About The Challenge Grants

The Cal Water H₂O Challenge's Grants Program is a grants program open to teachers conducting classroom projects about caring for water for grades 4-6. Classrooms must be part of a school in a Cal Water service area. Teachers apply for a $100 grant, explaining their proposed project, and are notified within 30 days of their grant status. If they become a grant recipient, teachers are asked to submit only a short follow-up on the project to Cal Water. This program is not a competition, but offers a low-barrier entry to project-learning within the classroom and is a wonderful opportunity to tackle local water issues with your students.

Eligible teachers must:

- Teach grades 4, 5, or 6
- Teach at a school within a Cal Water service area - Check Your Address!
- Conduct a classroom project focused on caring for water (conservation, quality, supply, etc.)  

Participating Teachers May:

- Also participate in the Cal Water H₂O Challenge Classroom Challenge.
- Not receive both this grant, and the full amount of an early enrollment grant for the Cal Water H₂O Challenge in the same program year.
- However, receive both this $100 grant, and an early enrollment grant for the Cal Water H₂O Challenge minus $100, so that the full combined grant amount is no larger than the amount of the selected early enrollment grant. For example, if a teacher receives a $100 grant through the Grants Program, and later in the same program year receives a $500 early registration grant through the Classroom Challenge, the previously received $100 will be deducted from the new amount of $500, and a new grant for $400 would be distributed instead.
- Not receive more than one Cal Water H₂O Challenge Grant through the Grants Program in a single program year.

Participating Students:

- Are still eligible to participate in the Individual Challenge

The Program Year:

- The Cal Water Challenge program is considered to run from July 1st - June 30th.
- If a teacher receives a grant, they cannot apply for another grant until the next July 1st or after.
- Similarly, if a classroom participates in the Classroom Challenge and receives an early enrollment grant, they cannot apply for a grant through the Grants Program again until the next July 1st or after.
- Furthermore, if a classroom participates in the Classroom Challenge and receives an early enrollment grant, any previously received grant funds through the Grants Program within that program year will be deducted from any Classroom Challenge grant funds later received.

Interested teachers may apply for a grant by submitting a completed application form. A teacher can apply multiple times per year, but may only receive one grant per program year.

Each grant application will be confirmed by email to the teacher at the email provided in the application.

Applications are accepted all year.

Grant Recipients will be selected by a California Water Service Representative.

If selected for a grant, the submitting teacher will recieve a $100 giftcard for use on their project. The giftcard will be sent enclosed in a letter, which shall detail the due date of follow-up materials. Approved grant requests will be distributed within 30 days of approval.

After receiving grant funds, participating teachers have 30 days to submit back project materials. These follow-up Materials include a 1-page coversheet and photos.

The cover sheet consists of:

- A teacher reflection (150-500 words)
- Up to five student quotes (150-500 words)

The Photos:

The teacher is asked to submit photos of the project and/or participating teacher. Students should not be included in the submitted photos.

The Photos:

Photos and coversheets will be submitted online, through the Cal Water H₂O Challenge site.