Virginia Bluebird Society

VBS Youth/Scout Program

These projects must include building bluebird nest boxes to be donated to VBS for use on public lands or parks within the State of Virginia, and educating members of the community on bluebirds, other cavity nesting birds, and nest box trails. The grants range from $70 to $210 per applicant (depending on the amount of nest boxes built), and are available to young people 13 to 18 years of age. Grant applications must be submitted by September 30th and will be awarded by October 30th. All grant work must be completed by March 1st of the following year. The grant money will be awarded upon completion of the requirements. If additional grant money is still available after October 30th – applications will be considered on a first come basis.

Applicants must agree as part of their grant request to the following provisions:

Bluebird nest boxes must be constructed based on a design recommended by the VBS (refer to the Nest Box & Guards page of the VBS website)

A nest box with predator controls costs about $28 to build based on the VBS design. VBS will reimburse the applicant as much as half of the cost for each box built. The applicant is responsible for raising the rest of the funds themselves.

Bluebird nest boxes are to be donated to the Virginia Bluebird Society for use on new or existing trails on public lands or parks in Virginia. Explanation: VBS does not support scouts installing the boxes themselves. Good bluebird stewardship requires that the nest boxes be monitored weekly in order to exclude non native birds from nesting in them. We have found that scouts generally do not have the contacts or ability to maintain a viable monitoring program over the long haul. An exception to this would be if a member of VBS is sponsoring the scout or youth and has made provisions for monitoring and upkeep of the proposed trail.

The applicant, as part of the project, must present a 15 to 30 minute program to their organization or another community organization. This presentation must be about bluebirds, other cavity nesting birds, and the need for establishing and properly monitoring nest box trails. VBS will assist the applicant in this presentation with materials, and a video tape program entitled “Bluebird Basics” by Don and Lillian Stokes.

Carmen Bishop
cjbish@aol.com
703-764-9268
Applications will be considered on a “first come” basis

Click to view Youth/Scout Grant Program Application