FUNDING
1. Educational Research Center of America is calling on high school students to present original ideas which address a pressing need in their community. First place will receive $5,000, two runners up will receive $2,500, and 15 students will receive $1,000 to be used for higher education expenses. Deadline: 7/25/2018. Submit your idea here.
2. 2018 Project Orange Thumb Grant Application The Fiskars Project Orange Thumb Grant Program will grant 30 recipients $3,500 in gift cards and tools to help support their goals of neighborhood beautification and horticulture education.
The garden initiative must be for a not-for-profit or 501(c)(3) organization within North America that has not received a Project Orange Thumb grant in the past. The Project Orange Thumb team looks for organizations committed to the long-term success of gardens that will promote healthy and sustainable food sources, community collaboration and neighborhood beautification.
Examples of new garden initiatives and garden expansion initiatives Project Orange Thumb has supported in the past include:
· Gardens that grow produce for school meal programs;
· Gardens created to increase environmental and agricultural education in the community;
· Gardens donating produce to hunger relief programs;
· Gardens for nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and related facilities; and,
· Gardens created to aid in healthy eating and lifestyle educational programs.
Applications are due by 11:59pm CST on February 2, 2018. Please review the terms and conditions before proceeding. Learn more…
3. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is offering grants for innovative projects that are working to build a culture of health, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need and all families have the opportunity to make healthier choices. Deadline: applications accepted on an ongoing basis. Click here to visit the website to review funding guidelines.
4. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced its grant program deadlines for 2018. The first deadline is February 15 for the NEA's Art Works category. The category offers support ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for projects. The deadline for the second round of Art Works is July 12. Other categories include the Challenge America grant program, which provides $10,000 in support for projects that reach underserved populations. Deadline for Challenge America is April 12.Applications for Creative Writing Fellowships are due March 7. Fellows receive non-matching grants of $25,000. The deadline for the NEA's Our Town grant program will be announced at a later date. The program supports community-based design projects and cultural planning. Review all NEA grant opportunities for organizations and individuals on their website at www.arts.gov/grants.
5. Schools Can Earn $75k through Vans Custom Culture Competition. Inspiring students to embrace their creativity and bringing attention to diminishing arts education budgets, Vans Custom Culture is a national high school competition that provides up to $75,000 to high school art programs. Schools that register and are selected as one of 500 across the nation to compete receive blank canvas Vans shoes to use in creating customized designs around two themes. Art teachers or school administrators must register their schools by January 31. The competition is open to public high schools across the U.S. Rules, FAQs, shoe templates, lesson plans, and more are available here.
6. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is offering grants to nonprofits and public agencies to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and related recovery and reentry services to sentenced adult offenders/ex-offenders with SUDs and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Deadline: 1/26/2018. Click here to review funding guidelines.
7. INVESTOPEDIA.ORG, an initiative of Investopedia, supports programs that enhance financial empowerment among low-income individuals and communities. Investopedia.org defines “financial empowerment” as providing the information, tools and coaching needed to achieve financial sustainability in the short and long term. One-year grants in the range of $10,000 to $25,000 are being offered to nonprofit organizations that are working to help low-income individuals and communities reduce bad debt, make the most of their financial resources and build assets. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations based in the United States. Deadline: 1/31/2018. Visit the Investopedia website here to review the funding guidelines and to submit an online application.
8. Apply for a Conservation Innovation Grant Do you or your organization have an innovative idea for solving a conservation challenge? Looking for a funding partner to help turn your idea into reality? The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service wants to help. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest up to $10 million in the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, funding innovative conservation projects in three focus areas: grazing lands, organic systems and soil health. Find out more by viewing this recent USDA release on the grants. Grant proposals are due Feb. 26, 2018.
9. Higher Education Program - The HEP is a scholarship and grant program designed to provide tuition assistance to enrolled Choctaw Tribal Citizens attending an accredited college or university. Students must be working towards a minimum of an Associate degree. More information... Application Deadline: March 1, 2018
10. Economic Development Assistance Programs the Economic Development Administration's (EDA's) mission is to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for economic growth and success in the worldwide economy. More information... Application Deadline: Rolling
11. Conservation Innovation Grant (National) Conservation Innovation Grants are competitive grants that drive public and private sector innovation in resource conservation. Projects awarded under CIG help develop the tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. Producers, including non-Federal governmental (e.g. tribes), nongovernmental organizations, or individuals, must be EQIP eligible to receive CIG funding. Application Deadline: February 26, 2018
12. Small Business Innovation Research Program (Phase II) All Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase II projects must have previously completed a successful USDA Phase I project before applying for a Phase II grant. Success rates for applicants have been 50-60% for Phase II. Projects dealing with agriculturally-related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies are encouraged across all 2018 SBIR topic areas. USDA SBIR's flexible research areas ensure innovative projects consistent with USDA's vision of a healthy and productive nation in harmony with the land, air, and water. Application Deadline: March 8, 2018
PUBLICATIONS
1. National Report with Oklahoma Arts Ed Task Force Work Released Following three years of planning, research, and convenings that took place in 10 states across the U.S., including Oklahoma, Americans for the Arts has released a summary of findings from its State Policy Pilot Program (SP3). The goal of the program was to lay a foundation for strengthening arts education policies. Identified in the report, keys to successful implementation of arts education policies include administrative influence, stakeholder engagement, curriculum, and funding. Barriers to successful policy implementation include lack of resources, political divisions, and competing education priorities. Download the national SP3 report here to learn about key recommendations and more. See case studies and research performed by the Oklahoma task force.
EVENTS/LEARNING
1. Upcoming webinars hosted by NCRCD
To join the webinar go to http://ncrcrd.adobeconnect.com/ncrcrd , “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar.
· Potential Rural Impacts of Pension Reductions January 23, 2018 @ 2:00 PM Eastern Time Presented by: Steve Deller (University of Wisconsin/Extension); Judy Stallman (University of Missouri) and Steve Miller (Michigan State University)
· Successful Disaster Recovery Using the Community Capitals Framework February 1, 2018 @ 2:00 PM Eastern Time Presented by: Gary Goreham (South Dakota State University).
· Farmer to non-Farmer - The Role of Farmer Identity on Conservation March 20, 2018 @ 3:00 PM - Eastern Time Presented by: Eric Toman (The Ohio State University)
· More than Opioids: The Social Determinants of Drug Overdose & Related Despair in Rural and Small City America March 29, 2018 @ 2:00 PM- Eastern Time Presented by: Shannon M. Monnat, Syracuse University
2. The January 25th GoodGreens meeting is cancelled due to a lapse in federal government funding. We will reschedule this meeting for later in the year.
Dave
Associate Professor and Community Development Specialist
Department of Agricultural Economics
Oklahoma State University
323 Agricultural Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078-6025
405-744-6170
405-744-8210 – fax
Find grants and professional development resources on my blog
http://okextdevres.blogspot.com/
