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Mini-Grants

BeviFrog

Celebrate Urban Birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology invites organizations and educators to apply for mini-grants to help fund neighborhood events in communities everywhere.  

Celebrate Urban Birds is a free year-round project that collects information from everyday people about 16 species of birds that may be found in urban areas.


Applications for the 2011 minigrants will open in December, 2010, sign up for our e-newsletter to find out when.  You will fill out your application on-line.  Prepare by learning about the Celebrate Urban Birds project.  Do the 10-minute bird observation.


 

 Singing

 

Winning applications will:

  • participate in a videoconference to understand the Celebrate Urban Birds minigrant requirements, payment schedule, documentation
  •  hold a Celebrate Urban Birds event in 2011
    • introduce the public/youth to birds
    • collect Celebrate Urban Birds data and inspire others to observe birds and collect data
    • distribute Celebrate Urban Birds kits (with posters, seeds for planting, and more)
    • integrate the arts
    • integrate gardening/habitat creation
    • get people outside
  • submit a short final report and share pictures with photo releases

Mini-grants average $250 - $500

Organizations working with underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

No experience with birding needed.

What is a Celebrate Urban Birds event?   These are neighborhood events featuring activities involving birds, community service, art, greening, and science.  Celebrate Urban Birds mini-grants could be used to support a bird-activity day at a local museum, afterschool, library, or community center, or fund art and gardening activities at your club, business, school, senior center, or neighborhood. We want to see what new ideas inspire you! 

What does "collect Celebrate Urban Birds data" mean? Participants spend 10 minutes watching birds in their neighborhood and report their observations online at www.CelebrateUrbanBirds.org. This information helps scientists better understand how birds survive in cities and make use of greens spaces, including parks and gardens.

 Why hold a Celebrate Urban Birds event? Connecting the arts, music, dance, and gardening with birds and science leads people into deeper observation of nature, helps them enjoy the magic inherent in birds, and

3rd grade sculptures 1

reduces stress. Connecting with nature in YOUR city is good for birds AND good for your neighborhood!

 

For examples of the mini-grants awarded in 2008 click here.

                                                                                                                    Pine Hills Elementary, Albany, NY

CrotonaBlackDuck


For more information, please contact Celebrate Urban Birds: urbanbirds@cornell.edu

 



What is our criteria for awarding mini-grants?

  • We like the project
  • A local artist or musician is part of the event
  • Data collection is part of your plan! (Learn more about collecting data through Celebrate Urban Birds --it's easy)
  • Small is good, big is good, too.  So is medium.
  • Are you in your neighborhood...seeing and learning about local birds is more important to us than elaborate field trips.
  • We feel the project has been well-planned and that it's really going to happen. We like down-to-earth more than pie-in-the-sky
  • You can show us how you plan to spend the money you receive.  Break it down a little and show us realistic expenses. Nothing fancy; just show us you've done a little planning and research.