The Ride to the Wild Fund is administered jointly by the Humboldt Area Foundation and the Wild Rivers Community Foundation. This fund was established by Bill and Melissa Zielinski, who believe strongly in the value of early exposure to the outdoors for children. Their vision is that such experiences foster a deeper understanding of environmental issues and a lasting appreciation for the protection of natural spaces. The grant’s objective is to help teachers facilitate outdoor learning by covering the cost of transportation for educational field trips to local natural areas.
The fund supports Humboldt County K–12 educators by providing grants typically covering the average cost of a bus and driver for a single field trip. The program encourages applicants to design experiences that enhance students’ environmental literacy and connection with nature. While there are no direct curriculum mandates, the expectation is that field trips will have a clear educational purpose, especially around environmental awareness.
Eligible applicants include K–12 teachers from Humboldt County. In cases where applicants are not from a traditional public school, fiscal sponsorship through a nonprofit or public benefit organization is accepted. Detailed contact information, organizational type, and project descriptions are required, as are specific answers about the trip’s location, activities, goals, timeline, and the number of students served. The application also asks about the demographics of the target population and how community resources will be leveraged.
Applicants must provide a total budget and indicate the portion of that budget being requested, along with any already secured funds. The fund generally does not offer matching funds, but budget transparency and clear alignment with the program’s mission are expected. The grant process is straightforward, with no pre-application phase mentioned. Submission includes uploading a project-specific budget and filling out a structured online application.
While the fund does not indicate an award notification timeline or performance period, the format implies one-off support for single field trips. The fund is recurring, with the 2024–2025 cycle suggesting annual availability. Applications are typically reviewed by the foundation’s grants team, and selected projects receive funding to be used directly for transportation costs associated with environmental education outings.
