This project provides funding to city parks foundation, INC

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 awarded City Parks Foundation a $165,309 Project Grant under the Environmental Education Grants Program (CFDA 66.951) effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. The grant funds the design, demonstration, and dissemination of environmental education practices targeting freshman and sophomore high school students across the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. City Parks Foundation delivers in-depth after-school and summer programming led by paid interns and supplemented by five confirmed sub-awardee organizations, each providing specialized environmental expertise. The program is designed to increase environmental literacy, foster understanding of climate change and environmental stewardship, and equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions and take responsible environmental action.

The sub-awardees deliver focused educational content in their respective areas of specialization: Bee Conservancy raises student awareness of pollinator importance and environmental conservation; Trees New York provides in-depth tree identification and stewardship training; Human Impacts Institute facilitates interactive workshops on creative pollution solutions; Natural Areas Conservancy offers forest, wetland conservation, and street tree care participation opportunities; and Switch Energy Alliance improves student energy literacy. Program deliverables include enrollment of 25 students at each of the four sites beginning Fall 2025, with anticipated expansion through the project period ending December 2027.

To implement its project, which will design, demonstrate, and disseminate environmental education practices, methods, and techniques, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in new york city, specifically in high schools in the bronx, queens, brooklyn, and manhattan. The grantee will do this by creating in-depth afterschool and summer programming that reinforces and builds students; knowledge and understanding about climate change and environmental stewardship. One of this project's goals is to help children understand their environment and foster the next generation of environmental stewards. Activities:this project will increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues in youth attending schools in bronx, kings, queens, and new york counties, and provide freshman and sophomore highschoolers the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. Activities to be performed during this project period include: after-school and summer intensive programming led by paid interns and supplemented with the confirmed sub awardees who are experts in their line of environmental work. Subrecipient:subrecipients BEE conservancy will raise students awareness of the importance of bees, pollinators, and environmental conservation in NYC; trees new york will go in depth on tree identification and stewardship, human impacts institute will offer interactive workshops to guide students to think of creative solutions to pollution and other environmental stressors, natural areas conservancy will provide opportunities to participate in the forest and wetland conservation as well street tree care, switch energy alliance will improve students energy literacy. Outcomes:IT is anticipated that this project will result in the following deliverables: fall 2025: enroll 25 students at each of the four sites, spring 26, fall 26, and spring 27 25 students at each site for total of 180 and 200 in the first and second school years. The summer program will enroll students into 16 field experiences and 18 service learning projects. (8 in year 1 and 10 in year 2. Expected outcomes of the project include: short-term outcome includes: an increased understanding of curriculum topics such as: climate effects, urban forests, and urban water. Medium- and long-term outcomes are expected to be 20 students returning as repeat participants and 3 returning as interns. The intended beneficiaries include high school students in the NYC areas and beyond.