Hello, Affiliate Network. We have some exciting news. Thanks to the Pisces Foundation and EPA, we have been able to launch a rapid response fund to help build capacity throughout the Affiliate Network. This one-time funding opportunity is open to all NAAEE Affiliates across North America, and you can apply for up to $4,000 to cover key needs during this time—from staff and consultants to training and technology support.

We want to give a huge thank you to Ginger Potter, Senior Environmental Education Specialist at EPA, and Jason Morris, Senior Program Officer at the Pisces Foundation, for their support of this initiative and their on-going commitment to environmental education and the work of the Affiliate Network. We are so grateful to have these two environmental education champions working on our behalf—especially during this time. We were able to add to funding generously provided by Pisces by repurposing funds that were allocated for some now-delayed activities in ee360. This fund is designed to help support your work during this critical time. We know that many of you had to adapt, postpone, and cancel events, and that additional support can help you carry out the important work you do to advance environmental education.

To apply, please respond to the survey monkey application answering just a few questions. Here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/96K5GXL. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis starting the first week in June and will continue until the fund is exhausted. We strongly recommend applying by June 1 so that you can to be considered in the initial review. For those of you receiving funding, we will put a very simple contract together, and will use this application to explain how the funds will be used to support your work in advancing environmental literacy and building state capacity.

We also want to thank all of you for everything you are doing to continue to support your colleagues and networks, as well as the support you’ve provided to NAAEE. I know we’ve said this many times, but we will get through this together, and we will come out the other side with more knowledge, insights, and ideas for creating a better “new normal.”

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Bruce at bruce@naaee.org. And you can always reach out to me and Sarah anytime. 

Take care and stay well,

JB, Sarah, and the NAAEE Team