New fund will help bring learning to life 

MORRISTOWN — The Community Foundation of New Jersey and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation are excited to announce the launch of Field Trip New Jersey, a new fund to support opportunities for students in underserved communities to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences. 

Educators at schools with 65 percent of students eligible for free and reduced lunches under the National School Lunch Program may apply for grants of up to $700 to cover transportation costs for field trips to arts and culture sites, historic landmarks, nature preserves, and science institutions in New Jersey, as well as college campuses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Schools may apply now through February 19 for field trips to take place between March 15 through the summer of 2016. Schools will be notified of the grant decision by March 9.

Field Trip New Jersey will be administered through the Community Foundation of New Jersey, which partnered with Dodge to commit $25,000 to launch this pilot program. With an additional $15,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the funders hope to support more than 50 field trips at schools throughout New Jersey this round.  

“When you think back on your school years, you may not remember every lesson you learned sitting at your desk, but you do remember the field trips you took and how they changed your life,” said Chris Daggett, president and CEO of the Dodge Foundation. “At a time when schools are facing budget cuts and other pressures, field trips are often the first to go. We can’t let our students miss out on these opportunities." 

“We know that field trips measurably improve the education experience and can have lasting impact,” said Hans Dekker, president of the Community Foundation of New Jersey. “By working together, we can now ensure more of New Jersey’s young people are not only exposed to arts and culture, science and nature, and higher education, but also able to imagine a brighter future for themselves.”

More on Field Trip New Jersey:

• Only schools with more than 65 percent of students eligible for free and reduced lunches under the National School Lunch Program are eligible for Field Trip New Jersey funding

• Maximum grants are $700 and may be used for transportation expenses only

• Schools may only apply for one field trip per school year

• Applications must be received by February 19, 2016 for trips taken from March 15 through the end of the 2015-16 school year

• Schools or associated bus companies will be reimbursed upon receipt of invoice

• Grants will be equitably distributed to eligible New Jersey schools to support a wide range of trips; we are interested in having students visit diverse institutions that offer different kinds of experiences

• Schools may apply for funds to transport students on college tours in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia and Maryland

• Applications and full eligibility requirements are available at fieldtripnj.org.

Print this flyer to share this announcement with a teacher or school educator.

For more details on Field Trip New Jersey, please visit fieldtripnj.org or email info@fieldtripnj.org. Follow Field Trip New Jersey on Facebook @FieldTripNJ on Twitter for news and updates.

Photo at top: A student holds killifish and croaker caught on an excursion with Natural Lands Trust. Courtesy of the Natural Lands Trust