If you’re interested in wildlife education or wildlife viewing, DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section has grants that may interest you. They involve two areas. Here are details on both:
DNR Conservation Teacher of the Year
The agency is again offering a $1,000 grant to a Georgia kindergarten through fifth-grade public or private school teacher in the state who demonstrates exceptional energy and innovation in teaching life sciences. (Science specialists covering those grade levels can also apply.) The grant recipient will be recognized as the DNR Conservation Teacher of the Year.
Teachers who apply must use Georgia’s native animals, plants and habitats as the context for covering Georgia Standards of Excellence. Although the grant emphasizes life science, cross-curricular teaching is highly encouraged. Preference will be given to teachers who demonstrate creativity in project design and take learning outside, as well as for projects that could not be funded otherwise. Teaching can take place in-person on school grounds or online.
“The outdoors is an ever-changing, real-world learning lab for a variety of subjects,” DNR outreach coordinator Linda May said. “Students are more engaged and focused as they observe and experience nature firsthand. The result is improved academic performance and well-being.”
The Conservation Teacher of the Year grant is coordinated by the Wildlife Conservation Section, part of DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. The deadline to apply is Nov. 3, 2025. DNR will notify the grant winner by Nov. 17.
For more information, visit georgiawildlife.com/TeachingConservationGrant or contact Linda May (linda.may@dnr.ga.gov, 706-319-0211) or Anna Yellin (anna.yellin@dnr.ga.gov, 678-459-8393).
Interpretive signs installed at Henry County’s Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center via a Wildlife Viewing Grant (Cubihatcha)
DNR Wildlife Viewing Grants
Via the Wildlife Viewing Grants Program, Wildlife Conservation also offers a helping hand to projects that help people experience the state’s native wildlife and natural habitats. Grant proposals for 2026 are being accepted at georgiawildlife.com/WildlifeViewingGrants.
The grants are provided through Georgia’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund, which Wildlife Conservation manages. The goal: Provide viewing opportunities that raise awareness of native animals not fished for or hunted, rare native plants and natural habitats – particularly those considered conservation priorities in the Wildlife Action Plan.
The deadline to apply is Feb. 4, 2026. Awards, which are provided as a reimbursement for approved expenses, range up to $5,000 per project.
Since reviving the program in 2018, the DNR Wildlife Conservation Section has selected over 45 proposals for grants totaling more than $120,000. The projects, explored in an interactive map at georgiawildlife.com/WildlifeViewingGrants, vary from viewing platforms to interpretive signs and outreach programs. All provide ways to see and learn about wildlife, especially species and habitats listed in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan.
Wildlife Conservation Chief Matt Elliott explained that the program complements the plan, a comprehensive strategy to conserve native wildlife before they become rarer and more costly to save or restore.
“Wildlife viewing is a rapidly growing recreational activity, and Georgia is one of the best places to do it,” Elliott said. “We appreciate the chance to help provide folks more and different ways to experience our state’s biodiversity.”
Boardwalk refurbished with a Wildlife Viewing Grant at ABAC’s Nature Study Area Boardwalk (ABAC)
File grant proposals at georgiawildlife.com/WildlifeViewingGrants. The site has complete instructions.
Nano Banana AI
I love seeing programs like this that connect classroom learning with Georgia’s natural habitats. Giving teachers the resources to take students outdoors or explore local ecosystems online makes science so much more meaningful. It’s great that the grant encourages creativity and cross-curricular projects—those real-world experiences often leave the biggest impact on students.
Nano Banana API
I love seeing grants like this that connect classroom learning with Georgia’s natural habitats. Encouraging teachers to take lessons outdoors or integrate local wildlife into their curriculum is such a powerful way to help students build real-world connections to science. It’s great that the DNR is supporting creativity and hands-on learning experiences that might not otherwise get funded.
Sarah Mitchell
I really appreciate the work DNR is doing with these grants to get students and the public more engaged with Georgia’s native wildlife. As someone who has taught outdoor science, I’ve seen how hands-on experiences spark lasting curiosity. One thing that often surprises people is how much observing nature can also teach us about ourselves. For a unique twist on self-reflection while connecting with the outdoors, you might enjoy trying an AI personality and future reading from a simple palm photo. It’s a fun way to complement a day of wildlife viewing.
Megan Hayes
This is a great resource for educators and conservationists in Georgia. The emphasis on hands-on outdoor learning and wildlife viewing grants is exactly what we need to connect more people with native species. For those working on grant applications or designing outdoor education programs, integrating modern data tools can really strengthen project proposals and monitoring outcomes. I’ve been exploring how artificial intelligence helps analyze camera trap footage, track animal movements, and even model habitat changes—applications that could complement the types of projects these grants support. If you’re curious about practical AI applications in ecology and conservation, there’s a helpful aggregator at AI for wildlife research tools that gathers news, datasets, and software relevant to scientists and educators. Thanks again for highlighting these timely opportunities.
face rating
It’s great to see DNR putting real money behind outdoor learning—the Nov. 3 deadline gives teachers time to plan something creative. Do you know if the grant also supports cross-curricular projects that tie in art or history with the life science focus? Always curious how schools stretch funds like this, similar to how sites like face-rating.net repurpose data in unexpected ways.
Marla Hensley
Great rundown of both grant programs, and the Nov. 3 deadline for the Conservation Teacher of the Year is worth repeating since it’s coming up fast. One thing I’d add for teachers thinking about applying: the emphasis on taking learning outside pairs well with game-based hooks that get kids curious about native species before they ever step onto the school grounds. A lot of my students got interested in animal traits and evolution mechanics through tower-defense games before we translated that enthusiasm into real habitat observation. Resources like this beginner guide for Candy Kingdom Defense can help teachers understand the terminology students are already absorbing, which makes bridging game interest to Georgia Standards of Excellence life science lessons a bit smoother. The reimbursement model for the viewing grants is also smart, since it lets smaller outdoor education centers plan signage and platforms without fronting the full cost.
Meredith Colton
Great reminder that the Nov. 3 deadline for the Conservation Teacher of the Year grant is right around the corner — the emphasis on taking learning outside and tying projects to Georgia’s native species is exactly the kind of thing that sticks with kids long after the unit test. One angle worth considering for applicants: games and fictional worlds can be a surprisingly effective hook for getting students curious about real ecology, taxonomy and habitat design. If any teachers out there are building lessons around fantasy creature systems as a bridge to life science, resources like this magic tier list breakdown show how detailed ability and race data can be mapped and compared, which mirrors the kind of classification and data-literacy skills the standards call for. Either way, the reimbursement structure on the viewing grants is generous — worth flagging to local nature centers too.