Target brings back field trip grant program

MINNEAPOLIS Target announced the opening of the Target Field Trip Grants program online application process for the 2009/2010 school year. The initiative is designed to promote learning outside of the classroom to educators and students across the country.

This year, the Field Trip Grants program will offer 5,000 grants up to $800 to education professionals throughout the United States. Since the program's inception in 2006, Target has provided 7,400 grants benefiting more than 729,000 children nationwide.

Applications for the Target Field Trip Grants program will be available online at Target.com/fieldtrips from Aug. 5 through Nov. 3. Grant recipients will be notified in early January 2010. The criteria for teachers' selection of grants' recipients include: description of the field trip and its objectives; the benefits to students and the tie-in to the school curriculum; the number of students who will be impacted; and the proposed use of funds. Funds may be used to cover the cost of transportation, entry fees, supplies and resource materials for the trip.

"As the American education system continues to endure the effects of the recession, enriching educational opportunities like field trips are being cut from school budgets nationwide," said Laysha Ward, president of community relations for Target. "It is our hope that the Target Field Trip Grants program will continue to help fill this gap and enable teachers to continue using the valuable experiential learning gained from field trips to enhance students' classroom studies and daily curriculum found in text books."