Environmental Education Fund
Environmental Education Fund supports Emmet County K–12 students through field trip transportation, equipment, and educator training to connect classroom learning with local nature.
Funder: Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation
Due Dates: Rolling during the school year (Applications; submit before the activity)
Funding Amounts: Up to $500 per request for activities during the current K–12 school year
Summary: Supports nature-based learning for Emmet County K–12 students through field trip transportation, equipment, and educator training.
Key Information: Open to Emmet County schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing K–12 environmental education; recreation and athletics are excluded.
Description
The Environmental Education Fund supports nature-based learning for K–12 students in Emmet County, Michigan. Administered by the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, it was established in 2009 by a donor who wanted local youth to connect with the ecology around them. The fund treats the county’s lakes, forests, springs, dunes, migratory bird paths, countryside, and Little Traverse Bay as an outdoor classroom.
Priorities include transportation to outdoor settings that complement classroom learning, equipment that encourages closer ecological observation, and specialized environmental education training for local educators and nonprofit staff. Examples include trips to nature preserves, birding trails, state parks, fishing ponds, and family farms, plus equipment such as binoculars, waders, orienteering devices, and art supplies. The emphasis is learning from nature, not outdoor recreation or athletics.
