Monday, April 26, 2010

Notice of Grant Opportunity for New Jersey Schools: Learn and Serve America School-Based Program

Deadline: June 9, 2010

We are pleased to announce a new cycle of funding for the Learn and Serve America: School-Based Program (LSA:SBP). Learn and Serve America provides opportunities for our country’s school-aged youth to serve their communities by integrating service into students’ formal academic experience. LSA:SBP is funded at the national level by the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is implemented by the New Jersey Department of State in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education.

The LSA:SBP is, therefore, offering a two-year continuation grant to support the implementation of a LSA:SBP. This Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) is for the grant period of September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011. This is the first year of a two-year continuation grant program.

Up to $14,000 will be awarded to a maximum of 15 programs for the first contract period totaling $210,000 statewide. All allocations are based on a thorough evaluation of each proposal and availability of federal funding from the Corporation on National and Community Service, which requires a dollar for dollar local cash and/or in-kind match for grants. The LSA:SBP grants, of up to $14,000, is open to all LEAs (including Charter Schools) but limited to those that have not received or have not successfully completed a LSA:SBP two year funding cycle during the 1996 to 2010 fiscal years. All proposals are due to the LSA:SBP no later than 4:00 p.m. on June 9, 2010.

There will be four Technical Assistance Sessions which will begin at 10:00 AM at the following locations:
  • Wednesday, April 28, 2010 - Southern Region - Atlantic County Institute of Technology, LPN Lounge, Mays Landing, NJ
  • Thursday, April 29, 2010 - Northern Region - Saddle Brook School District, Middle/High School, Saddle Brook, NJ
  • Friday, April 30, 2010 - Central Region – New Jersey State Museum, Auditorium, Trenton, NJ
  • Thursday, May 6, 2010 - Central Region - Cranford School District, Cranford High School, Small Theatre, Cranford, NJ
Please fax in the RSVP form to 609-777-2939.

You can download the Funding Announcement, RSVP form, Ineligible Districts Listing, NGO and NGO forms at: http://www.nj.gov/state/americorps/

If you have any questions, please call Rowena Madden or Linda V. Rivera at 609-633-9627 or e-mail at: Rowena.Madden@sos.state.nj.us or Linda.Rivera@sos.state.nj.us

Friday, April 23, 2010

Youth Engagement Zones

Deadline for Letter of Intent to Apply: May 28, 2010
Deadline for applications: June 15, 2010

The Learn and Serve America Youth Engagement Zone (YEZ) program was newly authorized by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. YEZ is designed to improve student engagement, including student attendance and behavior, and student achievement, graduation rates and college-going rates by:

1. Engaging youth as positive contributors through service-learning to demonstrate the relevance of academic coursework and the value of civic engagement to their educational and personal development; and

2. Connecting with citizens from diverse communities, backgrounds and perspectives to provide expanded opportunities to serve; and

3. Building enduring capacity within communities to become more effective at using service as a solution to address pressing challenges.

These grants will provide support for “eligible partnerships” to build on existing resources to develop coordinated school-based or community-based service-learning opportunities for secondary school students. All partnerships must include, at a minimum, at least one LEA, one community college, and one community-based entity.

Funding Available

In Fiscal Year 2010, there is approximately $5.4 million available for this program. The Corporation anticipates making an estimated 4 to 12 grant awards that will range from approximately $300,000 to $450,000 per year for up to three years. Funding beyond the first year for each grant award will be subject to the availability of future appropriations. We anticipate announcing the results of this competition in mid September 2010.

Deadline

Applications are due no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on June 15, 2010. Applications must arrive at the Corporation by the deadline in order to be considered.

Letters of Intent to Apply

If you intend to apply, please send an email to YEZ@cns.gov by May 28, 2010.

Fore more information (including forthcoming application instructions), see:
http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=82

Monday, April 12, 2010

National Environmental Education Training Program - Solicitation Notice

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for the National Environmental Education Training Program.  EPA will award one cooperative agreement for approximately $2 million per year for this five year national program which is expected to operate from October 1, 2010 - September 30, 2015, subject to appropriations.  Applications will be accepted until July 26, 2010.

For more information about the National Environmental Education Training Program solicitation notice and other sources of funding for environmental education, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/education/educate/solicitation.html.