INDIANA — Educators interested in taking K-12 students on field trips to an Indiana state park or state-managed lake during the 2019-2020 school year can receive financial help through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF).
Grants from the Discover the Outdoors Fund are available for public, private, parochial or home-school educators, according to INRF director Jody Kress.
“The Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and preserve Indiana’s natural legacy,” Kress said. “This grant gives children an adventure that showcases some of Indiana’s natural and cultural treasures and teaches the importance of protecting and preserving them for everyone to enjoy.”
Since the grant program began in 2013, a total of 135 grants have been awarded, providing the opportunity for more than 10,000 students to visit state parks at a reduced cost for schools and students. Indiana has 24 state parks and eight state-managed lakes eligible for field trip funding that will encourage students to learn about Indiana’s fish, forest, wildlife, natural habitats and conservation.
“These trips help children understand how previous generations viewed the significance of Indiana’s natural and cultural resources, and at the same time let them make great memories that they will carry into adulthood,” said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship for the Department of Natural Resources State Parks.
The grant application is at IN.gov/inrf/educate.html. The maximum grant award is $250 per application. Applications must be postmarked by June 30 for the 2019-2020 school year. Applicants will be notified by Sept. 1 regarding potential grant awards.
