Creating Outdoor Classrooms: Schoolyard Habitats and Gardens for the Southwest

Chapter 5: Design Essentials

Chapter 5 Design Essentials Introduction Although this book offers special attention to wildlife habitats, with information on additional selected garden themes, school community groups will identify their own specific outdoor needs. With final designs completed, schools will be ready to begin fund-raising and eventually installing the design. Fund-raising and construction activities can be handled by outside professionals or through community volunteers. Grant preparation is a time-consuming and sometimes overwhelming endeavor . Consider hiring a professional for the job; it could be well worth it. If licensed contractors build the project, legal construction drawings may be required , as discussed previously in Chapter 3, “Beginning the Design Process.” Many contractors, however, will be able to use the final site plan as the guide for construction, with the knowledge that field adjustments might have to be made if the drawings are not completely accurate. Often, school communities will elect to handle both fund-raising and construction of the outdoor classroom through volunteerism. As administrators, teachers, maintenance staff, students, parents, community members, and outside professionals continue to be involved in these aspects of the project, many individuals will develop a sense of stewardship and will help keep the garden alive and evolving well into the future. Acknowledging the work of these valuable participants, both publicly and with personal letters of appreciation, is essential. Project Funding The funding aspect of the outdoor classroom is most successful when it is viewed as an ongoing and organized process. Two approaches will be helpful in 100 creating outdoor classrooms Design Essentials obtaining funding for the project: searching for actual dollar contributions, and obtaining in-kind donations. Designers will have to be creative in their search for resources and should look for grants from public and private agencies while accepting different forms of cash donations, contributions of materials (paper, plants, lumber, irrigation supplies), and volunteer services. Grants and Cash Donations There are several potential funding sources among individuals and agencies that could provide grants for schoolyard outdoor classrooms and gardens. School communities should begin by identifying both local businesses and corporate agencies that might be interested in offering support. Businesses realize that supporting local schools enhances their public image, so project funding may be as simple as asking. The local Chamber of Commerce can provide a list of businesses in the area. Some funding may also be available within the school district itself. The school administration will know if there are education funds that can be used toward the design and development of the project. In most cases, designers will need to complete grant applications or formal requests for funding. Often, grant requirements specify the necessity to obtain a matching cash donation, a situation that requires designers to find multiple funding sources. Requests for funding should include a project description, a statement of goals and objectives, a discussion of project benefits, and site-plan drawings. Photographs of models, as well as photographs of the planning process —especially workshops with students and student drawings and letters— will add compelling support materials. Demonstrate the level of participation by administrators, teachers, maintenance staff, students, parents, and outside experts whose time, in some cases, may be used as in-kind contributions. A wellprepared proposal can and should be used for multiple grant applications. Individuals and organizations, including local businesses and clubs (the Rotary Club, the Lions Club, and garden clubs) might be able and willing to offer cash donations. In all these cases, one of the most persuasive fund-raising tools will be the completed site plan, as this document is a summary of the community’s vision. Care should be taken to create a site plan that represents the ideal outdoor classroom for the school and region—it is important to not squelch goals for fear of funding limitations. Most donors will be interested in funding compelling concepts with great ideas, and the site plan can also include construction phases that allow construction and fund-raising to occur over the span of several years. This approach is useful when resources are limited. Another strategy for fund-raising is to earmark specific zones, spaces, design features, and even circulation pathways for specific donations. For example, an agency or person might want to fund one aspect of the site plan, such as signage for the hummingbird garden. Another person might offer funds for a pond or a stone pathway, and so on. Student presentations targeted to these organizations or individuals would be an effective fund-raising device. In-kind Donations Many schoolyard...