NSW Environment Trust - Eco School Grants - Applications close 5pm, 18 May 2012

The NSW Environmental Trust is calling for applications to the Eco School Program. Applications open on 17 March 2012 and close on 18 May 2012.

This program provides grants to schools to give them the opportunity to involve their students and community in developing and implementing environmental management projects.

The overall objective of the Eco Schools program is to support schools to develop best practice in environmental education and innovative solutions to environmental issues. The program will fund school environmental management projects aimed at one or more of the following objectives.

Students:

• to promote the development of students' knowledge, values and behaviour that supports environmental sustainability
• to promote participation of some or all students in identifying, designing, implementing and monitoring solutions that improve the quality of the school and local environment.

Teachers:

• to assist teachers to integrate school environmental management projects into school programs and therefore maximise student learning
• to enable project related professional learning for teachers to gain practical and educational skills and knowledge about the environment.

School development and management:

• to encourage a whole of school approach to sustainable management of school operations
• to fund schools to utilise the natural and built environment to facilitate student learning
• to encourage schools to link with the local community (including other schools) to undertake activities which address local environmental issues.

Environment:

• to promote more efficient resource use and improve the quality of the local environment
• to enable schools to address community and government environmental concerns and priorities.

The ultimate goal of the Eco Schools Grant Program is the development of environmentally sustainable schools.

Schools that did not receive an Environmental Trust grant in the previous year are eligible to apply. Schools must also be registered on the Sustainable Schools NSW website. Please note that preschools are not eligible to apply.

For more details and application forms please click here for the office of Environment and Heritage website.

Applications close 5pm, 18 May 2012.