The “Let’s Go!” Field Fund grant program – also known as the Transportation Fund (TF) – launched in 2011 through a generous grant from the Environmental Education Funders Consortium. It continues through on-going donations from local community funders. Through the “Let’s Go!” Field Trip Fund, the Environmental Volunteers helps to subsidize the cost of transportation for low-income youth (K-12) in the San Francisco Bay Area to access science, nature or environmental education field trips. Go to the EV Impact Map to see some of the schools we’ve supported.
Since its inception, the fund has provided field trips to over 60,000 low-income students in the San Francisco Bay Area! The “Let’s Go!” Field Trip Fund continues through local donations from active community funders. Most recently, the Transportation Fund was selected as a recipient of the Game Changer Grant by the 50 Fund, a philanthropic initiative of Super Bowl 50.
Who is eligible?
The “Let’s Go!” Field Trip Fund offers transportation subsidies to low-income schools and youth-serving organizations. To qualify for a Transportation Fund subsidy, the group must:
- Be located in one of the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma);
- Serve students from grades TK-12;
- Require transportation for a science, nature or environmental-based field trip (this does not include field trips to for-profit institutions).
- Have a 70% FRPM level or greater, or show at least a 70% socioeconomically disadvantaged student population (see additional details below) or have 70% or greater designated Unduplicated Students. Schools in Santa Clara County at the 60% level are also eligible.
- Schedule their field trip during the active school year.
- Each school year, receive only one subsidy per grade level.
- Grade teams should be applying together for one field trip experience. If that’s not possible for your school or organization, please contact us at bus@environmentalvolunteers.org before submitting your application.
How much will the grant subsidize?
The “Let’s Go!” Field Trip Fund provides transportation subsidies to successful grant applicants as follows:
- The maximum subsidy is $500-1000 per bus, depending on location and type of field trip.
- The fund will do everything possible to support as many buses as are required to allow your entire grade/student population to participate within your county’s physical-distancing requirements. Some limits may be applied.
Application Instructions
1. Make sure to use the correct application form when applying for funding. There are two application windows; field trips submitted through the wrong application may not be considered. Funding is limited.
- Application A: IS OPEN. Applications are now being accepted for Fall/Winter field trips ONLY (August 2023-February 2024).
- Application B: CLOSED. Applications for Spring 2024 field trips will open at the end of November. Please check back
- Application S: CLOSED. Support for summer field trips may be available for 2024 but is not guaranteed. Please check back in May.
2. Confirm your school’s FRPM before applying in one of three ways:
- Use the most recent year of reported income data for your school: see the 2022-2023 Transportation Fund FRPM Table.
- Show at least a 70% (60% for Santa Clara County schools) socioeconomically disadvantaged student population on their most recent SARC (see SARC Summary).
- Show at least 70% (60% for Santa Clara Schools) Unduplicated Pupil Count. See the 2022-2023 Transportation Fund % UPC Table
Please follow additional steps and requirements on the Application Form.
Any questions? Please contact us at the EcoCenter at bus@environmentalvolunteers.org, or 650-493-8000 ext 3.