http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/ en Youth Investment Program Copyright 2011 2011-10-13T17:41:33+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/steves-interview-on-teens-and-nature/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/steves-interview-on-teens-and-nature/ Just recently, the FYI’s Executive Director, Steve Hagler was interviewed on Sacramento & Company to share the results from a survey sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, Toyota USA Foundation and The Foundation for Youth Investment. Steve got to share some of his insights and The Foundation for Youth Investment’s objective to get youth outdoors; why it’s important and what some of the barriers with host Guy Farris. Watch the video and tell us what you think!  2011-10-13T17:41:33+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/meet-our-new-staff-member-miriam-traore/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/meet-our-new-staff-member-miriam-traore/ Greetings, My name is Miriam Traore and I was born and raised in San Francisco’s Mission District, a primarily Latino neighborhood that greatly contributed to my understanding of the world and how important diversity is. After graduating from Lowell High School, I went on to study Global Literature at UC Santa Cruz. While at the university I was able to spend a year abroad in France, before graduating with honors. Post graduation, I began working at a child welfare organization in the Bay Area. This time at the organization helped me to discover that I was deeply committed to… 2011-10-06T22:00:17+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/monday-kqed-forum-on-adventure-education/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/monday-kqed-forum-on-adventure-education/ Josh Brankman of Outward Bound Bay Area, Ernesto Pepito of the Crissy Field Center and Rue Mapp of the Foundation for Youth Investment (and Stewardship Council), what could be bad? Adventure Education Mon, Jun 20, 2011—10:00 AM This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Outward Bound program in the United States. Outward Bound instructors take people into challenging wilderness settings, which students say helps them realize they can do more than they thought possible. We discuss Outward Bound and programs like it. Host: Michael Krasny Guests: Ernesto Pepito, senior youth leadership specialist for the Golden Gate National… 2011-06-20T05:32:25+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/grant-applications-soon-tomorrow-and-next-friday/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/grant-applications-soon-tomorrow-and-next-friday/ Applications for 2011 Round 2 Catalyst Fund are Due Tomorrow! Catalyst Fund Round 2 applications are due (Tomorrow) Friday, June 3, 2011. Great opportunity for funding to get your youth outdoors, if your organization has an annual operating budget UNDER $250,000. To learn more about the Catalyst Fund Round 2 Application Click Here.* Applications for 2011 Round 2 Impact Fund are Due Next Friday! Impact Fund Round 2 applications are due (Next)  Friday, June 10, 2001.  Great opportunity for funding to get your youth outdoors, if your organization has an annual operating budget OVER $250,000. 2011-06-02T15:25:15+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/june-3rd-infrastructure-grant-workshop-teleconference-for-infrastructure-fu/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/june-3rd-infrastructure-grant-workshop-teleconference-for-infrastructure-fu/ Grant Workshop Teleconferences for Infrastructure Fund The Stewardship Council is offering two opportunities for Grantseekers to attend our Infrastructure Fund Teleconference Grant Workshop. If you are interested in applying to the Infrastructure Fund, we highly recommend attending one of these informational sessions. The workshops provide background information on the fund and provide insights to writing stronger proposals. The two dates and times are: Friday, June 3rd 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 22nd 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions, please RSVP… 2011-06-01T22:59:06+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/please-join-the-stream-team-in-kicking-off-the-8th-year-monitoring-water-qu/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/please-join-the-stream-team-in-kicking-off-the-8th-year-monitoring-water-qu/ On May 14th from 9am-12pm you can join the Water Quality Monitoring Big Chico Creek Watershed Citizen Monitoring Program!            The Stream Team began collecting baseline watershed water quality data and educating local students about watershed health in 2004, and established the Big Chico Creek Watershed Citizen Monitoring Program to facilitate community involvement in tracking the health of Big Chico Creek. Water quality at 10 watershed locations is monitored monthly during May-October, and also during winter storm events.  