Get grants for environmental education projects that promote sustainability, conservation, and ecological awareness in communities
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Available grants
$20.2M
Total funding
$6.1K
Median grant
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Iowa Department of Natural Resources
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages fish and wildlife programs, ensures the health of Iowa’s forests and prairies, and provides recreational opportunities in Iowa’s state parks.
Just as importantly, the DNR carries out state and federal laws that protect air, land and water through technical assistance, permitting and compliance programs. The DNR also encourages the enjoyment and stewardship of natural resources among Iowans through outreach and education. Our mission is to conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.
Urban Forestry Development Grant
Through the USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is a pass-through partner for the Urban Forestry Development grants for communities.
The Urban Forestry Development Grant provides reimbursable grants to complete projects such as creating community forestry plans, building urban food forests, hosting educational programming, and workforce development through forestry internships. The grant is a two-year program.
The Urban Forestry Development grants are available to community governmental entities, volunteer organizations, and service organizations involved with local urban and community forest services, to improve management, care, and public engagement with trees growing in parks, natural areas, and along public rights-of-way. Grants will also support projects in Iowa communities through investments in community-identified urban forestry needs, advancing environmental or health benefits.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages fish and wildlife programs, ensures the health of Iowa’s forests and prairies, and provides recreational opportunities in Iowa’s state parks.
Just as importantly, the DNR carries out state and federal laws that protect air, land and water through technical assistance, permitting and compliance programs. The DNR also encourages the enjoyment and stewardship of natural resources among Iowans through outreach and education. Our mission is to conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.
IRA Iowa Tree Planting Grant
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, through the USDA Forest Service & National Association of State Foresters 2023 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), received funds to plant trees in public spaces.
The Iowa Tree Planting Grant provides reimbursable grants to purchase trees, mulch, tree staking/protection and supplemental watering by contractor or city staff. The grant is a two-year program.
The Iowa Tree Planting grants are available to community governmental entities, volunteer organizations, and service organizations involved with local urban and community forest services, to plant trees on publicly owned properties within the community to diversify the tree canopy, increase tree benefits, help with energy costs and health disparities, and increase access to parks and nature.
ConSERVE Maine Grant
Volunteer Maine is inviting applications for a series of Betterment Fund and Maine Volunteer Foundation supported ConSERVE Maine grants of up to $10,000 to support conservation projects that build community action through service and volunteerism to address needs related to energy efficiency, environmental education, flood resilience, and community health in Oxford, Franklin, and Somerset counties.
All funded projects must have at least two individuals engaging in service which can be a combination of any of the following: interns engaged in service-based projects or service learning, volunteers that commit to specific tasks whether or not they are stipended, fellows that engage in service projects, and/or Corps members from other Corps programs.
Department of Education
The Idaho Department of Education is the state agency that supports and strengthens K-12 education in Idaho. By advocating for Idaho’s families, educators, and schools with funding and educational policy alignment, we support and lead academic achievement to ensure every student is prepared with the skills and job readiness to succeed.
21st Century Community Learning Centers
The program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, primarily those who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet challenging state academic standards and local academic standards.
Grant Application
The Idaho Department of Education hosts a request for applications (RFA) for available funds under Title IV, Part B, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, to eligible entities on a competitive basis through a rigorous peer-review process. Competitions are made available as federal funding allows.
About VHCB
Our Mission: VHCB invests in the construction of affordable housing and conservation strategies that work together to ensure equity, resilience, and vitality for Vermont communities in perpetuity.
Clean Water Programs
VHCB administers two separate funding programs to support a healthy and clean Lake Memphremagog Basin—the Memphremagog Clean Water Service Provider, funded through the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Leahy Memphremagog Clean Water Program, funded through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
Leahy Memphremagog Clean Water Program
The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) has grants available on a competitive basis for aquatic habitat improvement work in the Memphremagog Basin. These grants are designed to improve fisheries habitat, enhance water quality and aquatic ecosystem health, and support capacity among organizations supporting watershed health in the Memphremagog Watershed.
Goals of this Grant Program
We have received funding from the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission to fund capacity building, land acquisition, and on-the-ground projects and infrastructure that have a positive impact on fisheries habitat, water quality, and aquatic ecosystem health. The priority behind this grant is to help fill gaps that exist in fisheries habitat and surface water quality improvement work in the region and fund proposals for which other sources would be impractical, insufficient, and/or unsuitable.
Capacity Grants
Awards will be used to close organizational and programmatic funding gaps that currently exist in the Memphremagog Watershed. Funding can be used to increase the capacity and coordination of partners working in the region to support public education and research and improve water quality and watershed functions. Funding may also be used to support capacity funded by a previous VHCB grant under this program. Another priority for funding is supporting collaboration between U.S. and Canadian organizations, and we encourage projects that propose to enhance these collaborations.
North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation
The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages over 250,000 acres of iconic landscape across our state in our parks, recreation areas, and natural areas, with a mission dedicated to conservation, education, and recreation. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
Our Mission: The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation exists to inspire all through conservation, education, and recreation.
About Trail Grants
The Recreational Trails Program is a $1.5-million federal grant program designed to help states provide and maintain recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail use. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration.
RTP is a reimbursement grant program. Funds must be spent and then reimbursed upon completion of deliverables. Eligible applicants must be a state, federal or local government agencies or qualified nonprofit organization. All applications are reviewed by the North Carolina Trails Committee and recommendations are made to the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The Secretary makes the final determination on grant awards.
RTP Safety and Education Grants
Safety and Education grants may be awarded for trail-related safety and education instructor fees, speaker fees, displays, signage and other uses. Please contact your regional trails specialist for questions about the grant.
