GREENVILLE — The Friends of Darke County Parks has created a repository of field trip funding for the schools and teachers who need it.

Interested teachers should set up a potential field trip to a Darke County park, complete an application, and submit it to the Friends of the Darke County Parks at least a month before the potential field trip date. The application must include a proposed budget for the field trip including transportation cost, materials fees, any other costs associated with the trip and a description of the school’s financial need. The Friends will review the applications during their monthly meetings, the first Tuesday of the month, and the teachers awarded funding will then be notified. The Friends ask teachers to complete a follow-up evaluation of their field trip and the use of funding. The evaluation form asks about the actual budget, how the funding directly benefitted the students, and how the field trip content will be incorporated into the regular classroom lesson plans, among other things.

Applications can be found at and submitted to the Nature Center, 4267 state Route 502, Greenville, or by emailing [email protected].

The park district serves not only Darke County schools but also schools from the surrounding area. Questions about the funding application or the Friends’ mission can be directed to 937-548-0165.