Funding Opportunities & Resources

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 Excellence in Summer Learning Award. The award seeks to showcase exemplary summer learning programs that accelerate academic achievement and promote positive youth development. Winners will be announced and featured at the 2009 "Summer Changes Everything" national conference in Chicago, Illinois, April 16-17, 2009 as well as throughout the year in publications and via public relations efforts.

Teachers, Service Learning Coordinators, and staff of Community Based Non-Profit Organizations are eligible to apply for United Health Heroes Grants. Grants are offered for projects that are youth-led, address issues surrounding healthy lifestyles, and take place between February and April 2009. A significant component of the project must take place on or around Global Youth Service Day April 24-26, 2009. The application deadline is January 15, 2009.

Groups of two to four K-12 students in partnership with a classroom teacher and a mentor are eligible to apply for the ExploraVision Awards.  To participate, teams of students select a current technology and research to prepare an in-depth report exploring what the technology could be like in 20 years.  Members of the four first-place teams will each receive a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a trip to Washington, DC, to be honored.  The Application Deadline is January 28, 2009.  For more information and to apply click here.

The Coming Up Taller Awards program is sponsored by The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Arts. The purpose of the awards is to recognize excellence in after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Finalists receive a $10,000 award, a Coming Up Taller Awards plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference.

Teams of youth (ages 13 - 16) with the support and supervision of at least one adult are eligible to apply for the Volvo Adventure Awards. The Volvo Adventure Awards challenge teams of youth to design a project that addresses a local environmental concern. The top three selected projects will receive awards of various levels. Online submissions must be made by January 31, 2009. For more information and to apply, click here.

Municipalities, counties, districts, or regions with lead agencies that are 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, government entities, or tribal groups are eligible to apply for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities Grants. These grants support community action to prevent childhood obesity. Applicants should be community partnerships that are able to plan and implement changes to policies, or environments and systems to increase opportunities for physical activities and to improve access to affordable healthy foods for children and families.

Public School-based and Non-Profit programs serving economically disadvantaged k-12 students with music as a key component of the program are eligible to apply for Muzak Heart & Soul Music Matters Grants. Programs applying must already employ a music educator or have an existing music program in place. The application deadline is February 4, 2009. For more information and to apply, click here.

The California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) released three "Funding Opportunity Alerts" for upcoming statewide contracts. The three Requests For Proposals (RFPs) have an open date of December 29, 2008 and an application deadline of February 14, 2009. The RFPs are available online at CTCP's web site and can be accessed by clicking here.

Eligible Applicants: institutions of higher education, local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, other organizations or agencies Required Eligibility Criteria: Summer sites must be established to serve all children in the community while on school vacation and not enrolled for day care. Meals must be served to all children at the same time and in the same eating area. Sponsoring agencies serving snacks after school, must serve meals during summer vacation. Application results are provided within 30 days.

The Comcast Foundation is awarding ongoing grants to non-profit organizations in communities
that Comcast serves. The foundation's primary focus is in funding diversity-oriented programs that address literacy, volunteerism and youth leadership development. For more information and to apply click on the link:
http://www.comcast.com/corporate/about/inthecommunity/foundation/comcast...

Schools and Libraries seeking to implement creative programs are eligible to apply for $500.00 minigrants from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.  Minigrants are available on the ongoing basis and awards are announced each December.  For more information and to apply, click here.

The Public Welfare Foundation accepts proposals throughout the year to provide general supports
and project specific grants for public, non-profit, and private organizations that work to ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need. Focuses for funding in 2008 include criminal and juvenile justice, health reform, and workers rights. The first step in the application process is submitting a letter of inquiry. For more information, click on the link:
http://www.publicwelfare.org/

The Inyo county Office of Education has made an award available to provide training and technical assistance to state and federally funded after schools programs within Region 10. Contact Damian Maldonado for more information at (831) 661-0237 or e-mail dm_consulting@sbcglobal.net