If you teach or are an administrator in south central Wisconsin, you’re eligible to apply! If you’re wondering if your location is considered within our geographic boundaries, just reach out to info@naturenet.org to inquire.

Be creative! We want to support your innovative ways of connecting your students with nature.

Yes! Bus funding to Nature Net member sites is eligible for Nature Express funding. Be sure to mention in your application that you will be using the funds specifically for bus funding.

Yes and no…

If you are taking a field trip, you may use the funds to support program or transportation fees at Nature Net sites.

If you’re using the funds to support a project, the grant supports most creative endeavors regardless of association with a Nature Net site.

Once you apply, we will review your application and let you know if your nature project or idea has been accepted.

This grant program functions on a reimbursement basis. We understand this may create a barrier to getting started on your project and if this is the case, we invite you to reach out to discuss options.

You will need to track your spending on our provided form, and submit all of your expenses at the end of the semester. We will follow up with a friendly reminder if your expense report needs completing.

This is not a competitive grant program. We aim to accept as many eligible applications as we can with the funds we have available. You will hear from us if your idea has been accepted and you are then free to carry on with your project. Reimbursements will be allocated at the end of the semester.

Because this grant program is not competitive, the limited amount of funds we have available are claimed on a first-come, first-serve basis (once eligibility is confirmed and all application materials are deemed complete). When there is high demand and funds are claimed in full, a waitlist is created.

We suggest you add your name and project information (in full) to the waitlist for two reasons. 1) Often applicants’ needs change (i.e. a field trip is canceled or a project cannot be fulfilled), or applicants fail to submit their reimbursement form. In these cases, funding would become available to the next applicant on the waitlist. 2) With a number of outstanding applications waiting to be funded, we can share this need with our donors and request additional support. With additional funding, any number of waitlisted applicants could be funded.

You may request up to $300 each semester. Applications that are repeated grades/schools will not be considered. 

Your nature project or idea should link directly to your curriculum and or to any of the Department of Public Instruction’s State Academic Standards, including but not limited to the new Environmental Literacy & Sustainability standards, Next Generation Science Standards, or other standards your school or district uses for learning goals.

We have created a Google form with instructions on how to fill it out, which you will receive after your project has been approved. You should list all of your project expenses and will be reimbursed for up to $300 of your costs.

We invite your creativity here, too! Use pictures, samples of students’ work, anecdotes from your students, administration, or even yourself! Success shows itself in many ways and we invite you to think of “success” expansively. Maybe children will form a new relationship with an outdoor space in their neighborhood, or they’ll be using nature to fuel an art or language arts project.