South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks - No Child Left Inside Program

South Dakota is getting it right, providing some small seed grants to schools and organizations. Here's the full article:

ARGUS LEADER

January 12, 2009

Grants available for outdoor kids programs

“Get out!” That's the message coming from the state Game, Fish & Parks’ education program, “No Child Left Inside.”

As a response to the growing trend of children spending less and less time exploring their natural surroundings, the GF&P is implementing efforts to encourage parents and teachers to get kids outdoors, learning.The GF&P is calling for people to apply for small grants to propel the program forward. Applications are due March 27.“So many kids are spending hours each day in front of the TV or computer,” says Chad Tussing, education services coordinator for GF&P. Recent surveys are showing that Americans watch, on average, four hours of TV per day. For children, that number climbs to an average of 6.5 hours per day.The small grant program is designed to extend the impact of the No Child Left Inside effort to others who work with children. Groups, schools, and others can apply for one of these grants, ranging from $500 to $1,000 per grant. The projects must include a strong educational value and should have the potential for wide-reaching impact. Potential projects include educational curricula, outdoor classrooms, or other educational activities. Projects are strongly encouraged to have greater reach and impact than the actual grant period.For information or an application, visit www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/NoChild.htm or call Tussing at 773-2541.