Sampling and lab protocols meet California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and EPA… 2011-05-06T22:13:46+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/nominate-brower-youth-award-nominees/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/nominate-brower-youth-award-nominees/ From Anisha Deai of the Brower Youth Awards: The 12th Annual Brower Youth Award application deadline is FAST APPROACHING! All applications must be submitted by May 16, 2011 9:00 pm PST. That means, you’ve got about 2 weeks to put together a winning application to net a $3,000 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip to San Francisco to speak at an inspirational award ceremony, media coverage and year-round support. Are YOU an eco-activist between 13-22? Do you know an eco-activist? If so, get moving on that application! Tell us how you’ve helped build the green movement, in your… 2011-05-02T15:49:30+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/deadline-this-friday-to-apply-for-2500-from-planet-explore/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/deadline-this-friday-to-apply-for-2500-from-planet-explore/ A Note from Brook Shinsky of The North Face Hello! I wanted to reach out to you to let you know that our first round call for applications for 2011 Explore Fund grants is coming to a close on 4/15/2011, and we don’t have nearly the amount of applicants we thought we would!  If you know of any organizations that work to connect youth to the outdoors please spread the word that small funding grants are available!  Also, each organization can apply more than once for a) each program that needs funding b) each region they have a chapter… 2011-04-12T05:03:24+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/exciting-affordable-camping-opportunity/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/exciting-affordable-camping-opportunity/ Girls Scouts Norcal has affordable indoor and camping options in the Pescadero area and in Marin County. There are facilities for all different types of activities and events. At their camps you can experience the adventure of cooking out, sleeping in a cabin or tent, gazing at the stars or leaning about nature. The pricing is very affordable for non-profits and schools groups! For example: Camping for 20-25 people is $50/night and a hostel rental for up to 45 people is $285/night. Camp Skylark, near Pigeon Point Lighthouse, has a low and high ropes course as well as tent… 2011-03-03T17:34:41+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/staff-exploring-the-outdoors/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/staff-exploring-the-outdoors/ Dear Community, My name is Erica Spacher, and I am pleased to share that I am the newest member of the Youth Investment Program here at the Stewardship Council! I come to the Stewardship Council after working almost five years in local government and with a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelors Degree in Communication. I also have a deep passion for exploring the outdoors.  As a native Californian, I have had many memorable childhood memories camping in places such as Lake Lindsey, Big Basin among many other California destinations. There is one special outdoor experience… 2011-03-03T17:27:56+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/goo/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/goo/ Led by Google Earth experts, this workshop will show how to create compelling visualizations of your work and provide practical advice for training others within your organization on these tools. The session will offer hands-on training in a “train-the-trainer” format for Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Fusion Tables, and other free Google applications that can amplify your environmental work.  Google Earth Outreach collaborates with NGOs and change-makers around the world to harness these powerful technologies to serve the common good—mitigating climate change by reducing carbon emissions, halting mountaintop removal, saving… 2010-12-11T00:03:17+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/oprah-visits-yosemite/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/oprah-visits-yosemite/ Oprah’s Visit to Yosemite: Why is it Relevant to the Field? There is no doubt that Oprah and Gayle’s visit to Yosemite was the nudge our National Parks and the outdoor education field needed to captivate the attention of a new audience and inspire them to consider spending time outdoors. It was Yosemite Park Ranger Shelton Johnson who appealed to Oprah over two years ago out of his concern about the low numbers of African-Americans who visit the national parks each year. According to him, out of the 280 million tourists who come from all over the world, a… 2010-11-15T16:02:56+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/mary-adelzadeh-stewardship-council-employee-singled-out-for-environmental-l/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/mary-adelzadeh-stewardship-council-employee-singled-out-for-environmental-l/ The Stewardship Council Youth Investment program is proud to announce that Stewardship Council Land Conservation Specialist Mary Adelzadeh is one of 40 recipients of a national fellowship that will boost the number of hands-on conservation opportunities available to young people across the United States, and advocate for innovative neighborhood approaches to renewable energy. Adelzadeh’s $10,000 TogetherGreen fellowship will allow her to examine Native American best practices of the past and present that will help promote conservation leadership among Native American youth. She will work with Native American youth providers to identify program elements that are most useful in encouraging cultural… 2010-10-19T12:40:25+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/invite-to-richard-louv-informal-gathering-thursday-september-30th/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/invite-to-richard-louv-informal-gathering-thursday-september-30th/ Richard Louv Talk Thursday September 30th Come hear Richard Louv speak on September 30, an event to support the Tuolumne River Trust. The Louv program will be interactive and broadcast via livestream to a concurrent event being held in Modesto. Informal Gathering Bay Area Prior to the talk, from 5 to 6:15 p.m., you are invited to an informal social Happy hour with us at Cantina (580 Sutter street at Mason) to socialize, network and a chance to meet Rue Mapp, Stewardship Council’s new program officer. (You… 2010-09-27T16:00:37+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/more-funding-opportunities/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/more-funding-opportunities/ Rue Mapp Program Officer Dear Community, Connecting underrepresented communities to the transformative benefits of the outdoors that promote health and environmental stewardship is my life’s mission. This is why I was delighted to join the Stewardship Council as its Youth Investment Program Officer. Growing up in Oakland, California, I know first-hand how experiential programs can have a profound effect on a young person’s life. Had I not been exposed to outdoor programs at Yosemite National Park, the Marin Headlands, and local conservation summer job opportunities as a youth, I would have never had the chance to develop a lifelong… 2010-09-07T22:18:17+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/rue-mapp-joins-youth-staff-as-program-officer/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/rue-mapp-joins-youth-staff-as-program-officer/ The Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship, a collaborative land conservation and youth investment foundation today announced the appointment of Rue Mapp to the position of Youth Investment program officer with the Stewardship Council’s Youth Investment team. She started in her new capacity on Aug. 16. Mapp brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience to promote health, youth development and environmental stewardship. She is the founder of Outdoor Afro, a community that reconnects African-Americans with natural spaces and one another through recreational activities such as camping, hiking, biking, fishing, gardening, and skiing, using social media to create… 2010-08-23T18:05:44+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/doi-youth-listening-session-in-berkeley-friday-july-23rd/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/doi-youth-listening-session-in-berkeley-friday-july-23rd/ Dear Colleagues, This is an excellent opportunity to have the youth you are working with to tell top officials of the Obama Administration what they think should be done to get more youth into the outdoors. Yours, The Youth Investment Program America’s Great Outdoors Youth Listening Session Please join us for a conversation on the future of America’s Great Outdoors at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, California this Friday, July 23 from 4:00pm-6:00pm.  We encourage you to respond by Wednesday, July 21st.  Please send your name, email… 2010-07-20T00:12:13+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/natural-leaders-network-toolkit-just-released/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/natural-leaders-network-toolkit-just-released/ Here’s a message from the Children and Nature Network about their Natural Leaders Network, which brings together young people from throughout the nation to work on connecting children and nature.I was in New York for the Outdoor Nation Youth Summit and had the opportunity to get a copy of the toolkit. I think many of our youth will find the information valuable and relevant. The Natural Leaders Network is proud to announce the release of the Natural Leaders Network Toolkit. This past Saturday, June 19th, 2010 the Natural Leaders Network officially launched… 2010-06-29T23:35:08+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/invite-to-review-initiative-fund-letters-of-inquiry/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/invite-to-review-initiative-fund-letters-of-inquiry/ The Stewardship Council invites you to review and comment on the Letters of Inquiry (LOIs)* that we are invited to submit full proposals for the Initiative Fund. The organizations that wrote these LOIs will have the opportunity to learn from your collective insights as they develop their full applications. The Initiative Fund is designed to support ventures that eliminate frequently-cited barriers to connecting young people with the outdoors. Grantees will create initiatives that demonstrate their ability to reduce regional or systemic barriers