Best Environmental Education Grants in Montana

Nonprofits, schools, governments, community groups, educators, and individuals in Montana can receive up to US $12,000 to deliver forestry and natural resource education for pre-K–12 youth and related professional development. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation supports environmental education by funding outdoor learning, facilitator training, and conservation education capacity-building activities.

Montana conservation districts can use these US $1,000 - US $5,000 mini-grants for small-scale environmental and natural resource education projects in Montana. Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation funds youth and adult programs such as workshops, field trips, educational materials, and outreach that align with local conservation district goals and are approved by the district.

Qualified youth corps and similar organizations in Montana and other eligible Western states can secure US $30,000 - US $220,000 to run youth crews on public lands, focusing on environmental education and conservation projects. US Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management supports trail work, habitat restoration, cultural resource stewardship, wildfire risk reduction, and related hands-on learning experiences.

Third- and fourth-year Environmental Design students in Montana can receive scholarship support for their continued college education. Grants from Montana State University help Montana environmental education and design students with tuition and related academic costs, recognizing strong cumulative GPAs within the Architecture and Arts and Architecture programs.

Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors. Applications are accepted from mid-November until mid-March. Scholarship award recipients will be announced at the high school awards ceremony. 

Van Cott Family Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of Kermit Van Cott and his son Forrest to provide tuition assistance to a graduating Senior from one of the High Schools in Susquehanna County, with priority given to Blue Ridge, who will major in Landscape Architecture, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Horticulture, Botany, Forestry, or Agriculture and who will matriculate at college or a post-secondary degree program.

Scranton Area Community Foundation

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

Scholarships

We are honored to be the stewards of over 90 scholarship funds established by philanthropically-minded individuals in our community. Generous donors entrust us to connect them to dynamic students to provide financial resources for their education through scholarships. Our donors establish scholarship funds with criteria they wish to be met by applicants. Our scholarship committee considers the criteria, evaluates the submitted applications, and chooses the best candidates for each scholarship.

Stanley and Stella Becker Environmental Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is awarded to a graduating high school senior who is a resident of Monroe County and intends to pursue a degree in a field related to environmental science in a school of higher education.

Who We Are

Buiding a stronger, More Vibrant Community

For over 70 years, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served Northeastern Pennsylvania as a steward of charitable resources, a grantmaker, and a catalyst for positive change. Guided by our core values of collaboration, trust, integrity, innovation, and inclusivity, we work to ensure that our communities thrive with opportunities for all.

This scholarship is awarded to either a graduating senior pursuing a post-secondary degree, or a currently matriculating student already so enrolled, who lives in Lackawanna or Wayne county and who is pursuing a degree or certificate in environmental science or a related field.

Undergraduate students in environmentally oriented majors from the Geneva Lake area can receive funding for college programs, including up to US $4,000 for sophomore, junior, or senior year studies. Environmental Education Foundation supports higher education in environmental fields; Montana environmental education organizations may share this opportunity with eligible students who have lived in the Geneva Lake area.

Students in Montana and across the U.S. studying natural resources, environmental education, interpretation, parks and recreation, or environmental studies can receive scholarship support for higher education. The Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley’s Melinda Henning Scholarship helps future environmental educators and resource professionals pursue their academic goals.

High school seniors pursuing environmentally related college programs can receive US $3,000 to support their studies, with a focus on conservation and environmental protection. Focused on environmental education, Environmental Education Foundation invites students from the Geneva Lake area high schools or districts to apply if they plan to attend an accredited four-year college or university.

High school students pursuing environmentally related college degrees can receive up to US $16,000 to support their education through the Thomas E. Reynolds Foundation Scholarship. Offered by the Environmental Education Foundation, this award benefits students from the Geneva Lake area committed to conservation or environmental protection, which may interest Montana environmental education advocates seeking similar opportunities.

Students pursuing agricultural or environmental studies at accredited post-secondary institutions can receive scholarship support, including awards of more than US $1,000, from the Nebraska Community Foundation. Although funded through the Butler County Area Foundation Fund in Nebraska, Montana students in these fields may review the criteria to see if they align with similar environmental education opportunities.

Montana environmental education students may be eligible if they are high school seniors from Martin County pursuing an undergraduate degree in environmental studies. The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties offers the Congressman Mark Foley Scholarship for Environmental Studies Fund to support promising future college students focused on environmental education.

Montana environmental education organizations should note this scholarship is for individual students in Spokane County pursuing full-time degrees in environmental sciences, environmental studies, ecology, recreational management, or land management. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA; previous recipients may re-apply to the Innovia Foundation program.

Montana students pursuing environmental sciences or environmental engineering degrees may be eligible for the Douglas County Waste Management Environmental Studies College Scholarship, which supports study at accredited U.S. programs. Offered by Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, this scholarship benefits graduating seniors from Douglas County high schools focused on environmental education fields.

