- Overview of the more than $700,000 in Green Partners grants awarded
- Upcoming conferences and workshops
- School recycling and sports grant opportunities
- Conservation Crew program for middle schoolers
- Tree curriculum resource for ages 1 to 6 and training webinar
 Hennepin County recently awarded 28 Green Partners grants totaling more than $700,000 to community organizations to engage their audiences in learning about and taking action to protect the environment.
Grantees include nonprofit organizations, community groups, youth programs, congregations, park districts, schools, and community education programs.
Together, these projects will engage more than 9,500 people, including more than 7,500 youth, offer green job employment and training to more than 50 youth, and reach more than 220,000 people with environmental messages.
Most projects funded in this round will engage audiences facing disparities.
The program offers three types of grants:
Environmental action grants
These projects focus on motivating adults to take environmentally friendly actions.
Some actions these grantees will focus on include avoiding single-use disposable plastic products, cleaning out storm drains, reducing use of hazardous products, increasing access to renewable energy and energy efficiency practices, repairing and sharing power tools and electronics, and learning about climate solutions.
Youth environmental education grants
These projects focus on engaging young people in environmental education and stewardship.
Projects will focus on a variety of environmental topics, including climate change, mending and repair, reducing waste, renewable energy, pollinators, sustainable products, sustainable landscaping, tree care, urban agriculture and sustainable food systems, and water conservation and protection.
Youth and educators will be engaged through a variety of activities, including canoeing, caring for aquaponics systems and gardens, curriculum development, field trips, hands-on activities, hikes, printmaking and poetry, puppet shows, studying culture and history, and teacher workshops.
Youth green jobs
The projects in this pilot grant program will offer green jobs education, training, and employment.
A variety of youth training and employment opportunities will be offered by these grantees, including in composting, environmental policy, green infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable business management, sustainable landscaping, urban agriculture, waste prevention and recycling.
For more information, contact Patience Caso at patience.caso@hennepin.us.
Composting workshop reminder
 Wednesday, September 20 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Maple Grove Library, 8001 Main St, Maple Grove
If your organization or school is considering composting or needs tips for your garden compost bin, join a free in-person workshop with a composting and recycling specialist from Hennepin County. Learn how to set up your compost pile, what materials you can compost, and more.
Attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a free compost bin from the county. No purchase necessary. You must be present to win. There is no charge, but registration is required.
Register here.
Attend the Midwest Environmental Education Conference
November 2 to 4 in La Crosse, Wisconsin
 Join colleagues from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin at the 2023 Midwest Environmental Education Conference. The conference, themed Restoring connections to land and each other, will feature local field studies, educational sessions, trainings, and workshops focused on environmental, cultural, and historical interpretation and education.
Learn more and register.
Outdoor learning virtual workshop series
Join other educators for any of these free virtual outdoor learning workshops hosted by the Outdoor Learning Store with 50+ outdoor learning partners. Workshops are one hour long and come jam-packed with ideas, inspiration, and resources.
All workshops are on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and will be recorded for those who cannot attend.
- September 19: Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors
- September 26: Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to Bring Teaching Outdoors
- October 3: Outdoor Learning through Patterns in Nature
- October 17: Connecting Children to Nature through Indigenous Teachings
- November 14: Building Capacity for Outdoor Learning: Introducing a Digital Tool for Success
Learn more and register for a workshop.
Hennepin Youth Sports Grants
Hennepin Youth Sports Grants are available to cities, public school districts, park districts, and watershed districts to improve youth access to sports and recreational activities. Grant awards are available for equipment, facilities, play spaces, and registration fees.
Grants are administered by contract through the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, which evaluates the applications and provides recommendations to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners.
Applications are due by Tuesday, October 17. Learn more and apply.
Sign up for Conservation Crew for middle schoolers
Conservation Crew is a student-led extracurricular program for middle schoolers through Conservation Minnesota. Rooted in service learning, students develop leadership skills by designing and implementing conservation projects to impact their schools and communities. The program provides the support and resources students need to succeed.
The program uses a student-led model, and participants learn about conservation issues that affect their daily lives and feel empowered to find solutions. Each crew decides on its own interests and is given the resources to create a plan that fits its needs, including a $3,000 teacher stipend, connection to Conservation Minnesota staff, and industry experts.
If your school is interested, complete the online registration. Space is limited.
Reduce waste and improve recycling at your school
 Grants are available for K-12 schools to start or improve programs to reduce waste and keep recycling and organic materials, including food and non-recyclable paper, out of the trash. See the grant flyer with program overview (PDF).
Funding can be used for staff time for project implementation as well as to purchase equipment and supplies including recycling and organics recycling containers, sorting stations, reusable food service ware, and bulk condiment dispensers.
Schools can apply for grants of up to $15,000 until Wednesday, November 15, or until the annual program budget is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
Learn more and apply on the school recycling web page.
Webinar and curriculum: Project Learning Tree’s Trees & Me
For families and teachers of kids ages 1 to 6
 How do you create fun, authentic outdoor learning experiences for the littlest learners in your life? In this webinar, hosted by the Natural Start Alliance and Project Learning Tree (PLT), you will explore activities from PLT’s newest resource for parents and educators of young children, Trees & Me. Whether you’re dipping your toe into outdoor learning or you're an experienced outdoor educator seeking tried and true activities for Earth Day and beyond, this webinar is for you!
Each activity in Trees & Me is designed so it’s easy to recreate in your setting. Activities are connected to early learning standards as well as NAEYC and Head Start.
The following organization received a Hennepin County Green Partners grant. The grants provide training, support, and funding to organizations to implement projects that engage residents to learn about, protect, and improve the environment.
Buzz Fest
Saturday, September 16 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Moir Park in Bloomington, 10320 Morgan Ave S. Bloomington
 Buzz Fest will showcase steps anyone can take to transform their yards into habitats that attract birds, butterflies, bees, and insects. There will be presentations on a range of topics including habitat restoration, climate change, youth environmental action, native plants, and more. This event is hosted by Altlawns of Richfield and Bloomington, a Hennepin County Green Partners grantee.
American Sign Language (ASL) and Spanish interpreters will be available for the duration of the event.
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