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is a state agency whose goal is to protect the environment and public health by ensuring compliance with environmental laws. Those laws and related rules outline Ohio EPA's authority and what things we can consider when making decisions about regulated activities.
Ohio EPA was created on Oct. 23, 1972. It combined environmental programs that previously had been scattered throughout several state departments.
Community and Litter Grants
Local governments and nonprofits can receive funding to purchase equipment for collecting and processing recyclables and construction and demolition debris. These organizations can also receive funding to implement litter collection events, outreach, and education. Tire amnesty programs, with a minimum $0.50/tire collection fee, are an eligible activity. Grantees have 24 months to complete their projects, but they may choose to close out the grant earlier than the specified deadlines with no penalty, provided it aligns with the grant timeline.
Combination Grant Requests
A single application may include a combination of grantrequests. For example, a litter collection event, drop-off containers, and outreach and education may be included in one application. Combination grant requests will be evaluated as a single application, not by the individual activities. A combination grant request is eligible if:
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state's lead natural resource conservation agency. DCR provides access for outdoor recreation, strengthens communities’ flood resilience, and protects what Virginians care about: clean water, parks, natural habitat and open space.
Virginia Watershed Educational Programs Project
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) seeks qualified applicants to provide exemplary “meaningful watershed educational experiences” (MWEE) within Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The Fund was established to provide support for qualified applicants across Virginia who will provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to k-12 learners. The Fund aligns with Virginia’s commitment to enhance students’ understanding of the watershed through teacher-supported educational experiences.
As one of the signatories to the Chesapeake Bay 2014 Agreement (as amended), Virginia is committed to increasing “students age-appropriate understanding of the watershed through participation in teacher-supported, meaningful watershed educational experiences and rigorous, inquiry-based instruction, with a target of at least one meaningful watershed educational experience in elementary, middle and high school depending on available resources.”
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service
About Us
The Maryland Forest Service restores, manages, and protects Maryland’s trees, forests, and forested ecosystems to sustain our natural resources and connect people to the land.
MUCFC Grant Program
Community Tree Planting and Education Grant Program
The Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Council (MUCFC) provides funding to support community-based tree planting and forestry education projects that strengthen Maryland’s urban forests. Grants are open to organizations statewide for work on public lands that improves the urban tree canopy, engages citizens, and promotes long-term environmental stewardship.
Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
The Department of Fish and Game’s mission is to conserve the Commonwealth’s abundant marine and freshwater fisheries, wildlife, plants, and natural communities, as well as the habitats that support them, for the benefit and enjoyment of all people.
Massachusetts Community Biodiversity Grants
About the Opportunity
The Community Biodiversity Grants program supports local efforts to protect and restore biodiversity everywhere.
The Massachusetts Biodiversity Goals establish an ambitious, whole-of-government approach to rebuild biodiversity and invest in nature to sustain our health and well-being, food security, economy, and way of life. The plan sets four key goals—Protect, Restore, Sustain, and Connect—each with specific strategies for action for 2030, 2040, and 2050.
The Community Biodiversity Grants program seeks proposals for projects that drive on-the-ground progress towards the Biodiversity Goals. The program will award grants between $20,000 and $150,000 to support biodiversity conservation and bring nature to every neighborhood.
Environmental education grants support programs that promote awareness, sustainability, and ecological literacy. These grants help nonprofits engage schools, communities, and policymakers to foster conservation, stewardship, and informed environmental action.
Discover 200+ funding opportunities for environmental education, with $5.8M available. Instrumentl offers nonprofits tools for tailored grant searches, deadline management, and funder insights, empowering impactful environmental learning programs.
How common are grants in this category?
Common — grants in this category appear regularly across funding sources.
Over the past year, when are grant deadlines typically due for Environmental Education grants?
Most grants are due in the first quarter.
Environmental education grants are available for organizations dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, including schools, universities, nonprofits, nature centers, museums, and government agencies. Many funders support K-12 programs, teacher training, outdoor education, and community/youth engagement initiatives, while others fund projects that connect science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education with real-world environmental challenges.
Based on Instrumentl’s live grant database for environmental education, grant deadlines are most common in Q1, accounting for 26.5% of all submission dates. The slowest period for new grant opportunities in this category falls in Q4, making it a less competitive time for preparation and strategic planning.
Environmental education grants aim to fund programs or projects that increase awareness of environmental issues, promote greener choices, and encourage conservation efforts. Specifc initiatives may teach people how to protect natural resources, get neighborhoods involved in community clean-ups, engage people in hands-on learning, or hold sustainability workshops.
Funding for environmental education grants varies widely, with award amounts ranging from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $1,300,000. Based on Instrumentl’s data, the median grant amount for this category is $11,250, while the average grant awarded is $54,110. Understanding these funding trends can help nonprofits set realistic expectations when applying.
Funding for environmental education grants comes from government agencies, corporate sustainability programs, and private foundations. Federal government funders include the US Department of the Interior’s National Park Service (NPS) and Americorps. The John Sage Foundation and the James E. Dutton Foundation are examples of private foundations involved in environmental education grants, along with corporate funders such as Sony, Outdoor Gear Exchange, and Chick FIl A.
To improve the chances of being awarded environmental education grants, applicants should:
Struggling to manage multiple grants? Learn how to stay organized with our comprehensive grant tracking spreadsheet guide.
Instrumentl simplifies the process of applying for environmental education grants by offering an intuitive platform that helps nonprofits discover relevant funding opportunities, track deadlines, and analyze funder-giving patterns. The platform's automated alerts ensure users never miss a deadline, while detailed funder insights help organizations tailor their applications to align with grantor priorities.
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