CONTACT: Megan Woods, NH Fish and Game: (603) 271-0495 Ted Kendziora, US Fish and Wildlife Service: (603) 717-6877 January 19, 2022

Concord, NH – Do you want to connect your students to the outdoors? Do you want to integrate outdoor learning, but need a better space that encourages and fosters curiosity? Are you an educator with a project idea that involves students enhancing their schoolyard for wildlife habitat? Don’t miss this year’s opportunity to apply for a Schoolyard Action Grant! The New Hampshire Partnership for Schoolyard Action is now accepting grant applications from schools with students from preschool through grade twelve to help fund nature-based learning projects.

Applications will only be accepted through January 28, 2022. Technical assistance and grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to the top applications. For more information and a grant application, please visit: https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/education/grants.html.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New England Field Office, New Hampshire Project Learning Tree, New Hampshire Audubon, and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, with support from the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, have partnered to support Granite State schools through the New Hampshire Partnership for Schoolyard Action Grants. This partnership was created to make it easier for educators to apply for a grant since the common grant application works for all four of the partner organizations and greatly simplifies the application process.

Students of all grade levels benefit from learning outdoors. Some examples of projects that have been funded by the partner organizations in the past include the establishment of pollinator gardens, the creation of outdoor learning areas, installing solar-powered birdbaths, and replanting of school grounds with native plants that enhance wildlife habitat. Other types of projects eligible for support include trail or pond creation, citizen science activities, and bird feeding or watering stations.

Both student and community involvement in planning and on-site work is strongly encouraged. Professional consultation is available for project planning.