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Public Involvement & Education
Updates
All five PIE Round 9 projects successfully completed all tasks and closed on September 30, 2011. For details, see the "PIE Summaries" link below.
Dates for the next round of PIE have not been set.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Sarah Woodard at swoodard@waterboards.ca.gov.
We recommend that you check here on our website for PIE updates, and please join our mailing list to be notified about upcoming PIE funding opportunities.
History
PIE Summaries - A table of the 93 PIE projects funded between 1993 to present.
Overview
Since 1994, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission (SMBRC) has offered Los Angeles communities a unique way to get involved in protecting and restoring the Bay – the Public Involvement and Education (PIE) Program. The PIE Program encourages and supports the development of new and innovative public involvement and education projects. The over-arching goal of the PIE program is to educate the people who live, work, and play in the Santa Monica Bay watershed about ways to restore and protect the Bay and watershed. PIE projects raise awareness of Bay-related issues by engaging people in active programs to protect the Bay by fostering a sense of stewardship for their local communities.
Types of projects include: volunteer events, citizen monitoring programs, hands-on educational activities, residential hazardous waste collection; as well as other outreach methods including workshops, conferences, tours, exhibits, posters, brochures, etc.
Two important components of successful PIE projects are:
1) Connecting with the desired target audience using techniques best suited to their method(s) of learning, and
2) Building partnerships with other organizations, agencies, environmental groups, or people who share an interest in Santa Monica Bay.
SMBRC encourages applicants to target their projects to reach specific audiences such as their own constituencies, students, cultural communities, and small businesses.
Basics
Anyone may apply for PIE grants, except state and federal agencies.
A round of PIE funding is typically initiated every 1-2 years. For each new round, the SMBRC identifies its current top watershed educational priorities that address the public information needs identified in SMBRC’s Bay Restoration Plan. Each round of PIE is preceded with the release of a PIE "Request for Proposals" (RFP), which describes the format, guidelines, and criteria necessary for submitting a 2-page proposal to SMBRC.
The maximum funding possible for an eligible project varies according to the total amount of funds available to award recipients, but typically ranges between $10,000-$15,000.
One of the main objectives of the PIE Program is to increase and diversify educational outreach efforts throughout the watershed. Thus, priority is given to "new" programs - programs in their second year or less. However, well-established programs are eligible and encouraged to apply for funding.
If you have additional questions about the PIE Program, do not hesitate to contact Sarah Woodard at (213) 576-6641 or swoodard@waterboards.ca.gov, or contact the SMBRC at (213) 576-6615 or smbrc@waterboards.ca.gov.
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