Spring is a great time to start thinking about engaging your school community in finding ways to make your school a greener place – both inside and out. There are many benefits to greening schools, including energy 
and waste reduction, air quality improvement and even increases in academic performance.
Adding green spaces outdoors provides authentic learning experiences and opportunities to study nature and the animals that live there. Embarking on a class action or service learning project to green your school is also an ideal way to engage students and build community.
Although such projects often cost money, many community partners see the value of environmental initiatives and offer grants to schools to help with their goals. Here are just a few that are available:
The Alberta Emerald Foundation offers grants to enable the delivery of environmental information and experiences to youth in Alberta. Grants of up to $400 are available to schools, classrooms and youth groups who propose to engage young Albertans in existing or new environmental programs and experiences.
ConocoPhillips Canada’s School Environmental Quest is supporting education and environment in the communities where their employees work and live. Their annual program helps schools create environmental activities and programs and enhancing existing ones by provide $1000 grants.
Learning for a Sustainable Future provides funding for students and teachers to engage their school and community in an action project. Funding is available for schools, individual classes, and school groups/clubs. Funding of up to $400 is available.
Thinking about an outdoor classroom? There are grants for that too.
The Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds program helps schools create outdoor classrooms to provide students with a healthy place to play, learn and develop a genuine respect for nature. Since the program began in 2000, it has provided funds to over 3,000 schools from coast to coast, providing countless opportunities for students to engage with nature on their school grounds. Grants are up to $3,500 for schools.
Majesta Trees of Knowledge competition’s goal is to generate inspiring, creative ideas where students can learn “outside the traditional classroom”. Winning schools can receive up to $20,000. The submission phase begins in September of every year.
Have any more to share? Add them to our comments section.
Greening your school is a great way to help animals, people and the environment all at the same time. Excited about your project? Let us know and we share it on our Kindness Map as inspiration to other schools hoping to do something similar.
