1. What can we do with an MMPWest grant?
Youth groups can create and execute a project designed to help the Monarch butterfly. Sample projects include, but are not limited to, starting and maintaining a butterfly garden, restoring Monarch habitat in a local park, participating in a tagging program, going on a Monarch related field trip or creating an educational program about Monarchs.

2. How much funding is available?
Youth groups can request up to $1000 for their project. Distribution of the money will come shortly after you are notified that you have received the award.

3. When is the proposal/application due?
The grant application must be postmarked by Friday March 21, 2003. Applications with a postmark after March 21, 2003 will be considered on a first-come basis. To be sure you postmark your materials on time, we suggest you go directly to the post office to drop off the mail before March 21, 2003.

4. Who is eligible to submit proposals?
Any high school-aged youth group west of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico can submit a proposal. Your youth group should have at least one adult mentor to help move the project along. The group can be a pre-established group such as a YESC (YMCA Earth Service Corp) or another formed environmental youth group.

5. How do the grants get picked?
The projects that are funded will:
a. Make a difference for the Monarch butterfly as a species
b. Be initiated and executed by youth
c. Have clear and attainable goals
d. Allow youth to become active and develop valuable leadership skills
e. Continue the project after the money is used
f. Help Monarch Migration Project West attain its goals of creating a network, acting as a resource, and increasing awareness about Monarch butterflies

6. How will proposals be reviewed?
Proposals must be complete to be eligible for review. Be sure to answer all the questions. A committee of YMCA staff, education specialists, butterfly researchers and youth will review the proposals and make their decisions based on the criteria listed above (see number 5).

7. How will we be notified of the status of the proposal?
Once we receive your proposal, we will notify you by mail that we have it. We will contact the groups that are awarded the money by telephone. All others will receive a letter in the mail within a week of our decisions in early March 2003.

8. What happens if we don’t get the grant?
So you didn’t get the grant, this time. However, this does not mean your group cannot become part of the network of youth throughout the west participating in Monarch projects. MMPWest will still act as a resource for your group. We will also encourage you to consider other methods of getting your project off the ground.

Click here to go to download the pdf version of the application.

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