Mattel Announces Continuation of Grant Program to Benefit Children

Deadline for Applications: July 15, 2008

Mattel and the Mattel Children's Foundation have announced they will continue the Mattel Domestic Grantmaking Program, which provides funding for organizations benefiting children in the United States.

Mattel's funding priorities include: programs that directly and effectively impact children with demonstrated needs (physical, financial, emotional, and health- related); preferences to programs with demonstrated results; and organizations that use creative and innovative methods to address a locally defined need directly impacting children.

Preference will be given to organizations or programs that align with Mattel's philanthropic priorities:

1. Learning -- Increasing access to education for under- served children and, in particular, innovative strategies to promote and address literacy;

2. Health -- Supporting the health and well- being of children, with particular emphasis on promoting healthy, active lifestyles; and

3. Girl Empowerment -- Promoting self- esteem in young girls, up to age 12.

Applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax- exempt public charity organizations (or have a fiscal sponsor with tax- exempt status) and must directly serve children in communities within the U.S. Grants
Mattel Grants will range from $5,000 to $25,000 each for one fiscal year. Funds may be applied to programs or general operating costs.

"Grants for Tolerance Programs"

Teaching Tolerance offers grants for programs that engage collaboration between educators, researchers, parents/guardians and student groups that aim to equalize students' experience in schools. Teaching Tolerance Grants have funded Peaceful Playgrounds Programs in past competitions.

Such programs might include equitable discipline policies and practices; consistent educational experience for migrant, homeless or foster-care students; special education advocacy, with emphasis on parent and students' rights; prejudice reduction efforts in racially isolated schools; and equitable school assignment plans.

Maximum Award: $10,000. Eligibility: educators, researchers, parents/guardians and student groups. Deadline for Letter of Inquiry: May 15, 2008.

http://www.tolerance.org/teach/grants/schoolgrants.jsp

This type of grant is perfect for applying for implementing Peaceful Playgrounds. Download our grant template to assist with applying at : http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/grants.htm

Grant Writing Tips from PEP Grant Recipients and Reviewers

Written by the PELINKS4U Staff

One of the most popular sessions at the 2002 AAHPERD Convention was a presentation by last year’s PEP grant recipients. A packed room of PEP hopefuls listened intently in 2003 as their colleagues shared grant-writing tips. The following PEP GRANT REVIEWER FEEDBACK summarizes their suggestions.

This information is provided to you courtesy of PELINKS4U
http://www.pelinks4u.org

ANNOUNCING - PEP GRANTS BLOG

We have a new blog devoted to people working on 2008 PEP Grants.

Go to the new PEP Grants Blog and sign up for a RSS feed or subscribe via an email message to be sent daily to your mailbox.

PEP Grant Application Released!

Last Friday the Department of Education released the 2008 PEP Grant Application.


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides grants to initiate, expand, and improve physical education programs for K–12 students in order to help them make progress toward meeting state standards for physical education.

TYPES OF PROJECTS

Funds may be used to provide equipment and support to enable students to participate actively in physical education activities. Funds also may support staff and teacher training and education.

May we be of assistance? Peaceful Playgrounds provides grant writing assistance. Call Gwyn at 877-444-9888 for more information or visit our PEP Grant Writing Support Section of the Website. http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/grants.htm

General Mills Grant for Peaceful Playgrounds

Source: General Mills
Program: Hamburger Helper’s MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM
Eligibility: Hamburger Helper will give funds directly to the public school, 501(c)(3), or 501(c)(4) entity, such as civic leagues and social welfare organizations, that sponsors an application for funding (“Qualifying Organizations”). Visit www.myhometownhelper.comfor more information.

Purpose: General Mills Sales, Inc. (“General Mills”) and Hamburger Helper are searching for people in your hometown that are raising funds to help the community. Hamburger Helper will fund initiatives to help hometowns across America with monetary grants of up to $15,000.00 per project during the time frame of – March 31, 2008 (“Wave 2”).

Initiatives Supported by MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM:
When evaluating requests, MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM review committee will favor organizations meeting the following criteria:

Demonstrate a need in the broader community
Illustrate a helpful, creative or innovative concept that meets this need
Clearly identify change/s that can be made as a result of receiving the award

More Information: FAQs

Award Information:
Deadline: March 31, 2008
Maximum Award: Up to $15,000
Number Of Awards: Multiple
Period: One year.

Grant Opportunity for Peaceful Playgrounds

NEW CORPORATE FUNDING RESOURCE: SPRINT AHEAD FOR EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM


Through the Sprint Ahead for Education grant program, the Sprint Foundation will award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of resource materials, supplies, equipment and software that facilitates and encourages character education among K-12 students. With a national reach, the program is open to all US public schools (K-12) and US public school districts.

The Sprint Ahead for Education Grant program will accept applications for Character Education programs that promote youth leadership, youth volunteerism, school pride and a positive school culture. Examples of programs that the Sprint Foundation will fund include:

· Costs associated with hosting a youth leadership conferences
· Character education curriculum and character education teacher training
· Direct project related costs for community service/service learning programs
· School improvement projects that serve to enhance and build school pride

District level grants are available for programs ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
School level grants are available for programs ranging from $500-$5,000.

