The Deadline was December 31, 2022 - This Grant is CLOSED

2022 BRIDGE TO OUTDOOR SCHOOL GRANT

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2022 Bridge To Outdoor School Grant is CLOSED

Grant Program Summary

The Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service Outdoor School program is committed to supporting equitable and inclusive outdoor school programs for Oregon’s students as described in ORS 327.390.  To support the outdoor school community’s efforts to ensure Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (EDAI), and to invest in innovative, EDAI-centered outdoor school participation improvement projects, the OSU Extension Service Outdoor School program is offering this 2022 Bridge to Outdoor School grant opportunity.

We invite individual organizations or partnerships of organizations involved in Oregon outdoor school (schools, districts, Education Service Districts (ESDs), providers, and sites) to submit applications to fund projects that:

  • reflect the Mission, Vision, and Values of the OSU Outdoor School program.
  • focus on improving participation of Oregon’s 5th and 6th grade students in outdoor school, especially the participation of students from marginalized communities.

Funded projects will identify obstacles to equitable participation in outdoor school and provide a plan for addressing those obstacles.

To receive funding, all projects must include the use of at least one of the OSU Outdoor School program’s Self-Evaluation Tools (available on the website) as part of the project's team discussion, training and/or program planning. The Self-Evaluation Tools include:

  1. Cultural Responsiveness Self-Evaluation Tool (CRSET)
  2. Instructional Resource Self-Evaluation Tool (IRSET)
  3. Special Education and Accessibility Self-Evaluation Tool (SEASET)

QUESTIONS REGARDING PROJECT, APPLICATION, OR REQUIREMENTS

Questions may be submitted via email to Priscilla.Johnson@oregonstate.edu until September 16, 2022. The subject line should include the applicant (organization) name and “BRIDGE TO OUTDOOR SCHOOL GRANT”. All submitted questions (anonymized as necessary) and their answers will be posted on the OSU Extension Service Outdoor School website by October 1, 2022.

 

2022 EDAI Grant Question and Answers

 

FUNDING ALLOCATION/DISBURSEMENT

Once a grant has been approved, a contract will be sent for signature through DocuSign.  The Grantee is responsible for assuring that their email system will accept OSU’s emails via DocuSign and that the organization’s grant manager will respond to the request for signature.

Grantees will submit an Initial Approval Request after the contract has been executed. The payment requested at this time is intended to permit project work from the time of grant execution until the first annual report period starts (April 1). Remaining disbursements will be requested annually after the grantee’s annual progress report (due on April 1 of each year) is approved.

TREE RINGS

DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING

Approved Grantees are required to submit annual progress reports on or before April 1 of each year, and a Final Report within one month of project completion.  All reports will be to the Outdoor School program office using the same online system used to apply for the grant.

Progress Report

By April 1 of each year, Grantees must provide a Progress Report which will request:

  • Name of each approved project task (regardless of progress).
  • Estimated percent of work completed (to date) for each task.
  • Description of the activities completed (to date), as well as set-backs, successes, or changes to the scope for each task.
  • Description of your plan of action for each task prior to the next April 1 annual report.
  • Amount of the task budget needed to accomplish this work.
  • Upload invoice for the total amount needed (with a line item for each task) to support the work scheduled in the next year.
Outdoor school students returning from lessons

 Final Report

  Within one month of the scheduled end of their project, grantees must submit (using the online grant management            system) their final report.  The final report will ask:

    1. How did the project resolve the identified EDAI-based outdoor school participation obstacle/barrier and how have you communicated this to those who helped you identify the need?
    2. What EDAI-based improvements (partial or complete) were achieved based on the implementation of your Bridge to Outdoor School plan and your proposed outcomes?
    3. Fiscal Closure
      1. Name of each approved project task.
        1. Describe how the task’s completion helped meet your overall project outcome.
        2. Summarize all task activities, as well as set-backs, successes, or changes to the scope for each task.
        3. Are you requesting a final disbursement of funds?
          1. If yes, how much?
      2. Upload an invoice for the total final disbursement requested with line items for each task.
      3. Copies of receipts and invoices may be requested upon review of the final report.
    4. Describe the result (positive or negative) of your interactions with project partners.
    5. Describe how this Project addressed (successfully or not) the obstacle(s), barrier(s), or areas for growth you identified in your application.
    6. Describe the current and future benefits of this Project's overall outcomes to outdoor school students.
    7. Self-Evaluation Tool Results
      1. Describe the organization’s improvements to equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion through implementation of the OSU Outdoor School Self-Evaluation Tool(s).
    8. Sustainability Results
      1. Describe your progress (success or failure) at making this work sustainable within your organization.
    9. Student Equity Results
      1. Describe how the student identities you identified in your application are being or will be positively impacted by the work completed for this project.
      2. Describe how you worked with members of the communities selected in your application and how working with them impacted the project.
    10. Budget Summary
      1. Describe budget variances or changes and why they were necessary for or beneficial to the overall project.
      2. Certify matching/in-kind contributions.

