“Be the change you want to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi
Join a network of generations of global leaders. When you travel on a Greenheart Travel program, you are automatically eligible to be a member of the Greenheart Club. This unique community equips you during and after your Greenheart Travel program to make deeper connections through volunteer service, offers access to Greenheart Grants and gives you a chance to connect with Greenheart alumni outside of Greenheart Travel programs from countries all over the world.
As a member of the Greenheart Club, you will receive guidance in strategizing creative ways to give back to your community, have access to tools for tracking your impact and receive incentives for your efforts as a global leader.
How to get involved with the Greenheart Club:
Once you have been accepted on a Greenheart Travel program, you’ll be able to join the Greenheart Club. Once you have volunteered, you can log your hours in your online account and start tracking your impact!
What are Greenheart Grants?
Greenheart Grants are funds awarded to Greenheart Travel participants to use for community development projects in their host or home country. A Greenheart Grant is the opportunity to create, improve, or maintain an impactful, community-focused project abroad or at home. Grant funds could be applied to supporting women’s cooperatives, schools, community centers, or health clinics, for example. Grant winners will be featured on our website, social media, and blog.
Project Criteria
Collaboration: The community should be the catalyst for the project. Community members must participate in all stages of the project from the planning, implementation, and maintenance.
Sustainable: The project should have a clear plan to sustain itself after you leave. The more the community collaborates, the easier it will be to sustain the project.
Positive Community Impact: The project must clearly benefit the community as a whole and not one individual.
Types of Grants
1. Greenheart Service Grants
Are you currently on a Greenheart Travel program? Inspired to make a difference in your host community? Apply for a Greenheart Service Grant to help you fund a community development project in your home away from home.
Requirements: Applicants must be currently participating in a Greenheart Travel Program, log their volunteer hours in the Greenheart Club and apply for their grant before returning home. Eligibility is determined by the following:
- 8 Volunteer Hours: Letter of Recommendation + Certificate for successfully completed programs
- 25 Volunteer Hours: Eligibility for Greenheart Grant of up to $250 to do a service project
- 50 Volunteer Hours: Eligibility for Greenheart Grant of up to $500 to do a service project
- 100 Volunteer Hours: Eligibility for Greenheart Grant of up to $1000 to do a service project
2. Greenheart Alumni Grants
After your Greenheart Travel program is complete, you can apply for a Greenheart Alumni Grant. If you want to take the lessons you learned abroad and put them into action in your home community, this is the grant for you.
Requirements: You are not required to log hours, so we ask that you answer the following essay prompt instead: Share with us in 500 words or less what you have learned during your experience abroad and how it affected you. What changes do you plan to make in your life as a result of your exchange experience?
Deadlines
- Greenheart Service Grant proposals are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Greenheart Alumni Grant deadlines TBD.
The Greenheart Grant Winners Hall of Fame recognizes our exemplary Greenheart members who have gone above and beyond their cultural immersion programs and inspire us to continue traveling for a change.
Greenheart Travel 2013 Grant Winners
Tony Pfalzgraf As a Greenheart Travel Teacher in South Korea, Tony knew he wanted to get involved with his South Korean community outside of the classroom. He found an animal shelter to volunteer at and from there was able to use a Greenheart Travel Grant to purchase necessary materials for the shelter. The shelter allows its volunteers to experience civic engagement, exercise their love for dogs, and for foreign volunteers specifically, enjoy a fulfilling and enriching experience while away from their respective home countries. Read more about his project.
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Han Jang Han joined Greenheart Travel as a teacher in the Republic of Georgia and used a Greenheart Travel Grant to host an English Olympics Field Day, where her funds purchased much needed equipment for extracurricular activities at the school. During her time teaching, Han also established an English club, and once the weather warmed up, a running club, while also encouraging students to start their own organizations. Read more about her project.
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Greenheart Travel 2012 Grant Winners
Paul Whymark As a Greenheart Travel Teacher in Vietnam, Paul knew he wanted to do more on his program and exercise his interest in environmentalism. He partnered up with a local environmental group to help preserve a Vietnamese forest in the area and create educational materials about the forest habitat. Paul believes that educational support for the locals provides sustainable eco-tourism opportunities. Read more about his project.
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Melony Franchini While teaching in the Republic of Georgia, Melony recognized that her school was lacking essential materials to aid in the learning process. When Melony asked, “What is the one thing you’d like to change in this school?” the students unanimously replied, “We need new chalkboards.” Melony requested Greenheart Travel Grant funds to improve classroom conditions and was able to purchase new chalkboards for her school community. Read more about her project.
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Ryan McInnis In addition to being an English teacher in the Republic of Georgia, Ryan became involved in developing artistic opportunities for students. His school was lacking necessary art materials for students to creatively express themselves, so Ryan helped purchase materials necessary to operate educational art programs. He went on to another project shortly thereafter that introduced ceramics into the curriculum. Read more about his project.
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Greenheart Travel 2011 Grant Winner
Christina Peebles Christina was awarded a grant to start an English language library for her school in the Republic of Georgia. Additionally, she organized volunteer opportunities for her students to participate in and around their Georgian community to help take care of their religious sites. The group enjoyed an afternoon of scenic views, community service and a picnic during their efforts to pick up garbage around a cathedral. Read more about her project.
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Greenheart Travel Club Hall of Fame
Eleanor Brow Despite being a foreign exchange student in Spain, Eleanor was able to step outside her comfort zone and volunteer during her program. Eleanor volunteered as an English tutor to Spanish students. As a result of her great volunteer efforts, she was awarded a grant to do a project back at home in the United States. Eleanor used the grant to help fund a scholarship for students to attend her favorite summer camp. Read more about her project.
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Alina Yaccino During Alina’s high school exchange experience in Brazil, she made the most of her holiday break by volunteering 216 hours at an environmental center and organic farm! Reflecting on her participation, she said, “By the end of the month, there was no greater satisfaction for me than to realize that my work and effort contributed to such a small project that has such a big impact on the community and the environment.” Read more about her project.