Safe Routes to School Academy Mini-Grants

Safe Routes to School Academy Mini-Grants

Safe Routes to School Academy Mini-Grants – Applications Available March 3

Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition & Activity (PANA) invites all school, community, and municipal professionals to participate in the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Academy, a program that supports the national Safe Routes to School initiative, which aims to make walking and biking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative while encouraging health, physical activity, and safety.

In fall 2007, PennDOT contracted with the Penn State Hershey Center for Nutrition & Activity Promotion to develop a statewide SRTS education and technical assistance program for the state network PANA. Through PANA, the SRTS Academy seeks to:

1. Develop local partnerships among education, health, local government, parents, and public safety representatives;

2. Encourage implementation of supervised walk to school programs (Walking School Bus); and

3. Support the development of physical infrastructure plans for safe walking routes.

The Safe Routes to School Academy is a two-year mini-grant program to support partnership development and coordinate planning and evaluation of SRTS efforts around schools that include kindergarten through eighth grade

The application period for the 2008 SRTS Academy runs March 3 – May 16, 2008. Download a sample application now. SRTS Academy mini-grant winners will be announced during the SRTS Academy Webcast on June 17, 2008.

Two types of mini-grants are available:
1) The Capacity Building Mini-Grant (total $5,000) includes seed money plus a technical assistance provider to guide partnerships through the development of a thorough SRTS action plan.

2) The Education and Encouragement Mini-Grant (total $5,000) includes seed money for communities with an existing basic infrastructure in place that need assistance promoting and educating parents, kids, and community members on walking and biking to school easily and safely.

Enrolled partnerships also receive support from PANA via online training modules, professional development trainings, promotional materials and templates, and technical assistance.

Please forward all questions concerning the Safe Routes to School Academy and mini-grants to Robyn Ricketts, Active Communities Director.