Educational Assistance

Educational Assistance

Educational Resources

Looking for a presenter for youth environmental education? Need a speaker on natural resources topics? Reach out to Chrystal Houston,  NRD public relations manager, to get started. 

Educational Capital Projects (ECAP) Fund

The purpose of ECAP is to create, develop, or enhance natural resources-related educational capital projects that create experiential learning environments and opportunities for District citizens.

Grant applications are due May 1 of each year. Awardees will be notified in June.

Qualifications  
To qualify for the Educational Capital Fund Program (ECAP) educational/conservation projects must be physically located, constructed, and maintained within the Upper Big Blue NRD boundary.  These educational capital projects are generally constructed on school property, however, can be located elsewhere in the NRD boundary if there is a more suitable eco-system which again is determined on a case-by-case basis for funding determination by the board of directors.
 
This fund is for capital items only, deemed to have educational/conservation value, and determined worthy of funding on a case-by-case basis by Upper Big Blue NRD.  (This is not a scholarship fund for individual/group of students).    
 
Examples
Examples of such projects include, but are not limited to greenhouses; commercial and botanical gardens/vegetative learning plots; beekeeping/honey production equipment; rain/flood/dam/erosion/wind simulators; interactive and hands-on exhibits; educational learning displays/pods; digital/electronic equipment/devices; and research/demonstration equipment, etc.
 
Funding Parametric
If the total project cost is $1,000 or less, then the cost-share may be 100% of the actual cost.  If the total project cost is greater than $1,000, then the cost-share may be $1,000 + 5% of the total cost not to exceed $10,000 (funding scale on page 5 of the application).
 
Funds Available 
Maximum Payment from NRD Funds:  $10,000.00 (labor costs excluded) 
Minimum Payment from NRD Funds:   $100.00 (labor costs excluded) 
State Cost-Share:  None
Federal Cost-Share:  None