PIE



	SINCE 1994, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission has offered Los Angeles communities a unique way to get involved in protecting and restoring the Bay - the Public Involvement and Education (PIE) Program. Through this mini-grants program, the SMBRC encourages communities, local organizations, and businesses to take a leadership role in educating peers and residents about the need to protect and restore the Bay. For each new PIE cycle (typically initiated every one or two years), the SMBRC identifies its top watershed educational priorities and solicits projects that will carry out the goals and objectives of those priorities. Collectively, they address the public information needs identified both in the Bay Restoration Plan and by the Bay Watershed Council. Because people learn in differing ways - by doing, watching, reading, and playing - the PIE program supports projects that raise awareness of Bay-related issues utilizing a variety of approaches. This often includes engaging people in active programs to protect the Bay (i.e., volunteer events, residential hazardous waste collection, citizen monitoring programs, hands-on education, etc.) as well as other outreach methods (i.e., workshops, conferences, tours, exhibits, posters, brochures, etc.). The best proposals generally offer fresh, innovative approaches to environmental education and community outreach. The secret to success lies in: 1) building partnerships with other organizations, agencies, environmental groups, or people who share an interest in Santa Monica Bay and 2) connecting with your target audience using techniques best suited to their method of learning. The following list represents the primary audiences targeted for outreach: Peer-to-Peer The SMBRC encourages groups and organizations to take the lead in designing and implementing a pollution prevention program for their own constituencies. K-12 Education The SMBRC promotes projects that encourage kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students to protect or improve the health of Santa Monica Bay. Multi-Cultural Outreach The SMBRC promotes projects specifically aimed at reaching out to and involving diverse cultural communities in Los Angeles County. Small Business Education The SMBRC promotes projects that reach out to small businesses about effective pollution control practices that can be implemented on sites where business activities are conducted. To apply for funding, applicants submit 2-page proposals in response to the PIE "Request for Proposals" (RFP) which describes the format guidelines and criteria necessary for submitting a proposal to the SMBRC. Through this process, Santa Monica Bay "communities" (community groups, educators, trade and business associations, planners, artists, public agencies, scientists, and others) are encouraged to detail how they would design and implement an educational program for any of the educational priorities identified in the RFP. One of the main objectives of the PIE Program is to increase and diversify educational outreach efforts throughout the watershed. Thus, priority is given to "new" programs - programs in their second year or less. However, well-established programs are eligible and encouraged to apply for funding. In fact, any individual or organization (except state and federal agencies) is eligible to receive PIE funds. The maximum funding possible for an eligible project varies according to the total amount of funds available to award recipients, but typically ranges between $10,000-$15,000. More specific information about the PIE Program is detailed in the RFP released each cycle. We encourage you to join our mailing list to be notified when the next PIE application period commences. For a summary of the 62 projects funded by PIE between 1993-2000, download "PIE Summaries 1993-2000". If you have additional questions about the PIE Program, do not hesitate to contact the SMBRC at (213) 576-6615 or smbrc@waterboards.ca.gov.