When California ReLeaf was awarded funding through the EPA’s Environmental Education Sub-Grant Program, the organization started looking for an environmental educator to work with us to develop grant guidelines and review grants proposals. ReLeaf was lucky enough to find Rue Mapp, founder of Outdoor Afro.
Since beginning its work with Rue last year, California ReLeaf has awarded grants to 25 nonprofit and community tree-planting groups throughout the state. Another nearly $40,000 is currently available to fund projects that create opportunities for environmental education through tree planting and tree care.
Rue Mapp has been a wonderful adviser to California ReLeaf as the organization expands its services to the ReLeaf Network and to California’s urban forestry initiative. Our organization is not the only one impressed by Rue. She was named a Hero in Backpacker Magazine, honored as part of the Root 100 of the top black achievers and influencers for 2012, and received the Josephine and Frank Duveneck Award for her humanitarian efforts.
To learn more about Rue and her work, check out this great interview from the Children in Nature Collaborative.
To learn more about California ReLeaf’s environmental education efforts, visit our grants page.