Directory of Federal Grant-making
Programs for Environmentally-related Education

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INFORMAL AND/OR FORMAL EDUCATION

Higher Education Challenge Grants

Agency		Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
Program Name		Higher Education Challenge Grants
Program Website		http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/fundview.cfm?fonum=1082
Eligible Applicantes		1862 Land-Grant Institutions, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
Budget FY06		5500000
Budget FY07
Range of Awards		$150,000.00 to $400,000.00
Number of Awards		13-36 Percent of Applications Funded Last Fiscal Year: 30%
Percent of Applicants Awarded
Cost Sharing Requirements		None Required.
Program Description		A stipend is awarded to watershed organizations who wish to support an intern to work on a watershed project. Each proposed watershed project must clearly enhance the sustainability of the watershed group; and must contribute directly to the fight against Acid Mine Drainage, the largest environmental challenge in the Appalachian coal fields. Projects could include, but are not limited to: watershed monitoring, watershed planning, grant writing, educational program development, community organization, and conceptual design for passive acid mine drainage remediation systems. Each internship carries a $2,000 stipend for 12 weeks of full-time work by the intern and $500 for related expenses. In addition to developing partnerships with other federal agencies, we ask that the sponsoring organizations partner with us. Therefore, the Office of Surface Mining will provide the full amount of $2,500 to first time sponsoring organizations. For those organizations that have been awarded and sponsored interns in the past, the Office of Surface Mining will provide half of the total ($1,250) and we ask that the sponsor match these funds by providing the remaining half of the funds ($1,250).
Contact Info		Marykatherine F. Gonzalez Office of Surface Mining 1951 Constitution Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Phone: (202) 208-2585 Email: mgonzalez@osmre.gov