  In addition, Grantees must also upload electronic copies (in their original/editable format) of all materials (e.g.,                      curriculum, training booklets, video recordings) created using grant funds. See Ownership of Work Products below for        information about ownership and usage of work products created with Bridge to Outdoor School Grant funds.

  Please note: The OSU Extension Service Outdoor School program office (or their designated representative) reserves the    right to request to attend or observe professional training sessions.

OWNERSHIP OF WORK PRODUCTS

To the extent not inconsistent with the ownership rights of any other party, or any applicable licensing agreement, all work products or any form of property originated or prepared by Applicant which result from this grant are the property of Applicant; provided, however that such work product or property shall be available to the public-at-large under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. In addition, Applicant agrees that it will not use the work product or property for a commercial purpose.

Applicant further grants OSU a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual and irrevocable license to use and modify such work products and property, including but not limited to materials, information, and recordings developed, prepared, or used under this grant for any purpose OSU deems necessary, and will obtain all necessary releases to allow it to satisfy this obligation to OSU. Applicants using Contracted Services must include this provision in any contracts under this grant.

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ALLOWABLE EXPENSES

Personnel

Salaries, wages, and benefits for in-house staff, including, as applicable, gross wages, payroll taxes, health insurance, retirement benefits, accrued leave liability, and workers compensation insurance.

Materials and Supplies

Consumable items purchased by Grantee and used during the completion of the project (including textbooks and training materials). Materials and Supplies  may include portable electronics costing less than $2,500. Grantees cannot purchase materials to stock up for projects beyond the approved scope of work. Costs for meetings, trainings, workshops, and planning, including the implementation of any of the OSU Self-Evaluation Tools, are included within Materials and Supplies. Costs for materials provided by facilitators, consultants, or contracted trainers should be included within their contract in the Contracted Services category.

Contracted Services

Contractor expenses to complete proposed tasks, facilitation, or training.  We encourage applicants to implement all EDAI work with the support of qualified professionals or consultants and to interview more than one contractor to determine whether qualifications and goals are aligned with the aims of the project. Please include incentive costs (e.g., travel vouchers and hourly stipends) for high school participants and/or other community members (e.g., parent focus group participants) who are not in-house staff in Contracted Services costs.

Indirect Costs

Overhead or administrative costs that cannot be readily identified to a specific project or function but are incurred by an organization (e.g., facilities, rent, administrative time, electricity, and telephone).  Applicants can apply for up to 10% of the proposed budget in indirect costs. Grantees are not required to submit receipts for indirect costs within their grant reports.

Travel Costs

Costs incurred getting to and from project location(s) by in-house personnel, including mileage and food costs, when travel is necessary for completion of the project. Home-to-office (i.e., commuting) costs are not eligible expenses. All anticipated travel costs must be described/requested in the application and calculated using U.S. government rates (IRS Private Vehicle Mileage Rate; U.S. General Services Administration Per Diem Rates) unless otherwise justified in the application.  Travel costs incurred by contractors will be included within their estimates and invoiced as part of Contracted Services (see above).

GRANT EXCLUSIONS AND RESTRICTIONS

All funded projects must include the use of at least one of the OSU Extension Service Outdoor School program’s Self-Evaluation Tools (available on the Outdoor School website).

Funding cannot be used for previously completed work, fundraising events, religious activities, deficit funding, lobbying, the purchase of equipment, vehicles, mobile office units, real estate, or property.  Equipment is defined as nonexpendable items with a useful life beyond the project and with a per unit cost of more than $2,500. If your project requires the purchase of equipment related to accessibility, please contact Priscilla Johnson (priscilla.johnson@oregonstate.edu) prior to submitting your application to receive authorization to include equipment. 

All tasks within the proposed project, including final reporting, must be completed by May 31, 2025.

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