American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students in Montana studying public health or environmental science can receive need-based scholarship support for full-time study in the U.S., with awards ranging from US $100 - US $30,000. With a mission to support Indigenous scholars, Native Forward Scholars Fund assists those who can document Tribal affiliation through a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.

Graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and exceptional undergraduates conducting extended field research in environmental education or related sciences can receive US $2,000 to offset housing and research supply costs at Hastings Natural History Reservation in California. Grants from Natural Reserve System- University of California support organismal biology and other science or humanities projects at this long-term research site; applicants may come from any accredited institution.

Montana college seniors studying natural resources and rangeland ecology can receive scholarship support for environmental education-related degrees through Montana State University. Montana environmental education students with senior status and a minimum 3.0 GPA may be eligible for the Ag Lenders Range School / Don Ryerson Scholarship, which supports academic success in agriculture, animal and range sciences.

Undergraduate juniors, seniors, and graduate students in plant sciences, conservation, environmental sciences, or landscape architecture can receive scholarship support from the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. Focused on environmental education, it invites financially needy students residing in specific New York counties to apply through its universal scholarship application system.

High school seniors pursuing environmental sciences or related fields can receive scholarship support for post-secondary study from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. This U.S.-based award emphasizes strong academics and marine science interests, and may be relevant to Montana students seeking environmental education pathways if they meet the specific residency and school criteria.

High school seniors pursuing environmental sciences, marine biology, STEM, or education degrees can receive scholarship support for post-secondary study from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Grants from the Turtle Trackers - Linda Zambelli Family Scholarship Fund may benefit students interested in environmental education, though eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens residing in Beaufort or Jasper County, South Carolina.

Students pursuing natural resources and environmental studies in Montana may be eligible for the Soil and Water Stewardship Scholarship, which supports full-time enrollment in related college programs. With a mission to support higher education in conservation fields, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois offers this award for majors like ecology, forestry, hydrology, and environmental education.

The Stenzel Scholarship, established in 2023, awards $2,500 annually to individuals with cystic fibrosis enrolled in higher education programs in health or environmental sciences. This scholarship honors Isa and Ana Stenzel, who dedicated their lives to supporting others with CF. Applicants must provide proof of enrollment and can receive funding based on their enrollment status. This initiative aims to empower those affected by cystic fibrosis to pursue meaningful educational opportunities.

The Crawford Taylor Foundation focuses on enhancing programs that create lasting legacies in St. Louis. With priorities in community development, women's health, animal welfare, and environmental preservation, the foundation seeks to support 501(c)(3) organizations that meet specific eligibility criteria. They avoid funding multi-year grants or for-profit initiatives, emphasizing support for local causes and relief efforts deemed important by the Taylor family.

The Arkansas Audubon Society Trust Grants support conservation, research, and education projects focused on Arkansas bird species and their habitats. Established in 1972, the trust offers grants ranging from $100 to $1200, prioritizing projects within the state but considering broader initiatives as well. Eligible applicants include individuals, students, educators, and nonprofits. Proposals are accepted biannually, with meetings held to discuss funding decisions, fostering a community dedicated to avian conservation.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Rob’s Hauling & Vance Family Scholarship

The Rob’s Hauling & Vance Family Scholarship Fund was created in 2019 by James and Lyndsey Vance. The Vance family places a priority on and a commitment to protecting, preserving, conserving, and sustaining the environment. Their scholarship gives special consideration to applicants who are pursuing an education in Ecology, Natural Science, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management, Natural Resource Management, Renewable Energy Engineering, Sustainability Management, Urban Planning and Sustainability, Climate Science, Conservation Science, Conservation Biology, or Environmental Health and Economics. Consideration is also given to students studying Agricultural Engineering, Agriculture Production, Animal Science, Food Sciences and Technologies, Horticulture, Plant Science, Soil Science, and related fields.

Recipients may be a graduate or senior from any school located in Marion County who have been a resident of the area for their entire high school career and maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or greater.

Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation

The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation began in 1992 when a group of community champions came together around a vision to give back to our region then, now, and forever.

This vision lives on within our organization today as we support the people and places of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians.

Together with our partners, we spark positive change for a variety of local causes, including youth, arts and culture, education, environment, and health and human services, across our region.

Regional Scholarships

We believe that post-secondary education is key to healthy, resilient, and thriving communities and are pleased to partner with generous community donors to create and offer a variety of scholarship opportunities for local students across the region.

Ragland Bloem Scholarship Fund (Antrim and Kalkaska Counties)

Available to graduating seniors from Antrim or Kalkaska Counties who are planning to pursue education in environmental or related studies.