" Bright Ideas" Grants for Schools

2008 Applications - Download the PDF Version or
Register and Submit Online  Applications open until September 20, 2008.

Thanks to Pacific Gas and Electric Company support, over $200,000 in Bright Ideas grants will be given to schools for outstanding solar energy education projects. Grants of $2,500 and $5,000 grants are available for schools in the PG&E service area. Junior Colleges and Community Colleges may apply for up to $10,000 in grant funds. 

Just as classroom teachers aspire to be great and to create great thinkers, The NEED Project aspires to help teach tomorrow’s leaders about solar energy and the use of renewable energy sources today.  As part of this commitment, NEED partners with PG&E to bring hands-on solar energy activities, classroom curriculum, teacher training, and more to the schools in the PG&E service area. NEED curriculum has been aligned to the California Department of Education content standards and has been in use in many California schools for years. This partnership allows many more California classrooms to participate in a comprehensive energy education program educating teachers and students about the use of solar energy today and the promise of solar energy tomorrow.

Schools meeting the following criteria should apply: 

1. Schools in underserved communities, as determined by the percentage of free meals provided by the school or by such other evidence that the schools submit with their applications.

2. Schools that are located in smaller or rural “hard to reach” communities with limited access to solar photovoltaic systems to date.

3. Schools located in areas that contribute to the geographic diversity of our projects throughout the PG&E service territory.

4. Schools with a sustained commitment to teaching energy and environmental principles.

What’s available?

Apply for $2,500 or $5,000 for innovative classroom resources and for innovative classroom, after-school, extracurricular and summer programs. PG&E will award up to $200,000!

Schools chosen to receive a "Bright Ideas Grant"are asked to designate attendees to attend the training programs provided by the PG&E Solar Schools Program.

Community Colleges and Junior Colleges may apply for grants up to $10,000. 

How do we apply?

The 2008 application is available in PDF and in an Online format to submit directly to us.    

Application deadline September 20, 2008.

Congratulations to the 2008 Spring Bright Ideas Grant Recipients

Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts	Marysville
California High School	San Ramon
Oceano Elementary School	Oceano
Mount Vernon Elementary School	Bakersfield
Rancho Cotate High School	Rohnert Park
E.V. Cain Middle School	Auburn
June Jordan School for Equity	San Francisco
American High School	Fremont
Del Oro High School	Loomis
Bonny Doon Elementary School	Santa Cruz
Martin Luther King Junior School	Seaside
Vallejo Middle School	Vallejo
St. Helena High School	St. Helena
Hayward Elementary School – HUSD	Hayward

 

Need the application emailed or faxed to you? Just call NEED at 800-875-5029 and the application will be faxed to you. Want to submit a hard copy of your application? Fax it to 800-847-1820.

A final report of grant activities for those receiving grants in the first round including photos and documentation is due one year after the receipt of the grant.  Reports should be sent to Mary Spruill, NEED Project, 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, Virginia 20110. 

Anything else?
Create a scrapbook/portfolio of student work resulting from your project and submit to NEED Youth Awards for Energy Achievement April 2009.

Teachers receiving grants will also receive:

NEED Science of Energy Kit (hands-on experiments)
NEED Curriculum Kit
NEED Schools Going Solar curriculum and hands-on kits
Class set of NEED Energy Infobooks
Scholarship to attend a PG&E Solar Schools Workshop.

Sponsorship is provided by:

© Copyright 2007 National Energy Education Development Project. All rights reserved. www.NEED.org