Community Connections for Children has expanded grant support for outdoor learning and play projects. Their team members, Elizabeth Marcello, STARS Outdoor Learning Coach, and Susan Chlebowski, Outdoor Learning & Play Consultant are available for assistance. Together, they bring expertise in outdoor learning environments and nature-based early learning pedagogy and practices to help strengthen your application and set your project up for success.
Please note: Meeting with Elizabeth and Susan is free and is a requirement for all applicants who plan to include an outdoor learning component in their grant proposal.
This mandatory meeting is free and will help strengthen your application by:
- Identifying assets and challenges within your current space and offer tailored ideas for field-tested outdoor learning environment (OLE) features
- Identifying key factors and features that focus your project and consider long-term cost savings, maintenance, and sustainability
- Strengthening connections between your project goals and child outcomes
- Sharing professional learning opportunities to ensure your OLE is utilized to its fullest capacity
Before meeting with Elizabeth and Susan, you must:
- Step 1: Read a resource they curated, Grant Support: Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) Planning Guide: English | Spanish
- Step 2: Watch a one-hour OLE webinar
- If you would like to add closed captioning in English or another language, select the “CC” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the video.
- Step 3: After completing steps one and two, complete a brief survey to give the CCC team a better idea of your project goals: English | Spanish
- Step 4: Schedule your meeting with Elizabeth and Susan using the scheduling link provided to you after completing the survey.
To prepare for your meeting:
- Review the ECHO Innovation grant application requirements
- Consider your program’s priorities and goals for outdoor learning
- Gather any preliminary ideas for materials, space improvements, or professional development
- Identify potential challenges or questions on which you’d like guidance
- Acknowledge that receiving the grant and fulfilling this project requires a project manager, someone who is willing to commit 5-10 hours of work on this project above regular work requirements
You can access the Outdoor Nature-Based Resources Padlet directly here.
