The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the NCF-Envirothon are pleased to announce that the application period for the 2024 cycle of Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grant (Diversity Grant) Program is now open. Sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and NCF, the Diversity Grant Program Awards provide mini-grants to U.S. state and Canadian provincial Envirothon programs with the goals of increasing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of local, state, and provincial Envirothon programs; improving access to hands-on, outdoor natural resource education opportunities; encouraging education exploration; and educating young adults on the importance of conservation.

Applications for awards of up to $4,000 for U.S. state programs are being accepted for Diversity Grant projects. Qualifying projects seek to provide historically underserved students with exposure to the Envirothon program with a focus on the five areas of study: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and current environmental issues. Examples of past Diversity Grant projects include:

• Participation Projects that provide travel and registration cost assistance to teams who have been unable to participate in the past due to a lack of funding;
• Outreach and Engagement Projects that initiate a training and/or outreach program for historically underserved students currently lacking access to outdoor education or Envirothon;
• Cultural Inclusion Projects that incorporate underrepresented cultures into Envirothon educational programs and/or competitions, or provide translation of education materials into languages other than English;
• Accessibility Projects that seek to adapt training and testing materials for hearing, visually, or mobility impaired students.

Conservation districts, including tribal conservation districts, may participate by partnering with their local state Envirothon program to apply for Diversity Grant funding. Projects may concentrate on a particular school, school system, conservation district, or have a state-wide focus. All state Envirothon programs who are current on their membership dues are eligible to apply. Those interested in applying may view the complete request for proposals on the NCF-Envirothon Diversity Grant webpage, and apply through the online application form by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, December 15, 2023. Awards will be announced in early February 2024.

For application questions or to discuss potential Diversity Grant project ideas, please contact Stephanie Tolar, NCF-Envirothon Education Specialist, at stephanie-tolar@nacdnet.org or call 1-800-825-5547 x 4. Learn more about the NCF-Envirothon at www.envirothon.org or by following us on social media, @ncfenvirothon.

APPLY TO FRIENDS OF NACD DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAM!

NACD recently announced the launch of its application period for the 2024 Friends of NACD District Grants Program!

Now in its fifth round of funding, the Friends of NACD District Grants Program is an initiative of NACD’s volunteer board members, who dedicate time to creating and advocating for new opportunities for conservation districts to grow their programs and capacity. The 2024 program will award top ranking applicants up to $2,500 each to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations.

Districts are encouraged to think creatively about how they can use the funds to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations. Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Hear from a few past grantees about their district projects in NACD's latest Conservation Coffee session, available to rewatch here. Learn more about Friends of NACD, the District Grants Program, and find the application and Request for Proposals (RFP) on NACD’s website.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Congress is working to develop and pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government after the current CR expires on November 17. A government shutdown will occur unless federal funding legislation is passed before that deadline. NACD encourages districts to communicate with their local NRCS offices to prepare for a potential shutdown.

Congress and agriculture committee leaders are also exploring attaching an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill to a CR. Agriculture committee leaders in the House and Senate are continuing to develop a new Farm Bill, but several significant policy decisions still need to be resolved.

BENTON CD HOSTS ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE CAREER ACADEMY WITH FRIENDS OF NACD GRANT

The Benton Conservation District (BCD) in Washington is a proud recipient of the Friends of NACD Grant in 2023. BCD partnered with  local organizations and other conservation districts to develop the Energy and Agriculture STEM Career Academy for high school students. This program grew out of the need to build a diverse workforce that will tackle the issues of modern agriculture, conservation, climate change, and clean energy through meaningful, local careers. About 1/3 of the jobs in Benton County are connected to agriculture.

The purpose of the Career Academy is to offer an opportunity for high school students to explore multiple careers, identify a career of interest, and partner with industry professionals and academic advisors to develop a personalized career plan for each student that is unique to each student’s goals. Students learned how trade schools, apprenticeships, internships, community colleges, and 2 and 4-year college degrees can prepare them for well-paying, local careers in the clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and conservation sectors.

Photo: Students were issued hard hats and safety glasses during trips to employer work sites like Ice Harbor Dam, US Army Corps of Engineers.

In the inaugural year, 16 high school students from 11 high schools representing six different school districts participated. Students built hydropower models and competed to generate the most electricity. They also constructed and flew drones, customized and raced solar cars, and took field trips to employer worksites including Ice Harbor Dam, CHS Sun Basin Grower grain storage, utility districts, PNNL campus, WSU Tri-Cities, and Columbia Generating Station. Industry professionals and academic advisors partnered with the students to guide them through exercises to help them form future career plans.

A parent of a participating student reported, “the STEM Academy was fantastic. As a parent, it was incredible to see [my son] light up as he is explaining to my wife and I about the drone he made and wanting to recreate his solar powered car to go faster. Being able to physically go places and see firsthand how the cooling towers worked will be something he will never forget. What an incredible experience!”

BCD has a long-standing, established outreach program designed for 4-5th grade students and used the funding from Friends of NACD to expand the district’s educational scope by creating a new program developed for high school students within an hour of the Tri-Cities, WA.

Read the full story on NACD's blog.