The 2007 initiative offers grants for both introductory- and intermediate-level GIS programs. The introductory level supports 4-H Clubs new to GIS and GPS technology. The intermediate level is for clubs that have successfully applied for and received software under a previous 4-H GIS grant from ESRI and have completed the requirements of submitting a Community Atlas project, participating in a GIS Day event, and completing a community service project. 

          American Forests, the nation’s oldest nonprofit citizens’ conservation organization, is joining with ESRI on the 4-H grants by providing its CITYgreen extension for ArcView for intermediate applicants doing tree inventories as part of their community service project. Additional information and applications can be found at http://www.esri.com/industries/k-12/4-h/grants.html

The grant program is one aspect of a multifaceted initiative currently being developed by ESRI in cooperation with National 4-H Headquarters that will help its members expand their current GIS programs. The programs include the National 4-H GIS/GPS Technology Integration Team and the National 4-H GIS/GPS Technology Program.

In addition, the 4-H geospatial curriculum, Exploring Spaces, Going Places, was released in October 2006. Detailed information regarding the curriculum may be found at www.n4hccs.org/gisgps.

ESRI has supported 4-H Clubs with its GIS grant programs since 2004. To date, more than 300 grants of ArcView and ArcPad software and Virtual Campus training have been awarded to selected clubs, enabling those members to learn and use GIS technology in their community service projects.

For additional information, go to http://www.esri.com/industries/k-12/4-h/index.html or contact Esther Worker, ESRI 4-H program manager, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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About 4-H

4-H is a community of more than six and one-half million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. The 4-H youth development program is offered in every county of the United States through the Cooperative Extension Service.  Local 4-H contact information is available at www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html.

About ESRI

Since 1969, ESRI has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS, ESRI software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. ESRI applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of Web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world’s mapping and spatial analysis. ESRI is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at www.esri.com.