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San José Go Green Mini-Grants

A Funding Program of the City of San José Go Green Schools Program

Goal and Purpose of the Grants

The goal of the San José Go Green Mini-grants Program is to promote environmental stewardship in the current student generation. Mini-grants are intended to foster school-wide and in- classroom recycling and other environmental actions and environmental education. This program was established in 2006 to encourage environmental practices and programs involving students, parents, teachers, principals, custodians and district level administrators in San José K-12 public and private schools. It is intended that these grants help establish, maintain or expand on-campus recycling or composting programs or other sustainable environmental programs. Grants are intended for projects that work directly with and benefit K-12 students. Grants are not intended for school facility upgrades or equipment for water or energy conservation. Financial assistance is available for those needs from other sources.

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Eligible Projects/Examples

  • Purchase of supplies and equipment to promote recycling and other environmental programs on campus, including digital camcorders or cameras to create environmental films promoting recycling or other green practices
  • Production of environmental short film (5 minutes or under) with purchase of video equipment and supplies; production must be student-led, student-written, student-directed, student-produced
  • Purchase of supplies and equipment that stress reuse and waste reduction, such as refillable water bottles and reusable lunch containers
  • Purchase of reusable promotional items made of recycled materials including posters, caps, tee-shirts, water bottles, mugs, school supplies, magnets, reusable lunch equipment
  • Purchase of student, teacher, custodian, school administrator and parent award items and award event supplies to recognize individuals or groups who were part of the program’s success
  • Payment for costs related to environmental field trips, school assemblies, presentations, entertainment
  • Purchase of environmental education books, videos, DVDs, posters and supplies
  • Payment for teacher trainings
  • Purchase of materials to allow construction, planting and/or maintenance of school gardens including composting, worm bins, tree plantings, and native, drought tolerant, or non-invasive bulbs and plants
  • Purchase of litter pick-up gloves, tools, carts that enhance litter removal campaigns
  • Projects involving two or three schools working collaboratively together to cross-mentor each other in green practices
  • Other creative ideas, which would promote school recycling and green school actions and practices

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Who Is Eligible to Apply for the Grant?

Teachers, principals, environmental or science club advisors, student environmental or other leadership clubs or groups, custodians, parents and PTAs and PTOs of San José K-12 schools, public or private, are eligible to apply. San José-based 501c3 community based organizations that serve San José K-12 students are also eligible to apply (501c3 status is required for funding). No paid contractors, or other paid employment or contractual services are eligible.

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Grant Range Amounts

Grants can range from $500.00 to $5,000. Please make sure that the amount you request is appropriate to the project you describe. The total amount available for 2007-2008 San José Go Green Mini-grants is $44,000.

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What is the Project Funding Period?

Funds will be available upon grant award. The funding period is from grant award, January 28, through June 2, 2008. Project funds not spent by June 2 must be returned to the City of San José. Funds may be used for a summer session activity, but they need to be spent before June 2.

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Is There a Fee?

There is no fee to submit a grant.

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What Is the Deadline for Applying?

Email applications by 5PM on December 8, 2007.

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How Do I Apply? / Who Do I Contact With Qusetions or for More Information?

Complete the designated application form. Email the completed application form to:

Deb Bogart
City of San José Go Green Schools Program
Environmental Services Department
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 10th Floor
San José, CA 95113
sjgreenschools@sanjoseca.gov
408-975-2533

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How Will Grant Awards Be Decided?

The Go Green Mini-grants Grant Award Team will review the grant applications for applicant eligibility, appropriateness of project funding amount request, and the degree to which the project meets one or more of the following funding criteria:

  • project starts simple and builds on successes, avoids the risk of becoming overwhelming
  • promotes school recycling programs, featuring recycling of paper, beverage containers, cardboard, food and/or yard waste
  • promotes school composting or gardens that provide environmental learning
  • promotes environmental education, including teacher training
  • promotes other environmental practices and programs at the school, including energy conservation, water conservation, green buying/environmentally preferred procurement, green building / sustainable design, and environmentally-healthy pest management, groundskeeping and cleaning practices
  • promotes students’ direct experience of nature, especially of local parks, creeks, the watershed, the San Francisco Bay, and other local natural features
  • project creates or strengthens an on-campus Go Green Team including a teacher, parent, student, custodian and principal to plan, promote, carry out and maintain the program
  • promotes partnerships with other area schools or environmental organizations for environmental purposes
  • project has the potential to become a long term, sustainable program that will have a life of several years beyond mini-grant funding

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Who Will Make the Grant Awards Decisions?

The Go Green Mini-grants Grant Award Team will consist of program staff of the City of San José Go Green Schools Program and other Environmental Services Department programs, and community representatives.

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When Will the Grant Awards Be Released?

The Go Green Mini-grants will be announced at a ceremony January 28, 2007. Grant funds will be available upon award.

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What Will the Grant Project Reporting Requirements Include?

Reporting is intended to be simple. One page progress reports will be due at mid-point, April 4, and at project end, June 13, detailing how funding has been used and how it has impacted students and the school.

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Who Are the San José Go Green Mini-Grant Sponsors?

Go Green Mini-grants are funded by the City of San José and administered by the San José Go Green Schools Program. The San José Go Green Schools Program is a program of the City of San José Environmental Services Department.

 

Grant Applications


Mini-grants Funding Workshop

 

 

Last Modified Date: 12/19/2007

 
 

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