2008 Funding and Grant Application Period:
The Sprint Ahead for Education initiative will award individual school grants up $5,000 and school district grants up to $25,000. In 2008 the Sprint Foundation plans to award up to $600,000 in combined grants to schools and school districts. The grant application period will run from March 3rd - April 15th 2008. Applications for funding must be submitted online at www.sprint.com/citizenship/education/sprintahead

Champions for Healty Kids Grants : Apply Now

Champions for Healthy Kids, a grant program introduced five years ago to encourage kids to eat healthy and stay active, is now accepting grant applications for 2008. The program is open to schools and community groups with innovative programs aimed at improving youth nutrition and fitness. The entry deadline is Jan. 15, 2008. Download application. The program is a partnership of the General Mills (NYSE: GIS) Foundation, the American Dietetic Association Foundation (ADAF) and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness that each year provides grants of $10,000 each to 50 nonprofit organizations.

NIKE Physical Activity Grants

Nike, Inc. -- Physical Activity Grants for Youth Nike, Inc. supports programs that increase and promote physical activity and seeks to: 1) get youth more physically active; 2) get youth involved in the teamwork of sports; and 3) have real, positive and measurable impact. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status in communities where Nike has a significant employee or business presence. Rolling deadline. Contact Nike, Inc. directly for complete program information and application guidelines: NIKE Grants.

EnergyNow Grants for Physical Education and Nutrition

EnergyNow! is an alliance comprised of leading authorities in the physical education, nutrition and fitness technology fields who are committed to reversing today’s alarming childhood obesity epidemic. EnergyNow! is a results-based grant program that will enable schools to combat the alarming trend of obesity in our children. With an emphasis on building physical education and nutrition education programs that are doable, sustainable and effective, EnergyNow! aims to energize 1,000,000 kids in 1,000 schools. For the grant application and more information please visit: http://www.energynow.com/pdf/EnergyNow_RFP.pdf

Nickelodeon: New School Grants Added

Nickelodeon has committed an additional $300,000 in awards to the Let's
Just Play Giveaway for October through December 2007. For more
information, visit www.nick.com/letsjustplay.

Let's Just Play Giveaway Sweepstakes is a unique grant-giving program
that empowers kids to partner with adults for a chance to win $5,000
awards to support fitness, recreation and nutrition programs at their
schools and community-based organization. Kids between the ages of six
and 15 nominate their school or community-based organization by
explaining why they need more resources.

In the past two years, Nickelodeon has awarded $2.2 million in awards to
more than 400 schools and community-based organizations nationwide.
These awards have been used to fund a vast array of projects, including
the purchase of sports equipment for 115 programs, the rebuilding of 114
playgrounds, the support of 41 athletic programs, the purchase of 29
rock climbing walls, and the support of 17 nutrition programs.

Let's Just Play grants have funded numerous Peaceful Playgrounds Programs through out the U.S. Apply Today! www.nick.com/letsjustplay

"Grants Lend a Hand to Public Schools"

www.myhometownhelper.com

General Mills is looking to lend a helping hand to neighborhoods nationwide with its "My Hometown Helper" grant program. Individuals from communities and organizations across America can submit a written essay of 250 words or less describing how the "My Hometown Helper" grant would help improve their community project.

Maximum Award: $15,000.

Eligibility: Requests for funding must be sponsored by a municipal orcivic organization or public school.

Deadline: September 30, 2007.

Let's Just Play Giveaway-Playground/PE Grants

Let's Just Play Giveaway grants is a unique grant-giving program that empowers kids to bring much-needed dollars to enchane physical education, recreation and nutrition programs in their schools and communitites. Kids between the ages of 6 and 15 partner with adults to nominate their school or community-based organization for a chance to win. Each month, at least 20 winners are randomly selected to receive a $5,000 grant. Register at: http://www.nick.com/all_nick/everything_nick/ljp_ghc_registration/index.jhtml

September 29th is the 4th Annual Worldwide Day of Play, sponsored by Nickelodeon, which began its Let's Just Play campaign in 2003. The long-term, nationwide campaign is designed to engage kids in active, healthy lifestyles by giving them the resources they need to get up, get out, and go play. On September 29th, the network will go dark for three hours to give children the message that they should turn off the TV and go outside to play. To learn how you can plan an event for the Day of Play, click on the link above.

Let's Just Play Grant Registration NOW OPEN.

Texas School Funding for Childhood Obesity Battle

State Joins Fight Against Child Obesity

San Antonio Business Journal, July 24, 2007
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is releasing $20 million from the state's coffers to help public and charter schools fight childhood obesity. The new Texas Fitness Now grant program will support in-school physical education, nutrition and fitness programs for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
The grant program will be available over the next two years. The program will be open to schools with a student enrollment that is at least 75 percent economically disadvantaged. Some 700 schools throughout the state will be eligible to apply for grants. More...

