Seed Your Future announced the launch of its new free online Plant Education Grants Resource. This is the newest resource from Seed Your Future, a coalition of more than 200 partners — including horticulture companies, gardening organizations, schools, colleges, universities, public gardens, youth organizations, nonprofit organizations and individual advocates — united in their mission to promote horticulture and careers working with plants.
Educators often have a difficult time funding in-classroom and outside-of-the-classroom plant education programs. Seeds, plants, garden equipment, hydroponic systems, soil, and other materials can be expensive and often educators must look beyond the budget of their school or youth program to fund their programs. This new resource serves as a clearinghouse of grants offered by foundations, corporations, nonprofits and even government — all to support programs that teach youth about the power of plants and the joy of careers working in the “green-collar” industry.
“Seed Your Future’s dedicated page for educator grants streamlines my ability to find monies for anything I need to engage students in project-based learning: from tools, equipment, soils, seeds, structures, and even office supplies,” said Kimberley Lough, an agriscience teacher and FFA advisor at W.D. Sugg Middle School in Bradenton, FL. “This site takes away hours from online hunting to find resources needed to inspire youth into horticultural careers and lifetime hobbies. I am deeply thankful.”
The online resource, SeedYourFuture.org/educator-grants is the most comprehensive list of available grants to support plant education both inside and outside the classroom. Seed Your Future knows how important it is for youth to be introduced to the power of plants. Bringing plants into the classroom - or school yard - or youth program - is one of the best ways to inspire the next generation and get them thinking of ways they can use plants to solve problems. Costs are often a restriction for educators who want to open up the world of plants to their students.
Seed Your Future is committed to keeping this resource updated, and they included a feature that allows for anyone to submit new grant information. “As a former in-classroom teacher and current educator outside the classroom, I know how daunting and time-consuming it is to find grants, especially those for out-of-school time programs,” said Heather Drzal, Director of School and Youth Programs at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. “Seed Your Future has solved that problem with its new Educator Grants Resource. It is a comprehensive and accurate resource that all educators will find immensely helpful when looking to support their youth plant-based programs.”
For more information:
Seed Your Future
info@SeedYourFuture.org
www.seedyourfuture.org