must prevent or mitigate an imminent threat to public health or safety and can help small businesses cut costs and reduce the risk of potential regulatory problems. Costs incurred after August 26, 2011, and before December 31, 2011, are eligible for grant consideration.

 An eligible applicant must be a for-profit small business owner whose business or facility is located within this Commonwealth. All Commonwealth small businesses are eligible, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, retailers, service providers, mining businesses and agricultural concerns. The project to which the grant will apply must be located within the applicant's Commonwealth facility.

 For a copy of the application to review the Program's eligibility requirements, contact Rhonda Brown, Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, (717) 772-8909. To ask a specific question concerning a project type, write to epadvantagegrant@state.pa.us before submitting an application. The Department will continue accepting applications until December 31, 2011, or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

 Applications are most quickly obtained from the Department's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword: sradvantage). Applications are also available by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of the Small Business Ombudsman, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, P. O. Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772, (717) 772-8909. The application package contains the materials and instructions necessary for applying for a grant.

 Applications must be postmarked or hand delivered by 4 p.m. on December 31, 2011. Faxes or other electronic submissions will not be accepted.

2012 Environmental Education Grants Program; Application Announcement

[41 Pa.B. 5231] [Saturday, October 1, 2011]
 Applications for the 2012 Environmental Education Grants Program (Program) are now available from the Department of Environmental Protection (Department). The grants provide funding to public and private schools, colleges and universities, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations and associations, conservation and education organizations and institutions, businesses, municipalities and municipal authorities to create or develop projects that support environmental education in this Commonwealth. Grants will provide environmental education on timely and critically important topics, including the following:
 •  Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Education—Organizations are encouraged to develop environmental education programs that promote the reduction of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrient and sediment loads. Projects may also include abandoned mine drainage and water conservation programs.
 •  Air Quality—Organizations are encouraged to develop air quality education and outreach programs.
 •  Brownfields—Organizations are encouraged to develop education and outreach programs for students, youth, educators, community members, community groups, developers, property owners and others that are interested in brownfield redevelopment and sustainable communities, along with developing green spaces.
 •  Climate Change—Organizations are encouraged to develop education and outreach programs about climate change.
 •  Geologic Resource Extraction—Organizations are encouraged to develop education and outreach programs related to geologic resource extraction. Programs should focus on impacts on communities, local and regional economies, risk management and natural resources. Potential target audiences include land owners, private well owners, municipal water suppliers or boards, local governments, land trusts and associations, watershed groups and conservancies and others.
 •  Environmental Literacy Planning and Programing—Organizations are encouraged to engage educators and stakeholders in content standards and field-based environmental education.
 •  Formal and Nonformal Environmental Education Certification—Organizations are encouraged to develop and implement institutionalized and community-based certification programs designed for teachers, naturalists and educators working in schools and environmental education facilities.
 •  Curriculum Integration Projects—Articulation of the Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology into the K-12 curriculum for the entire school district, private school or charter school, using the model developed by the Department of Education's Office of Environment and Ecology.
 •  Curriculum Revision Projects—Revise current or write new lesson plans or units to meet the changes identified in the Department of Education approved alignment to the Environment and Ecology Standards and provide a means for classroom assessment.
 •  Outdoor Learning Resource Projects—Develop resources such as trails, agricultural demonstration areas, alternative energy demonstration areas, ponds, wetland areas, sheltered learning stations, and the like, as well as similar nearby community resources as a framework within which students can learn about natural systems and the interrelationship among natural and manmade communities.
 •  Sustainable Energy—Organizations are encouraged to develop education and outreach programs about solar, wind, hydro, microhydro, biomass, geothermal, alternative transportation fuels and energy efficiency and conservation.
 The Program was established by the Environmental Education Act (35 P. S. §§ 7521—7528), which mandates setting aside 5% of the pollution fines and penalties collected annually by the Department for environmental education in this Commonwealth.
 Environmental education grant awards are limited to $7,500. This announcement opens on October 3, 2011, and grant applications submitted to the Department must be postmarked by December 16, 2011.
 Applications may be obtained by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection, Environmental Education Grants Program, P. O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063, (717) 772-1828. For additional information and to obtain the electronic copy of the grants manual and application forms, visit the Department's web site at www.depweb.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword: EE Grants).

MICHAEL L. KRANCER, 
Secretary

P-3 grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of the P3-People, Prosperity and the Planet Award Program, is seeking applications proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving the overall sustainability of human society. The P3 competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability. The P3 Awards program was developed to foster progress toward sustainability by achieving the mutual goals of economic prosperity, protection of the planet, and improved quality of life for its people-- people, prosperity, and the planet � the three pillars of sustainability. The EPA offers the P3 competition in order to respond to the technical needs of the world while moving towards the goal of sustainability. Please see the P3 website for more details about this program. 

Link to Full Announcement

9th Annual P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet

Green Action Plan Series

The American Association of Community College's Sustainability Education and Economic Development (SEED initiative) has kicked off itsGreen Action Plan Series, a series of short, action-oriented documents aimed at supporting community colleges advance sustainability and green economy efforts on campus. The first one is focused understanding the state and local-level clean energy policy landscape as a way to ensure college workforce programs are aligned with expected future demand.

SEED will also be offering a webinar this Friday, September 23rd, entitled, Building Quality Workforce Development Programs for Real Energy Efficiency Jobs. Lane Community College will be highlighted with representatives from the Department of Energy and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).

Additional information / speakers / registration

Also see:

Green Jobs Community of Practice