Apply for a Grant
The Captain Planet Foundation will fund as many projects as its annual resources allow.
All applicant organizations or sponsoring agencies must be exempt from federal taxation under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501, in order to be eligible for funding (this includes most schools and non-profit organizations).
Deadlines:
May 31 – September 30 – January 15
The Captain Planet Foundation primarily makes grants to U.S.-based schools and organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $3 million.
Grants are made for activities that conform to the mission of the Captain Planet Foundation which is to: promote and support high-quality educational programs that enable children and youth to understand and appreciate our world through learning experiences that engage them in active, hands-on projects to improve the environment in their schools and communities.
Grants from the Captain Planet Foundation are intended to:
- Serve as a catalyst to getting environment-based education in schools, and
- Inspire youth and communities to participate in community service through environmental stewardship activities.
Preferential consideration is given to requests seeking seed funding of $500 or less and to applicants who have secured at least 50% matching or in-kind funding for their projects. (Projects with matching funds or in-kind support are given priority because external funding is a good indicator of the potential for long-term sustainability of the activities.) Captain Planet Foundation will on occasion consider grants up to $2,500. In the event a request exceeds $500 Captain Planet Foundation may choose to fund a portion of the project budget that best fits within the foundation guidelines or contact an applicant for further discussion.
(Note: Please do not contact the office for information about the status of your application. Unfortunately, due to limited staffing, CPF cannot respond to individual applicants regarding the status or disposition of applications.)
Restrictions on Use of Funds
Captain Planet Foundation funds may not be used for:
- Capital or building campaigns, purchase of real estate, or endowments
- General operating expenses, salaries, or stipends
- Travel costs
- Field trips that are not an essential part of the proposed project (if included, identify the purpose of the field trip above, under “project activities.”)
- Scholarships to fund attendance to summer camps or other similar facilities
- Expensive equipment that can only be used once, used only by a small number of children, or is principally being purchased for the general use of the school or organization beyond the stated needs of project.
- Promotional items such as t-shirts, flyers, postcards, or signage
Applications must be mailed into the CPF office or emailed to grants@captainplanetfdn.org.
Download the application form here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I submit my application?
A. The Captain Planet Foundation prefers that you submit your application via mail to:
Captain Planet Foundation
133 Luckie Street, 2nd Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303
You can also submit your application as an attachment via email to grants@captainplanetfdn.org.
Q. How will I know if my grant has been awarded?
A. Due to the large number of submissions the Captain Planet Foundation receives, we cannot notify every applicant. If your grant is chosen, you will receive an email from us.
Q. What is the timeframe from when I submit my application to when my program will potentially receive funding?
A. May 31st deadline will be notified by June 30th ; September 30th deadline will be notified by December 31st; January 15th deadline will be notified by March 31st. You will receive your check within 30 days of notification. It is very important to remember this information if your project is seasonal.
Q. How competitive is the Captain Planet Foundation grant program?
A. CPF will find as many projects as its annual resources allow. Every year we receive more qualified proposals than we can fund and we are working hard to raise funds to support as many projects as possible. We typically receive over 6,500 grant applications per year and can fund approximately 5% of the grants we receive.
Q. If my proposal was not selected for funding, how long do I need to wait before resubmitting the application?
A. Applications for specific projects may only be submitted once; however organizations can reapply for the following grant cycle if the request is for a different project.