Posted on: Friday, March 25, 2011

New Round of Texas Healthy Habitats Grants Announced

Service Learning Texas will open another competition for Texas Healthy Habitats grants for the 2011-2012 school year on April 1.  This collaboration between Encana Oil & Gas (USA), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and Service Learning Texas will again focus on involving students in environmental service-learning initiatives to improve or restore the natural environment.  This year ESRI will be joining the collaborative as well and will provide support to grantees in the use of geographic information system (GIS) technology for student-led projects. 

Eligible applicants for the grants include:

·      Public schools, open enrollment charter schools, and private nonprofit schools that serve youth in grades 5-12;

·      501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that work with students in grades 5-12; and

·      State or local agencies that work with youth in grades 5-12.

Applications for this grant competition will be available on the Healthy Habitats page of the SLT website on April 1.  The application will include a required pre-proposal, which are requested by April 28 but may be submitted as late as May 31.  Applicants will receive feedback on pre-proposals and invitations to submit complete applications, which are due Monday, June 30, 2011.  In designing a project, applicants are required to seek input from community partners with expertise in environmental issues specific to their ecoregion and/or riparian zone as discussed in the state Wildlife Action Plan.  This may include staff of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) or other individuals with expertise on local and regional environmental issues.  Applicants may apply for up to $10,000. Grant awards are dependent upon approval of program funding by Encana Oil and Gas (USA) and by other potential funders.