NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Grants
NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Grants support Northern Virginia schools with transportation and access expenses for nature field trips that connect students with the outdoors and Virginia science standards.
Funder: Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
Due Dates: August 31, 2026 (2026–2027 application opening) | Rolling (Applications and award announcements)
Funding Amounts: Transportation and other field-trip access expenses; selected students attend at no cost
Summary: Supports Northern Virginia Title-I public elementary and middle schools with expenses for school-hour, SOL-based field trips to NOVA Parks.
Key Information: Schools are limited to one application per classroom each year.
Description
NOVA Parks offers Outdoor Kids Grants to help Northern Virginia students experience nature by covering transportation and other expenses that can prevent access to its parks. Supported by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia through the Outdoor Kids Fund, the program enables selected schools to choose from a list of NOVA Parks for an outdoor field trip during school hours at no cost to students.
The trips draw on the NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist Program, which connects Northern Virginia residents with the natural world. Experienced naturalists engage students and teachers through hands-on exploration, interpretative slideshows, live animal presentations, nature walks, and other activities that vary by park location. School programs can be tailored to Virginia Science Standards of Learning.
