FUNDING & PROGRAM RESOURCES

This page is a resource for teachers to find opportunities for funding or existing programs that can your efforts to get students outdoors.

Wheels to Water EGLE Pilot Program

Deadline to Apply - December 18, 2026

Direct link to Application

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is offering transportation grants to help Michigan K–12 schools take students on educational field trips to freshwater ecosystems across the state.

Through the Wheels to Water Pilot Program, eligible schools can receive up to $1,000 in transportation reimbursement for field trips that provide hands-on learning experiences focused on Great Lakes literacy, freshwater ecosystems, and local water challenges.

Students must have opportunities to participate in experiential learning activities that help them better understand Great Lakes water issues and/or explore solutions to local water challenges.

Program Details:

  • Funding: Up to $1,000 per grant

  • Eligibility: Michigan K–12 schools and school districts

  • Eligible expenses: Transportation-related costs for field trips to freshwater ecosystems in Michigan

  • Field Trip Period: August 2026 – May 2027

  • Application Deadline: December 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET, or until available funding is exhausted.

Approximately $81,000 is available through this program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so schools are encouraged to apply early.

Get Out and Learn - Huron Clinton Metroparks

The Metroparks Get Out And Learn (G.O.A.L.) initiative provides scholarships to eligible teachers in under-resourced communities for free environmental education experiences. Scholarships cover all program fees for either a field trip to a Metropark or an in-school outreach program. For field trips, teachers can also receive reimbursement for transportation costs up to $500.

  • Eligibility: Schools must demonstrate that at least 50% of their students are economically disadvantaged, based on data from the Center for Educational Performance and Information.

  • Transportation Reimbursement: Awarded teachers will need to submit a transportation invoice, their school's W-9 form, and a Certificate of Insurance. Instructions will be provided upon receiving a scholarship.

  • Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis for teachers who meet the eligibility requirements.

  • Questions? Contact Jennifer Jaworski, Chief of Interpretive Services, at Jennifer.jaworski@metroparks.com and reference the G.O.A.L. Scholarship.