Two Mini Grants Available To Philadelphia Schools

There are two exciting mini-grant funding sources opening for Philadelphia schools interested in non-infrastructure Safe Routes To School activities or programs.

First, the National Center for Safe Routes to School is accepting applications for 25 mini-grants of $1,000. Last year Safe Routes Philly community rep Megan Rosenbach helped Willard Elementary obtain one to fund a walking schoolbus. Below is information from their announcement:

The National Center for Safe Routes to School is now accepting applications for 25 mini-grants of $1,000 each. These mini-grants support the goal of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs, which is to enable and encourage children to safely walk and bicycle to school. SRTS programs are implemented nationwide by parents, students, schools, community leaders, and local, state, and tribal governments.

Mini-grants fund activities that range from the nuts and bolts that help start or sustain a program to new ideas that explore the range of benefits of safe walking and bicycling. Selected mini-grant proposals will fit a school's identified needs and interests around safe walking and bicycling. The mini-grant activities should occur between January 1, 2012, and the end of the Spring 2012 semester.

Applications are due Wednesday, October 19, 2011.  For more information about the National Center's mini-grant program, visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/funding-portal/mini-grants.

Second, the Pennsylvania SRTS Resource Center has recently announced this year's mini grant application process. Schools have the possibility of being awarded upwards of $10,000 to promote, educate, encourage, and enforce Safe Routes to School activities and efforts. Schools interested in applying for a non-infrastructure grant should read the guidelines and submit an application (coming soon) to the Pennsylvania SRTS Resource Center.

Applications for this grant are being accepted between October 5th and November 15, 2011 (at 4:30 PM). More information on this grant is available here.