Request for Proposals: Small Grants for Educators for Studies of the
Urban Environment


CEC Stuyvesant Cove Park, Inc. is a grassroots company established by
Community Environmental Center to provide open park space and
environmental education for the residents of New York City. Since the
summer of 2002, CEC has leased Stuyvesant Cove Park (located between 18
th and 23rd streets on the East River) from the Economic Development
Corporation, for one dollar per year in exchange for developing an
environmental learning center in the Park (a building which is powered
by renewable solar electricity and a model of green architecture/design)
as well as providing programming and maintenance. CEC Stuyvesant Cove
Park, Inc.’s mission is to inspire New Yorkers to become environmentally
responsible urban residents. Through environmental education, citizens
develop a sense of stewardship for their neighborhoods, and for the
urban ecosystem of New York City.


Funding Framework:
CEC is interested in projects that allow students the opportunity to
better understand New York City’s urban environment. Through
environmental science education, children can develop a sense of
stewardship for New York City and their own individual neighborhoods,
thus helping to create a more sustainable city and young people who care
about the environment.


CEC would like to aid schools in the teaching of environmental education
by providing small grants to individual teachers who do not have the
necessary funding for materials or lesson plan development. CEC is
offering three grants of 300 dollars each for teachers who develop
interesting and engaging lesson plans implementing topics concerning New
York City’s urban environment. Topic areas can include but are not
limited to: waste reduction, energy conservation, renewable sources of
energy, estuary studies, and green architecture/design.


The applicant must demonstrate that the proposed lessons deal with
issues that are of importance to residents/ young people of New York
City. Also, proposed lessons must mesh with each respective school’s
curriculum standards and classroom guidelines.


Categories for Grant Distribution:
CEC will be distributing grants to three teachers, each representing a
different age group.
Total amount of funding for each award- $300


      Group 1 (Kindergarten-fifth)
      Group 2 (Sixth- Eighth)
      Group 3 (Ninth- Twelfth)


*Those who receive grants will be invited to a banquet on June 17th,
2004 to receive their award, and will have the opportunity to display
their student’s projects as an exhibit at Stuyvesant Cove’s learning
center.


Deadlines:
One copy of the proposal must be received at Community Environmental
Center’s Office by: May 1st, 2004
You may email the proposal as a word attachment to: jgarvie@cecenter.org
<mailto:jgarvie@cecenter.org>
By mail: Community Environmental Center
                Attn: John Garvie
                43-10 11th Street
        Long Island City, New York 11101


Guidelines:
-All requests for funding should be less than two pages typed-


      1.)     Teachers should give a brief description of proposed
      lesson plan (please include the grade level).
      2.)     How does the lesson involve issues of urban
      environmentalism?
      3.)     Explain how proposed lesson will help students more
      directly relate to New York City’s urban environment.