Educators interested in securing a Splash! mini-grant through the Southwest Florida Water Management District are invited to apply online on the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/mini-grants/.
The District’s Splash! mini-grants provide teachers with funding for classroom projects on water quality, natural systems, water conservation, alternative water sources, flood protection or watersheds. The goal of the mini-grant program is to promote hands-on water resources education that teaches students about their local watersheds and the water resources within them. Splash! mini-grants provide up to $5,000 per public, private, charter and home school groups on a reimbursement basis only.
Online applicants are allowed to save the application so they can go back and review and change portions before submitting it. Grant applications are due Sept. 10, 2007.
Last year the District awarded Splash! mini-grants to 108 educators, totaling more than $230,000. Past mini-grant projects include student monitoring of local water quality, the development of water-conserving gardens on school properties, and outreach campaigns designed to promote awareness of water-conserving practices.
In addition to mini-grant funding, many free educational materials are available from the District. These publications are correlated to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards and can also be ordered on the District’s web site at www.WaterMatters.org/publications/ .
Contact Raina O’Neil, senior communications coordinator, at (800) 423-1476, ext. 4774 with questions about the Splash! mini-grant application process or the District’s other educational materials.