Plant Trees, Fight Hunger, Encourage Literacy

4-H has several grant programs in various focus areas with deadlines throughout the year. Feeding the Hungry is a partnership with Kraft Foods, Inc to promote youth involvement in local food banking, outreach and public awareness.

School Supply Companies Supply More

Several school supply companies (or parent companies of school suppliers) offer grants to schools in a variety of forms and amounts. Check Binney & Smith, Inc., International Paper Company Foundation, or Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation.

Best Buy Children's Foundation

Emphasis is placed on innovative programs that promote personal achievement, mentor relationships and life skills, and accentuate learning opportunities for school-age children.

Funding is directed to programs located in Best Buy market areas for children ages 5 to 18, so schools close to the Baltimore County line would have the best chance. Grants range from $2,000 to $10,000 with quarterly deadlines. For more information, click here.

Youth Gardening Grants

The National Gardening Association awards 400 Youth Garden Grants to schools, neighborhood groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and inter-generational programs throughout the United States. Each grant consists of an assortment of quality tools, seeds, and garden products generously contributed by leading companies from the lawn and garden industry, and valued at more than $750.

Environmental Education

The "Make Your World Better" Grant Program can provide you up to $10,000 (leading grant, all others: $500-$5,000) to help you fulfill your environmental education projects within your school and community.

Youth Athletic Programs

The Finish Line Youth Foundation's primary focus is to support youth athletic and wellness programs because the Foundation believes that education, sports and exercise are vital to the development of our youth's ability to: Maintain a healthy lifestyle Build confidence and leadership skills Understand the importance of working with a team. Grants are awarded to organizations in areas where they have a presence.

Bigchalk.com Focusing On K-12 Schools And the Internet

A K-12 education website is forming a new foundation that aims to help schools use technology to improve student learning and bridge the digital divide. The initial activity of the foundation will be to establish a community Building Grants program. Grants of up to $1,000 a year will be given to schools to increase interaction within their local communities using Internet technology. The foundation plans to make up two grants per state. Sixty percent of the grants will be awarded to needy schools, with special emphasis on schools within federally defined empowerment zones.

Sue Collins, senior vice president and general manager of bigchalk.com, said that a free website building kit for schools is online at bigchalk.com. "The kit is designed to allow non-experts to build their schools' community webpages easily and is technical expertise-free to any educator right now," she said. The new foundation will also be involved in expanding bigchalk's $1 million multi-year "catalyst communities" research program that seeks to identify factors that allow technology to best enhance the education of students and the growth of local school communities.

The bigchalk Foundation will accept online applications for Community Building Grants between October and December of this year. Educators can receive information by emailing, grants@bigchalk.com. For more information, visit the Bigchalk website.

Giant Food Charitable Contributions

Giant Food distributes funds to communities where Giant Food grocery stores operate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey. The Charitable Contributions program focuses on three main areas: homelessness and providing food for people in need; local neighborhood activities; and support for young people. Grant amounts vary. There is no set deadline for applications. Requests must be submitted in writing by mail (no fax or e-mail requests are accepted).

For more information, contact Barry Scher, Giant Food Inc., Vice President of Public Affairs, Dept. 599, P.O. Box 1804, Washington, D.C. 20013; or visit the website.

*For Rural Counties* Distance Learning Grants and Loans

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant and Loan Program (CFDA No. 10.855) is designed to encourage and improve telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas through the use of computers, networks, telecommunications and related advanced technologies. Educational institutions, local education agencies, and other public and private non-profit organizations are eligible to apply. The deadline for grant applications is March 2, 2001. Applications for loans and loan/grant combinations will be accepted anytime. Approximately $25 million is available for grants and $300 million for loans (including $110 million for loan/grant combinations). Grantees must provide a 30 percent match for all grant requests and a 10 percent match for all loan requests. Contact Orren Cameron, (202) 690-4493 for more information.