1. What is Project FLOW?
Project FLOW (For the Love of Water) is an initiative that engages elementary and secondary school students in hands-on projects that address local water issues and concerns.
2. What is our goal?
The initiative will encourage students to take action in their local community. The project models responsible and active citizenship and prepares students to be active stewards of our water resources.
3. How does the project work?
Through Project FLOW, Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) is working with teachers and students to provide the necessary tools to identify water issues that are important to them and identify ideas for action. In order to provide students with these learning opportunities, LSF has established the Project FLOW Fund to support the implementation of two types of water-focused action projects:
R4R Water Action Projects (eligible for up to $500 in funding):
- Identify resource(s) on r4r.ca that focus on water themes you and your students wish to explore
- Plan and design your action experience using the r4r.ca resource(s)
- Apply for funding from FLOW by submitting a completed application form
Comprehensive Water Action Projects (eligible for up to $3000 in funding):
- Plan, research and design your action project
- You can download a free copy of Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects
- Visit r4r.ca to access resources that can also support the development of your project
- Apply for funding from FLOW by completing an application form
Please Note: A portion of the Project FLOW Fund is dedicated to rural and aboriginal communities.
4. What is R4R?
Resources for Rethinking (R4R) is a free online database of peer reviewed teaching resources that are curriculum-matched for all regions across Canada. These resources help teachers integrate sustainability into their classrooms and can be searched for by grade, region, sustainability issue, subject, or language (English and French). Go to r4r.ca to find action project ideas and resources for Project FLOW.
5. What is an Action Project?
The defining characteristic of an action project is that it is experiential and involves hands-on learning. An action project is about: visioning, researching, acting, reflecting, and celebrating. For a detailed explanation of each component, please download the Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects guide.
Please Note: For suggestions on ways of acting on an issue, please refer to page 29 of the guide.
6. What are some examples of Water Action Projects you and your students could do?
- Students tested the quality of water in a local river. When they discovered that the quality of water was too poor to support many of the species, the students contacted a number of local non-profit organizations to ask questions about potential sources of contamination and possible actions to remediate the problem. Students engaged in a partnership project with one of the nonprofit organizations to replant native plants along the river bank.
- After watching a video about the resources that go into producing a disposable water bottle, some students decided to reduce their own personal use of disposable plastic water bottles. The students estimated how many plastic water bottles they were usually consuming in a week. The students posted a chart to record the number of bottles used per student per day. At the end of each week, they checked in to see how they were doing. The students continued this for three weeks and then reflected on their personal choices going forward.
Please refer to the Success Stories page of the FLOW website for more detail, or contact Lilly Briggs, Project Coordinator, to receive feedback and suggestions on project ideas.
Email: lilly@lsf-lst.ca
Phone: 1-877-250-8202 or 416-327-7028
7. What are the funding considerations?
All projects must engage elementary and secondary students in action that impacts positively on a local water-issue and the proposal must clearly state how the identified issue will be addressed through action.
Additionally, Project FLOW is looking to fund projects that:
- Provide a significant knowledge component to promote student understanding of water as a unique and vital substance;
- Engage aboriginal/rural communities;
- Effectively address multiple dimensions of problems and solutions. These should include the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored;
- Provide meaningful and appropriate student engagement;
- Involve the wider school community: administration, custodial staff, local businesses, local organizations and others;
- Provide a link between schools and the community and/or business;
- Foster empathy and respect for diverse groups of humans (including ethnic groups, sexual preferences, different genders, etc.);
- Actively encourage a personal affinity with non-humans and with Earth. For example, this may involve practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors;
- Demonstrate that the project is part of the academic program or co-curricular;
- Continue to provide benefits to the school/community in the years following completion of the project;
- Meet the monitoring and reporting requirements outlined below.
Comprehensive Water Action Project proposals must, in addition, engage students over a longer-term in a process that involves visioning, researching, acting, reflecting, and celebrating.
8. What type of projects will NOT receive funding?
Contributions will not be made towards the following:
- Projects completed before the application is reviewed;
- Projects taking place outside of the community;
- Projects that directly benefit individuals or businesses;
- Food, gifts, teacher release time and salaries;
- Projects that spend more than 20% of the budget on capital equipment (e.g. furniture, infrastructure, low-flow faucets);
- Multi-year projects (that span more than one school year).
9. What do I have to do if I receive funding?
If you receive funding for your action project, you must commit to the following monitoring and reporting requirements:
For R4R Water Action Projects:
- Submit Project FLOW Final Report by May 30th, 2010.
- Submit photos and/or videos* and any additional support documentation (articles, student stories, newsletters, posters, crafts…etc) by May 30th, 2010.
*PLEASE NOTE: All photos/videos need to be accompanied with a signed release from parents/guardians for use on LSF/FLOW websites and promotional materials.
For Comprehensive Water Action Projects:
- Participate in up to two phone meetings with the Project FLOW coordinator to describe project progress.
- Submit Project FLOW Final Report by May 30th, 2010. Submit photos and/or videos* and any additional support documentation (articles, student stories, newsletters, posters, crafts…etc) by May 30th, 2010.
*PLEASE NOTE: All photos/videos need to be accompanied with a signed release from parents/guardians for use on LSF/FLOW websites and promotional materials.
10. When do I receive the funding?
For R4R Water Action Projects
- Upon approval of your project, you will receive a Funding Agreement to sign and return
- Upon receipt of signed Funding Agreement, up to 70% of funds will be provided
- Upon receipt and approval of the FLOW Final Report & support documentation, the remaining funds will be provided
- Should you fail to submit a completed FLOW Final Report with support documentation by May 30th, you will be required to return all FLOW funding.
For Comprehensive Water Action Projects:
- Upon approval of your project, you will receive a Funding Agreement to sign and return;
- Upon receipt of signed Funding Agreement, up to 50% of funds will be provided;
- Upon receipt and approval of the FLOW Project Planning Template, up to 30% of funds will be provided;
- Upon receipt and approval of the FLOW Final Report & support documentation, the remaining funds will be provided;
- Should you fail to submit a completed FLOW Final Report with support documentation by May 30th, you will be required to return all FLOW funding.
11. Who can apply for funding?
A class or school from any elementary and/or secondary school in Canada can apply for funding. To receive funding you must be associated with a school.
12. How do I apply?
To apply, you must complete the application form and e-mail it to lilly@lsf-lst.ca.
13. When are the funding deadlines?
Applications for the 2009/2010 school year have been extended to March 30th. They will be reviewed as they come in, on a first come basis, until all funds are exhausted. All submissions will be reviewed by our Project FLOW Review Committee and all applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision. Please see below for the deadlines:
- R4R Water Action Projects: Applications will be accepted until March 31st, 2010.
- Comprehensive Water Action Projects: Applications will be accepted until March 31st, 2010.
14. Do you offer any professional development workshops?
Through Project FLOW teachers can participate in professional learning workshops to develop their skills in facilitating action projects with their students. Participants will share opportunities and challenges facing teachers and students in implementing action projects. Tools, techniques and curriculum resources that support the development and implementation of action projects in the community will be explored. Workshops will be held across the country and there is no registration fee! The only stipulation is that we ask you to commit to implementing a water-based action project with your class once you return to school. To find out more information on teacher workshops that are available in your area, please visit our Project FLOW homepage.
15. How do I register in a professional development workshop?
To register or get more information about our upcoming workshops, please contact lilly@lsf-lst.ca or by phone at 1-877-250-8202 or 416-327-7028
Additional Questions
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Lilly Briggs
Project Coordinator
Email: lilly@lsf-lst.ca
Phone: 1-877-250-8202 or 416-327-7028
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