For More information click on the Window on Texas Governor's Office

The new 3 R's : Reading, Writing and Running

Last October, Education Minister Gerard Kennedy, of Ontario Canada, announced a mandatory 20-minute minimum of physical activity in schools each day. In addition, schools were invited to take the healthy school challenge by starting a new healthy activity. More than 1,200 schools in Ontario have accepted the challenge. In addition to in-class activities and gym class three times a week, the whole school goes for a 20-minute morning walk in the fall and spring.

* Between 1981 and 1996, the number of obese children in Canada between seven and 13 tripled,according to the Ontario government.

The reasons cited for the mandatory daily physical activity requirement were:

* Ninety-one per cent of chidren and youth do not meet the guidelines set by Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Children and Youth, according to the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institutes and fewer than one-third of paretns are aware of the recommended guidelines.

* A study from the Canadian Journal of Public Health says academic performance is maintained or even enhanced by an increase in a student's level of physical activity.

More on the Canadian physical activity mandate.

For more information on what school interventions and policies on nutrition and physical activity visit Peaceful Playgrounds and download such topics as: Nutrition and Schools -April 2004, Stopping Childhood Obesity- April 2004 and An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure-Feb. 2005.

CA Physical Education Teacher Incentive Funding

The California PE Teacher Incentive Funding supports ongoing incentive grants for school districts to hire more credentialed physical education teachers in elementary and middle schools, (K-8th grade). The purpose of the program is to help address the rising incidence of obesity and its effects by ensuring that schools have trained experts to provide the required number of instructional minutes in physical education. The funds are to be used to hire credentialed staff to help kids develop healthy life-long exercise habits.

$35,000 per school site
Match Requirement	No
Allocation Formula	Recipients are randomly selected and funding is equitably distributed based on the type of school, size, and geographic location.

Applications can be downloaded from the CDE Website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r12/petip06rfa.asp

APPLICATION DEADLINE MAY 3, 2007

PHIT & PEP Bills- Federal Legislation

National Health-Through-Fitness Day in March a success. Advocates walked the halls of Congress campaigning for two physical activity initiatives - the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) and the PHIT (Personal Health Investment Today) Bill.

PEP provides grants to local school districts to purchase equipment and train teachers in innovative physical education methods. The PEP program has successfully enhanced K-12 physical education programs across the country through grants used for training in state-of-the-art health and wellness-based physical education methods which include the addition of new technology such as heart-rate monitors, pedometers, and the acquisition of state-of-the-art PE equipment and facilities.

The PHIT Bill would change current federal tax law to allow for the use of pre-tax dollars to cover expenses related to sports, fitness and other physical activities. Americans could invest up to $1,000 annually to pay for physical activities by investing money in existing pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Medical Savings Accounts (MSA), and/or medical reimbursement arrangements. PHIT would only expand the eligible expenses...it would not increase contribution limits to these accounts.

The consortium asked Congress to approve level funding for PEP in Fiscal Year 2008 -- $73 million. The PHIT Bill, which was introduced this January by U.S. Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL), is in its infancy and needs additional sponsors in both the House and the Senate.

Federal Funding Proposed for Physical Education

Wamp, Simmons pump up exercise for school kids. U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., joined by fitness guru Richard Simmons, on unveiled House legislation aimed at making physical education a part of the federal No Child Left Behind education law’s core curriculum. This year Congress must reauthorize the measure, which uses annual standardized tests to hold schools accountable in science and math. He said the lack of physical activity among the nation’s youth is causing childhood obesity to skyrocket and leading to increased cases of type 2 diabetes and other health problems. Nationwide the rate of child-hood obesity has more than tripled for children between ages 6 and 11, according to a 2005 federal government report. Despite these numbers, schools are cutting back on their physical education budgets because of a need for greater investment in math, reading and science, Rep. Wamp said. But he added that students cannot learn those subjects if they are not healthy. The House bill would amend No Child Left Behind to provide a national guideline for minimum standards for health and fitness in schools. It also would require physical education assessments for students starting in the 2009-10 school year. The bill met with some skepticism from congressional lawmakers, but U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., said the addition of physical education is important because there are health and economic costs associated with obesity that cannot be ignored. He said obesity costs the U.S. economy $100 billion each year. Rep. Kind, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said more fit students would lead to longer attention spans, fewer sick days and higher graduation rates. If enacted the measure would cost $30 million in 2009, $70 million in 2010 and $100 million a year from 2011 through 2013, according to estimates. The bill also would create a best-practices model for schools in the Department of Education and set up a competitive grant program for state agencies seeking to revise their physical education programs. -Edward Lee Pitts, Washington Bureau

CA Arts, Music, and Physical Education Funding $500

The $500 Million in funds provide Districts/schools in California with an important one-time opportunity to invest in physical education and visual and performing arts instructional programs. Funds may be used for professional development, equipment, and supplies for physical education and visual and performing arts in kindergarten through grade twelve.More information is available on the California Department of Education Website at:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/profile.asp?id=951

Project release of the allocation amounts April 13, 2007 according to the Department of Education website.