US Fish and Wildlife Service: Volunteer Master Naturalist Training Program Grant

Recipient shall furnish the necessary personnel, materials and services, and do all things necessary to accomplish the following program objectives:

¿ Operate a high quality Volunteer Master Naturalist (VMN) Training Program that delivers at least 40 hours of environmental education and interpretation presentations to community members training to become Volunteer Master Naturalists.
¿ Each VMN participant will provide a minimum of 40 hours a year of service in scientific and interpretive areas at Forsythe NWR, other refuges and the community. Recipient will keep records of student service.
¿ Increase ethnic diversity of students in the VMNP by enrolling ethnic minorities in the Volunteer Master Naturalist program.
¿ Increase ethnic diversity of instructors in the VMNP by including at least one ethnic minority as an instructor in the program.
¿ Use VMN graduates to deliver environmental education and interpretive outreach, including to underserved and ethnically diverse communities by adding to VMN program at least 4 hours of advanced training in working with urban, diverse and underserved audiences.
¿ Utilize VMN graduates to provide field trips or other programs, including to urban, ethnically diverse and underserved groups, such as youth organizations, faith communities, schools, or other audiences in these communities.

Description of Work:
A. The Recipient will
a. Provide program management and administration services, including identifying and contracting of faculty, on-site program management for all courses, program registration and bursar duties, and transportation arrangements.
b. Provide use of van or vans for transporting program participants to program sites.
c. Procure or develop participant handouts and other materials and provide adequate copies of materials for all participants.
d. Provide AV equipment and other technology as needed, if not available at refuge.
e. Develop and distribute program marketing materials.

B. The Service will
a. Provide certain instructors and refuge headquarters auditorium, wildlife drive resources, and a mini-van for transporting students on the refuge and to training sites.