Where the Money Goes

Funds will support and sustain our youth nature education programs guiding and supporting them towards a profession and life of environmental stewardship.

Our Goal

Our goal for this event is to raise $30,000 to help sustain our impactful “Youth Citizen Scientist” program, which provides hands-on environmental education to 60 high school students. Your support ensures we can continue offering this popular initiative and maintain the high quality of our field research and mentorship.

Sponsored In Part by
Pechanga Development Corp.

NATURE EDUCATION Environmental Stewardship

Third Grade Outdoor
Elementary and Middle School Trout-in-the-Classroom
Elementary, Middle and High School Junior Ranger
High School Phenology Studies
High School Citizen Scientist
High School Air Quality Studies

TEACHER SMALL GRANT PROGRAM
The Teacher Small Grant Program supports nature, outdoor, science, and environmental education projects that connect learners to the natural world. Administered by The Nature Education Foundation (TNEF) and funded by local businesses and special events. grants are available to classroom teachers, environmental and nature education providers, and program or project managers.

Grant amounts: $500–$10,00

TRANSPORTATION
The Nature Education Foundation removes one of the biggest barriers to outdoor learning by covering all transportation costs, including buses and vans, that bring students to hands-on field-work sites like the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. By ensuring safe and reliable transportation, TNEF makes it possible for students to step beyond the classroom and fully engage in meaningful learning experiences in nature. Transportation is a critical access point—without it, many students would be unable to participate in TNEF’s wide range of immersive, place-based nature education programs.

Environmental Studies Scholarships
TNEF secures charitable donations to fund Seed Scholarships for graduating seniors who are pursuing studies in the environmental sciences. In collaboration with Murrieta Dollars for Scholars and the Lake Elsinore Scholarship Fund, TNEF helps distribute these scholarships each year to support local students as they continue their education. To date, approximately $50,000 in scholarships has been awarded to high school students.

COMMUNITY

Nature Education Resource Forum
Family Wildlife Day

TNEF hosts two annual community education events at the Santa Rosa Plateau that support educators and inspire families to learn about the natural resources right here in our community. The NERF is provided free of charge to educators, and Family Wildlife Day is free for children and open to the community. Donations make it possible to keep these events accessible by covering costs and ensuring free attendance for educators and children, helping everyone connect with, understand, and care for our local natural environment.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
Funds are needed to complete the remodel and restoration of a 50-year-old house that is being transformed into much-needed classroom and office space for The Nature Education Foundation. This project will create a safe, functional, and welcoming hub for students, educators, and staff, allowing TNEF to expand programs, support learning in and about nature, and more fully fulfill its mission for years to come.