EDUCATION MINIGRANTS
ABOUT THE GRANTS
ALABAMA AUDUBON’s Education MiniGrants provide up to $1,000 per award to support educators and educationally-oriented nonprofits throughout Alabama. They provide funding for projects that promote conservation, and a greater knowledge of birds, their habitats, and the natural world. Awards are limited to tax-exempt nonprofits with IRS public charity status and to public entities qualifying under Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. All potential applicants are welcome to reach out to us to discuss the general suitability of a project idea prior to submission. Please contact us at info@alaudubon.org with any questions about our Education MiniGrants program.
HOW DO I APPLY?
All applications must be submitted online using the Google application form. The deadline to submit an application is February 15, 2025, at 11:59pm.
Before submitting your application, please: a) download the budget form and authorization form; b) complete both forms and; c) scan the forms to upload when completing the online application.
We have created an Advice for Applicants document with more detailed information about our Education MiniGrants, including types of projects you might consider and other frequently asked questions. You can also review a list of application questions to help you prepare before submitting the online form. It is recommended that you prepare your answers to the application questions in a separate document (to cut and paste into the online form) before beginning the online application. The online application does not allow you to save your work and return to the application to complete in the future.
If you have any questions about the application process, or have problems submitting the online application, please email us at info@alaudubon.org, or contact Keith Wolfe-Hughes at 205-719-3678 ext 9.
All applicants will be notified of grant decisions by March 31, 2025.
HOW CAN EDUCATION MINIGRANTS BE USED?
Our Education MiniGrants prioritize four kinds of bird-focused educational projects:
Physical improvements within school or community habitat sites (i.e. native plants, identification signage, benches, bird-specific houses)
Purchases of classroom birding equipment
Innovative, student-led projects with community-science or habitat-monitoring components
Select field trips to visit significant public bird areas
More information about the types of projects supported by our Education MiniGrants can be found in Advice for Applicants.
WHAT TYPES OF EXPENSES ARE NOT COVERED?
Education MiniGrant funding may not be used to cover salaries, stipends, and indirect costs (i.e., overhead or “facilities and administrative” expenses). Awards may not be used to cover expenses outside those approved in the submitted budget with the applications. As an accountability measure, it is our policy to make awards payable to the organization and not directly to the applicant.
If necessary, please email info@alaudubon.org to discuss payment logistics.
HOW ARE AWARDS DECIDED?
A selection committee appointed by the President of the Alabama Audubon will review applications and making funding recommendations following the closing of the submission deadline. The committee’s recommendations will then be reviewed by the Alabama Audubon Board of Directors, with whom any final funding decisions rest. The final amount of any given award may be adjusted at the discretion of Alabama Audubon. Recipients will be informed by email of the award status four to six weeks following the submission deadline.
ALL PROPOSALS WILL BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA—
Demonstrates a strong focus on Alabama birds and their conservation
Maximizes the number of students who benefit from the project
Targeted toward a diverse student audience
Contains a detailed, carefully considered budget outline
Explains how this project can serve as a stepping stone for future bird-based learning
Details how the project fits within a school or organization's educational plan
Contains a plan for evaluating student outcomes
Should be innovative, creative, and "outside the box"
HOW TO REPORT POST-AWARD
All Education MiniGrant recipients must complete and return a completed MiniGrants Report Form, and a Photo Release form (if applicable) to Alabama Audubon via email no later than May 15, 2026 of the next calendar year. All awards will include a MiniGrant Funds Received form that will be due within 14 days of receiving funds. Failure to submit any of the forms will void any opportunity for eligibility for future grants offered by Alabama Audubon.
Education MiniGrant Report Forms
Photo Release Form (if applicable)
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Applicants are welcome to discuss the general suitability of a project idea prior to submission. Please reach out to us at info@alaudubon.org with the subject line reading: Education MiniGrant Questions