2022-2023 PROGRAM GENERAL RULES AND GUIDELINES

Grant Application Period:

• Web based applications are available on the MEEC website beginning August 28, 2022. The application period will close October 31, 2022. No applications will be accepted after 11:59 PM on October 31, 2022.

Review and Awarding Grants

• Applications will be reviewed in the order they were received beginning in mid-November and will be notified via email by December 31, 2022. All qualifying applications will be reviewed for funding consideration.
• Only one EBB grant per teacher will be awarded. Once the application review has been completed, grant applicants will be notified via email of their application status.
• If funds have been awarded: teachers will be notified via email and proceed as further outlined in this document. Non-awardees will be notified via email indicating why the application was denied. Funds for transportation and virtual presenters will be processed for reimbursement once an invoice from the school/district has been received by MEEC.
• If there are remaining funds available after all eligible applicants have been awarded, multiple grants may be awarded to a single teacher that has met all the requirements. Multiple grant awards MAY NOT BE USED ON THE SAME DAY. Applications will be rereviewed based on the order they were received.
• Please note:
  • MEEC does not directly pay transportation companies.
  • Funds will not be awarded for trips scheduled or taken before applicants are notified of grant status.

FOR IN-PERSON FIELD TRIPS:

• Applications must include a copy of the actual school district round trip transportation cost from your school to your requested sites (including tour time and departure/arrival times). If you are unable to secure a written estimate from your transportation department or bus company, google map or similar map print out that includes roundtrip mileage as described above, and the transportation cost (including per hour or per mile break down) will be accepted. MEEC is not liable for unscheduled stops or additional charges incurred that were not requested in the original grant application submitted. Round-trip mileage traveled by bus from the school to host site and back may not exceed 350 miles.
• Applications may not request more than three (3) busses. Due to the high cost of fuel, school district transportation should be used for all trips. Exceptions may apply and MEEC should be notified immediately. MEEC is not responsible for district bus services and does not approve/disapprove which school transportation service your school district chooses to use, but the MEEC Executive Board reserves the right to approve/disapprove the use of charter bus services on a case-by-case basis.
• Local, State and individual site health and safety protocols are subject to change. These changes may result in postponement/cancellation of trip at host site/school/district discretion.  If for any reason the site awarded is unable to accommodate the school, MEEC staff will work with the teachers to make alternate arrangements.

FOR VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS:

• Applications must include program requested from site and program cost (ex: California Science Center – Life Science – Diverse World, $250)

General Grant Rules and Guidelines

The EnviroBus Buck (EBB) Transportation Grant Program provides grants for school bus excursions, offering students the opportunity to learn about their environment by using a hands-on approach during visits to sites which promote environmental stewardship. The grant covers bus transportation fees only.  Lunch/meals, entrance fees, and substitute teacher fees are not covered.  

1. Field trips must be used on same day and cannot be divided into multiple days for any reason without first receiving prior authorization from the MEEC. To do so will forfeit your grant and no monies will be paid.
2. Determining Grant Award Sites: Teachers must select a 1st and 2nd choice of where they would like to visit. Sites must be on the 2022-2023 Approved In-Person or Virtual Host Site list. MEEC’s EnviroBus Buck Committee determines which site applicants will be awarded based upon the overall total cost of all choices, then makes the selection to best maximize the available budget.
3. Grant recipients are responsible for coordination of all travel arrangements, which include but are not limited to:

• Obtaining District and/or School Approval
• Coordinating the field trip date with the host site contact personnel.
• Notifying MEEC of planned field trip date or if trip is unable to be taken.
• Notify MEEC immediately of any problems with visiting awarded host site. Visiting a site that was not authorized in your award notification, for any reason without prior MEEC approval, will result in non-payment from MEEC.
• Providing a minimum of one adult chaperone for every ten students attending the field trip or the minimum amount specified by the host site. If sufficient chaperons are not provided, the host site may cancel the trip at their discretion and no funds will be paid by MEEC.

4. Grant recipients are responsible for ensuring that MEEC is billed for their trip no later than June 30, 2023.  Failure to submit invoice and receipts (as applicable) by the deadline may result in applicant being ineligible for a grant the following school year. Invoice must include applicant name, school, site and date of trip to process payment. Missing information will cause a delay in processing as the invoice will be returned to the requestee for completion.  Invoices may be submitted to MEEC by mail at: 14306 Park Ave., Victorville, CA 92392 or by email at  meec@mdaqmd.ca.gov
5. EnviroBus Buck Transportation Grants must be scheduled to occur within the school year the grant is awarded. If for any reason the grant is not used in the school year it is awarded, allocated funds will be forfeited.
6. Grant recipients may transfer/share the grant to/with another educator from the same school site. However, the original number of buses requested may not be exceeded nor the destination site changed. Please notify MEEC of any such changes immediately. You must notify MEEC immediately if you are exchanging sites with another teacher from your school.  MEEC is not liable to cover these charges without prior MEEC authorization for the change.
7. Liability Clause: MEEC and its agents are released from any and all liabilities which may arise from participation in an EnivroBus Bucks funded field trip. MEEC field trip liability forms are required for each student and must be submitted one week prior to the scheduled field trip or grant may be forfeited.
8. Grant recipients are required to submit an online program evaluation survey after the field trip along with three (3) student field trip evaluation surveys. Surveys are available online only and will be available for completion from January 1, 2023 until June 30, 2023. Failure to submit  surveys may result in loss of funding for the following year application period.