KaBOOM! is hosting a playground design competition in which communities can win $5,000 towards playground equipment. Through Friday April 30, communities can submit their playground designs online at www.kaboom.org. Then a panel of playful judges will look at each submission and rate it in regards to how creative, innovative, practical, comprehensive, age appropriate and fun it is. Once the judges have determined their favorites, KaBOOM! will post the top 5-10 on the website and voting will begin on Monday May 17. The three playground projects with the most votes will receive equipment grants worth up to $5,000 from a KaBOOM! Preferred Vendor. Regardless of who wins, all participants will get expert feedback on their final designs, getting their projects another step closer to success. Click Here for More Information
Six Flags Friends Scholarships (Deadline: April 30)
DoSomething.org has teamed up with Six Flags Friends to award college scholarships to young leaders who are taking action to make their community a better place. Scholarships will be awarded based on past, current and planned action in the community as well as the applicant's passion, commitment and proven leadership skills. Six winners will receive a $1,500 college scholarships. Click Here for More Information
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (Deadline: April 30)
Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. Click Here for More Information
ING Unsung Heroes (Deadline: April 30)
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. Click Here for More Information
DoSomething ASPCA Animal Action Grants (Deadline: April 30)
DoSomething.org and the ASPCA want to support you and your efforts to promote animal welfare. Are you working on project or program that is focused on decreasing animal shelter intake or increasing live release rates? Do you need money to put your ideas into action or take your project to the next level? If you answered, "YES!", you are eligible to apply for an ASPCA Animal Action Grant! 2 outstanding projects will be awarded with $1000 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. 4 projects will be awarded with $500 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. These grants can be used to support ongoing projects or project ideas or to start something new. Click Here for More Information
Target Early Childhood Reading Grants & Arts and Culture in Schools Grants (Deadline: April 30)
Target Early Childhood Reading Grants promote a love of reading and encourage young children to read together with their families by supporting programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations. Click Here for More Information
Target Arts and Culture in Schools Grants help schools and nonprofits bring arts and cultural experiences directly to K-12 students. Programs must have a curriculum component. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools and nonprofit organizations. Click Here for More Information
2010 Take Pride in America National Awards (Deadline: May 7)
Presented annually, the Take Pride in America® National Awards recognize individuals, groups and organizations for outstanding stewardship projects or awareness efforts involving federal, state and local lands and waters. The awards program is open to individuals, groups and organizations that have contributed to the protection and/ or enhancement of America's public lands. Examples of these include public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. For all awards categories, nominations must reflect actual, measurable accomplishments achieved through volunteer service. To be achieved through volunteer service. To be eligible, projects must be "on the ground" activities, rather than advocacy. Nominated projects and efforts must have been started and/ or completed between May 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Click Here for More Information
Habitat for Humanity State Farm Service-Learning Partnership Grants (Deadline: May 15)
Service-Learning Partnership grants provide funds for teachers and schools to develop and implement service-learning projects in partnership with their local Habitat affiliate. For the 20010-2011 school year, teachers and local Habitat affiliates can jointly apply for a one-year grant of up to $7,000 to cover educational expenses associated with the service-learning project. Click Here for More Information
100 Best Communities for Young People (Deadline: June 1)
America's Promise Alliance and the ING Foundation are now seeking entries for the 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The Alliance and the ING Foundation seek to recognize 100 American cities and towns whose top priority is keeping children in school and helping end the nation's dropout crisis through innovative programs that are addressing everyday challenges facing young people and creating better places for them to live and grow. Winning communities receive ational recognition and media exposure, financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event, commemorative awards to be displayed in the community, exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas, and invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts. Interested communities can apply through June 1. Click Here for More Information
Fizwoz Campus Challenge (Deadline: Ongoing)
The fizwoz Campus Challenge is offering ten $500 grants to school organizations that use the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to invite photo and video submissions taken at service projects for possible use by the news media. fizwoz.com is the premier online marketplace for iPhone captured media. Utilizing a state-of-the-art auction engine and cutting-edge mobile applications, fizwoz enables the average citizen to reach all levels of media buyers, from multinational media powerhouses to campus newspapers. Just tell fizwoz how your school organization would use $500 and the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to get students and others with iPhones to submit newsworthy pictures and videos of service projects on GYSD or anytime in April 2010. If they like your plan, your organization will get $500 to take your project and could receive $5,000 in December for the Best Use of Fizwoz by a student group. Click Here for More Information
Thanks to our friends at Youth Service America for compiling this great list!