Contact: Gail Gerhardt, Executive Director, 877-394-9453
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program gives small monetary grants to schools, nature centers, or other non-profit educational organizations for the purpose of establishing outdoor learning centers within the United States and Canada. The grant recipients are those which most successfully reflect the Wild Ones mission to educate and share information about the benefits of using native plants in our landscape and to promote biodiversity and environmentally sound environmentally sound practices.
Established by Wild Ones in 1996, the Wild Ones Seeds for Education (SFE) Program honors our “philosophical compass,” Lorrie Otto. Money for the grant program comes almost entirely from donations from Wild Ones members and other benefactors. The grant program provides cash awards within the United States and Canada primarily for child-centered projects that create native plant landscapes or develop outdoor classrooms, but over the years we have also awarded grants to nature centers, parks and universities.
To be considered for the annual award, non-profit groups such as schools, nature centers, houses of worship, or similar organizations must apply by October 15th.
Recipients for the yearly awards will be chosen by the Seeds for Education judges, a volunteer panel of educators and naturalists. The SFE Nursery Partners, a select group of native nurseries and propagators, also donates seeds and plants to successful grant recipients.
Wild Ones is a national not-for-profit organization with local chapters that teaches about the many benefits of growing native wildflowers in people’s yards.
