Green Partners Grants: Youth Environmental Leadership Program

Note:
Hennepin County has three Green Partners programs: Environmental Action Program; Youth Environmental Leadership Program; and Youth Environmental Education Program.
The closing date for all questions is indicated above as the due date for Letter of Inquiry.
Engage, educate, act and collaborate for the environment
Hennepin County provides funding and support to organizations to actively educate, engage and motivate residents to become environmental stewards and make positive behavior changes.
Through the Green Partners program, Hennepin County contracts with organizations to implement projects that engage youth and adults in becoming environmental stewards. Projects engage youth in learning about environmental topics and taking leadership on environmental issues as they get older. Green Partners also supports projects to engage our adult residents in helping the county reach it’s zero waste and climate goals by preventing waste, composting organic waste, reducing, reusing, recycling, and repairing and caring for our natural resources by improving water quality, caring for trees, and creating habitat to protect birds, bats, and pollinators.
Types of Grants
Hennepin County has three Green Partners programs.
Environmental Action ProgramYouth Environmental Leadership ProgramYouth Environmental Education Program
Youth environmental leadership projects encourage environmental leadership and/or exposure to green jobs for young people in high school up to age 24, (collectively, the “Project”). Project activities should encourage an environmental stewardship mindset that lasts beyond the program. Projects may provide opportunities for youth leadership in their school or community and exposure to green jobs or investigation into the green aspects of jobs they are interested in pursuing. Climate change projects related to zero waste and protecting natural resources are priorities for this program. Preferred projects incorporate county identified project ideas.
Levels of Funding
If you have received a Green Partners award before, you can apply for up to $25,000 for a one-year project or, if you meet the criteria, up to $50,000 for a two-year project.
If you have never received a Green Partners award before, you can apply for up to $12,000 for a one-year project.

Eligibility

Schools and school districts, including community educations programs like early childhood family education
Registered nonprofit organizations such as community groups, youth programs and congregations