School Yard Habitat

For the past seven years, Keep Mesquite Beautiful has offered up to $500 to local elementary and middle schools wishing to participate in the School Yard Habitat Project.

Winners for 2007 are:

Thompson Elementary and Floyd Elementary

The program is designed to encourage students to engage in projects that educate youth, encourage environmental protection and support the beautification of schools and our community. The proposed project or program may be completed by an entire school, by a grade level, individual classroom or by a group, such as a Science Club. If you’re interested in getting your school involved, a cost estimate along with a proposal, which describes the protection and nurturing of the environment as well as the beautification of the campus, must be submitted.

It is the desire of KMB to make our MISD students caretakers of our community’s environment. Proposals will be accepted each spring and fall. Schools will be selected on the basis of the proposal meeting the guidelines. Schools receiving grant money last year for this project will be eligible; however, they will need to send an update and pictures if available of the previous year’s project.

The School Yard Habitat Grants range from $100 to $500 per funded proposal. The number of proposals funded will depend on the number of proposals received, the quality of the proposals and how well the proposals meet the program criteria. Proposals may be mailed or hand delivered. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.

Grant Proposals must include the following items:

• Cover Sheet (provided in this packet)
• Proposal Letter/Description that is no more than two pages in length
  • Please include your school/program name on each page of the proposal


• Cost Estimate/Budget>/
• Photographs of project area - "Before" photos
  • Photographs will not be returned and may be submitted as prints, on CD or printed on 8.5 x 11 paper.


• Diagram/Sketch of proposed project
  • Diagram should be completed by the students who will be involved in the project


• Picture or Letter of interest from up to three students who will be involved with the project
  • Pictures or letters should demonstrate the student’s excitement, interest or reason for being involved with the project.

The proposals and projects received in the past, have been wonderful promoters of beautification and environmental education. We are excited to work with each of you again this year! Suggestions for the projects may be found on the National Wildlife Foundation website at http://www.nwf.org/schoolyard or on the Texas Smartscape website at www.txsmartscape.com.