and that will have a ripple effect in their community and region. Grantees in the Initiative Fund… 2010-06-07T21:13:24+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/angie-chens-transition/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/angie-chens-transition/ As you can read in her note below, at the end of June,  Angie Chen will be leaving the Stewardship Council to become a Program Officer at another Foundation. As part of the Youth Investment Program, Angie brought great energy and enthusiasm to our work and in her relationships with Stewardship Council colleagues and Grantseekers. In less than a year, Angie quickly became an integral part of our youth staff and she will be sorely missed. Her new position is a terrific opportunity and we wish her all the best. We have already started our search for her replacement. If… 2010-06-02T19:50:01+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/playful-job-volunteers-help-build-playground-at-pinto-lake-county-park/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/playful-job-volunteers-help-build-playground-at-pinto-lake-county-park/ Last year we provided a grant to help rebuild the playground at Pinto Park in Santa Cruz County. The following article was from a recent edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper. It discusses a recent event that brought volunteers together to help with the construction. You can see the report online at: santacruzsentinel.com Playful job: Volunteers help build playground at Pinto Lake County Park - Sentinel staff report Posted: 05/08/2010 01:30:21 AM PDT WATSONVILLE—Thousands of people visit Pinto Lake County Park each year. For the youngest visitors, there’s a treat in store. On Friday, volunteers from… 2010-05-25T19:46:48+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/2010-catalyst-fund-awards/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/2010-catalyst-fund-awards/ We are pleased to announce our 2010 Catalyst and Impact Fund Round 1 awards, totaling almost $300,000. These grant awards are very competitive and we received many great proposals. The programs listed here deserve a hearty round of applause for the great work they are doing to connect underserved youth to the outdoors. 2010 Catalyst Fund Round 1 Awards CommunityGrowshttp://www.koshlandgarden.blogspot.com  $10,000 to support the BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employed Teens-formerly the BEET Rangers) program that inspires and educates teens to be environmentally engaged and to develop practical and personal skills to become environmental leaders… 2010-05-24T07:49:10+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/one-week-left-to-apply-to-attend-outdoor-nation-youth-summit/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/one-week-left-to-apply-to-attend-outdoor-nation-youth-summit/ OUTDOOR NATION YOUTH SUMMIT AND FESTIVAL JUNE 19 & 20 CENTRAL PARK, NYC GET OUT. STAND OUT. SPEAK OUT.  On June 19 and 20, Outsiders from Outdoor Nation will join together for the world’s first two-day Outdoor Youth Summit and Festival in New York City’s famed Central Park. This event will unite young people from across the country with a common mission: to champion the outdoors and start a youth-driven movement. This next American Revolution will harness the passion, energy and ideas of a new generation that is eager to influence the future and stand up for… 2010-05-14T20:55:47+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/sacramento-based-foundation-young-leaders-wanted-ages-14-16/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/sacramento-based-foundation-young-leaders-wanted-ages-14-16/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Young Leaders Wanted (ages 14-16) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear VIBE Supporter: The VIBE Foundation thevibefoundation.org is currently accepting applications from youth who would like to join the VIBE youth Leadership Board.  This is a fantastic opportunity for youth to develop leadership skills, make new friends, and get in on the ground level of an innovative project. If chosen as a Leadership Board member, applicants can expect to contribute 1-5 hours per week volunteering as a youth advocate for VIBE. We are seeking youth with excellent verbal or written communication skills, a track record of… 2010-04-28T22:10:05+00:00 http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/all-nonprofits-must-file-a-form-990/ http://youth.stewardshipcouncil.org/blog/all-nonprofits-must-file-a-form-990/ The IRS Reminds Tax-Exempt Organizations of All Sizes to File the Form 990 on Time to Preserve Their Tax Exempt Status IR-2010-10, Jan. 21, 2010 WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded tax-exempt organizations to make sure they file their annual information form on time. In 2010 the tax-exempt status of any non-profit that has not filed the required form in the last three years will be revoked. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 requires that non-profit organizations that do not file a required information form for three consecutive years automatically lose their Federal tax-exempt status.… 2010-04-23T20:22:54+00:00