Letha’s Youth Outdoors Fund

Letha’s Fund supports trips for school and youth groups to experience nature in an educational context. It also supports youth-initiated activities that bring them in closer contact with nature. Preferred groups are those with the least access to wholesome expe­riences in the natural environment.

Download a brochure about Letha’s Fund: Get Into Nature (PDF format)

In its first two years, Letha’s Fund enabled 1,542 youth to visit environmental education centers, nature preserves, and parks under the guidance of trained specialists and enthusiastic volunteers. The Fund also supported a Girl Scout troop’s garlic mustard eradica­tion project, the development of school yard environmental sites, the planting and support of a butterfly garden for kindergarteners at a community center, and an experience in the woods for handicapped youth.

Kids initiated a garlic mustard pull with the help of Letha's Fund

The Youth Outreach Committee has plans to increase the number of youth served. With school funding for field trips drastically reduced, this goal is now doubly important.

Donate to Letha’s Fund

We invite you to consider a generous donation to Letha’s Fund to help spark the love of the natural world in our youth. Or choose one of these other ways to help: volunteer as a naturalist guide, spread the word about the Fund, or serve on the Youth Outreach Committee.

►To make a donation, mail a check to: INPAWS, Attn: Letha’s Fund, PO Box 501528, Indianapolis, IN 46250. In the memo line of your check, designate it for “Letha’s Fund.”

How the Fund Works

Letha’s Fund provides financial assistance to school-age children and youth groups for field trips to nature sites or projects that engender excitement about the natural world. Grants are intended to:

  • Help with transportation costs and/or naturalist fees where no funds exist.
  • Promote youth-initiated projects/activities that connect kids with nature.

The Fund is intended to be available state-wide. Teachers/leaders may select nature sites suitable to their location and situation. To minimize transportation costs, applicants are encouraged to select nearby nature sites suitable to their program. Natural sites visited so far include Merry Lea Environmental Education Center, Sycamore Land Trust, Marian College EcoLab, Holliday Park, Bradford Woods, Eagle Creek Environmental Education Center, Bean Blossom Creek and Bottoms, Lake Monroe Dam, Leonard Springs Nature Park, Turkey Run State Park, and Southeastway Park.

INPAWS does NOT provide or arrange the transportation but will reimburse at cost the transportation arranged through school transportation systems or local transit.  In the interest of stretching donated dollars, we request that driver/bus charges be based on direct costs (the driver hourly pay, bus mileage). Funds are provided in arrears and upon approval of the application. 

What to Expect

The two-hour field trips include an hour of walk-around instruction with a second hour of student hands-on participation in a restoration activity such as pulling garlic mustard, installing plant plugs, or collecting seeds.

The expectation is that the applicant will arrange for environmental educators/naturalists or experienced leaders to conduct the hikes and instruct the students.

When it can be arranged, INPAWS volunteers support the field trip activity by pointing out plants, animals, birds, and insects during hikes; helping with a planting activity; assisting with invasives eradication; and generally sharing their enthusiasm and love of nature.

Example of a youth-initiated project: Following a Girl Scout activity to reclaim some natural woodlands, the troop became aware of widespread neighborhood infestations.  Empowered by their experience and knowledge, they wished to embark on a community awareness campaign. They authored a poem, “Beware the Garlic Mustard Plant!”  With support from Letha’s Fund, the Scouts were able to create, print, and fold 600 copies of a brochure to distribute in affected neighborhoods. 

Apply to Letha’s Fund

Who can apply  Any teacher, youth leader, or youth group in Indiana can apply to Letha’s Fund. There are no deadlines; grants are awarded to appropriate projects as long as funds are available. 

What we fund  Letha’s Fund awards grants for (1) trips (driver, gas, bus naturalist) to stimulating natural sites (preserves, environmental centers) that will give youth a meaningful exposure to native plants, habitats, and the chain of life; and (2) youth-involved projects that give hands-on exposure to creating or sustaining natural habitats. We do not fund picnics, food, chaperones

To apply for assistance, complete and save the application form. Then email it (preferred) to lethasfund@inpaws.org, or mail to INPAWS, Attn: Letha’s Fund Application, P.O. Box 501528, Indianapolis, IN 46250.  Letha’s Fund Application:  MS Word format  PDF format 

Turnaround  Applicants will receive a response to the application in about two to three weeks.

Evaluation/reporting  Upon completion of the project grantees must submit feedback in the form of pictures, logs, evaluations, or a summary report.

Questions and correspondence for Letha’s Fund should be addressed to lethasfund@inpaws.org.