Grant Opportunities for Teachers
Below are opportunities which may help fund Kids Making Sense kits for your classrooms.
Please reach out if you would like assistance or advice in applying for one of the opportunities below. We are happy to help!(Last updated: October 4th 2022)
Opportunities for California
Strategic Energy Innovations: Air Quality Education Program
Strategic Energy Innovations’ (SEI) Air Quality Education Program provides curriculum, teacher stipends, training, classroom support, and handheld air quality testing monitors to teachers all at no cost. The program incorporates the Kids Making Sense kits and curriculum as well. The program is open to all San Diego County Middle and High Schools. Sign up to participate here!
Since 2020, more than 40 teachers have used the Air Quality Education Program to teach over 600 students about air quality in their communities. This program gives teachers access to the SEI curriculum components as well as the Kids Making Sense Air Quality Classroom kit and curriculum. Through the hands-on modules, students learn about air quality science and policy to build background knowledge, collect local air quality data, and work with each other to decide how they will communicate the data to others and use it to create change.
SEI’s air quality curriculum emphasizes environmental justice and public health by focusing on the disproportionate health impacts of air pollution on communities of color and low-income. After using CalEPA’s CalEnviroScreen tool to explore data on air pollution and environmental justice, students are empowered to create local action plans around green transportation, energy conservation, and pollution mitigation. Past projects have included hosting a youth climate summit, presenting data to city councils, and interviewing community members. You can read more about how teachers have used our curriculum in the past here!
Our air quality program can be customized to fit your needs with any of the following elements:
● Curriculum (SEI and Kids Making Sense)● Teacher stipends
● Kids Making Sense air quality monitoring kits for your classroom
● Instructional planning, classroom support, and guest speakers
● Teacher training on SEI’s air quality curriculum
● Student action planning
Sign up using this form if you would like to use our resources in your classroom this semester! Feel free to reach out to austenneedleman@seiinc.org if you have any questions.
SEI’s Air Quality Education Program is funded through the California Air Resources Board.
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation - Environmental Science Resource Grants
The Environmental Science Resource Grant Program is to enhance environmental science curriculum through projects, supplies, and professional development. Grants of up to $500 are available for the school year and summer learning sessions to enhance environmental science curriculum through projects, supplies, and professional development for teachers.
Any TK-12 grade teacher working at a low-income (as determined by Title 1 status or percentage of students eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Lunch) public school in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Santa Clara, San Francisco or San Mateo County is eligible to apply.
Read more and apply here
Your Local Air District
Consider reaching out to your local, regional, or State air district to ask if opportunities exist to fund air quality education in your area.
To find your local air district in California, visit: here
Additional Opportunities
The Climate Initiative: Air Quality Action Project Program
The Air Quality Action Project Program aims to reach students in low-income and underserved communities with high levels of air pollution to educate, empower, and activate youth to push for climate action.
The program will equip students in under-resourced schools and communities with air quality sensors to engage them in hands-on data collection and analysis, solutions design, and community-based climate action.
Educators will receive a Kids Making Sense air quality sensor kit and lesson modules FREE OF CHARGE to support students’ data collection and analysis skills. Upon the completion of the group’s data collection, students will develop a community-based action project informed by the data gathered. The goal is for students to disseminate the information to their community members and establish a foundation for community action.
The program is open to formal and informal educators residing in the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Full eligibility requirements are listed at the link below.
Captain Planet Foundation - Small Grants
Captain Planet Foundation™ invests in high-quality, solution-based programs that embrace STEM learning and empower youth to become local & global environmental change-makers.
Captain Planet Foundation is in the process of reviewing and reorganizing our grants program. Stay tuned in 2022 for new opportunities to support your youth-led environmental solutions.
Your Local Air District
Consider reaching out to your local, regional, or State air district to ask if opportunities exist to fund air quality education in your area!