PBC Minigrant Program
PBC Awards Five Minigrant Projects for 2026
PBC awarded five minigrants, out of 18 applications, ranging from $380 to $500 to be carried out during 2026. In its 13th year, the Minigrant Program supports educational and conservation projects that promote the study and protection of birds and other natural resources in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Davie County 4-H: Expand their Wings of Wonder program to more second-grade classrooms and homeschoolers across the county. The program provides an enclosure, chrysalides, and educational materials for students to experience the butterfly life cycle from chrysalis through release.
Lands and Waters South: Install and maintain a native plant garden, including one nest box, at Carrboro Elementary School. Ongoing maintenance will be done by the school’s afterschool garden clubs, which were started by Lands and Waters South.
Miles Gladstone: Install and monitor purple martin housing and educational signage at the Guilford County Farm. The T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society grant program also contributed to this project.
Pickett Elementary School: Create a Basic Birding program for second graders. Pickett Elementary School is a Title 1 school in Lexington. The program will include classroom study and guided birding at the park adjacent to the school. Materials purchased this year (flashcards, binoculars, etc.) will allow the program to continue in future years.
Town of Coats: Add bluebird nesting boxes near the main walking trail in Coats Municipal Park. Park staff and volunteers will monitor the boxes.
PBC awarded five minigrants, out of 18 applications, ranging from $380 to $500 to be carried out during 2026. In its 13th year, the Minigrant Program supports educational and conservation projects that promote the study and protection of birds and other natural resources in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Davie County 4-H: Expand their Wings of Wonder program to more second-grade classrooms and homeschoolers across the county. The program provides an enclosure, chrysalides, and educational materials for students to experience the butterfly life cycle from chrysalis through release.
Lands and Waters South: Install and maintain a native plant garden, including one nest box, at Carrboro Elementary School. Ongoing maintenance will be done by the school’s afterschool garden clubs, which were started by Lands and Waters South.
Miles Gladstone: Install and monitor purple martin housing and educational signage at the Guilford County Farm. The T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society grant program also contributed to this project.
Pickett Elementary School: Create a Basic Birding program for second graders. Pickett Elementary School is a Title 1 school in Lexington. The program will include classroom study and guided birding at the park adjacent to the school. Materials purchased this year (flashcards, binoculars, etc.) will allow the program to continue in future years.
Town of Coats: Add bluebird nesting boxes near the main walking trail in Coats Municipal Park. Park staff and volunteers will monitor the boxes.
Proposals for 2027 minigrants will be made available on this page in the Fall of 2026
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Prior PBC Minigrant Awards
2025 Awards
In 2025, PBC awarded five $500 minigrants:
Greensboro Science Center – Adding bluebird boxes to their Friendly Farm. The boxes will be baffled, monitored, and added to the NestWatch reporting they currently do.
Greensboro Women’s Club (in cooperation with Washington Elementary School) – Expansion of the school's outdoor garden to include native plants (shrubs and flowers) and a trellis to expand bird habitat. Their Eco-Explorers students will be involved in this project.
Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners’ Program – Add a display structure to the Guilford County Cooperative Extension Demonstration Bird Garden to contain seasonally-rotated native plants and educational information about the advantages that native plants provide to birds.
Quality Child Care – A large day care (65-70 children) will add feeders, nest boxes, a bird bath and native perennials to their Outdoor Learning Environment.
UNCG Pollinator Garden in Peabody Park – Expand the existing pollinator garden in Peabody Park on the UNCG campus.
Greensboro Science Center – Adding bluebird boxes to their Friendly Farm. The boxes will be baffled, monitored, and added to the NestWatch reporting they currently do.
Greensboro Women’s Club (in cooperation with Washington Elementary School) – Expansion of the school's outdoor garden to include native plants (shrubs and flowers) and a trellis to expand bird habitat. Their Eco-Explorers students will be involved in this project.
Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners’ Program – Add a display structure to the Guilford County Cooperative Extension Demonstration Bird Garden to contain seasonally-rotated native plants and educational information about the advantages that native plants provide to birds.
Quality Child Care – A large day care (65-70 children) will add feeders, nest boxes, a bird bath and native perennials to their Outdoor Learning Environment.
UNCG Pollinator Garden in Peabody Park – Expand the existing pollinator garden in Peabody Park on the UNCG campus.
2024 Awards
In 2024, PBC awarded four $500 minigrants:
P.L.A.C.E (Public Lands for Agricultural and Community Enrichment) – Install Bluebird nest boxes and related educational signage at the County Farm
Friends Home West – Install Bluebird boxes and a Purple Martin house
Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners – Add a continuous flow bird watering station to the pond at their demonstration garden on Burlington Road
Noah Simcox (Scouts BSA Troop) – Install Bluebird nest boxes at Northwest Guilford High School.
P.L.A.C.E (Public Lands for Agricultural and Community Enrichment) – Install Bluebird nest boxes and related educational signage at the County Farm
Friends Home West – Install Bluebird boxes and a Purple Martin house
Guilford County Extension Master Gardeners – Add a continuous flow bird watering station to the pond at their demonstration garden on Burlington Road
Noah Simcox (Scouts BSA Troop) – Install Bluebird nest boxes at Northwest Guilford High School.
2023 Awards
In 2023, PBC awarded four minigrants ranging from $300 to $500:
All Saints Episcopal Church, Greensboro – Purchase oak trees and soil amendments as part of an ongoing project to rebuild the tree canopy in the churchyard.
University of NC, Greensboro (undergraduate student) – Purchase supplies for an undergraduate research study of bird collisions at UNCG campus buildings.
Randolph Co./Asheboro YMCA – Purchase Bluebird boxes, a birdbath, and wildflower seeds to improve bird habitat and native plantings at the Community Outreach Garden behind the YMCA.
Greensboro Parks Foundation – Purchase Bluebird nest boxes and a spotting scope to improve the Downtown Greenway’s natural environment and support environmental education.
All Saints Episcopal Church, Greensboro – Purchase oak trees and soil amendments as part of an ongoing project to rebuild the tree canopy in the churchyard.
University of NC, Greensboro (undergraduate student) – Purchase supplies for an undergraduate research study of bird collisions at UNCG campus buildings.
Randolph Co./Asheboro YMCA – Purchase Bluebird boxes, a birdbath, and wildflower seeds to improve bird habitat and native plantings at the Community Outreach Garden behind the YMCA.
Greensboro Parks Foundation – Purchase Bluebird nest boxes and a spotting scope to improve the Downtown Greenway’s natural environment and support environmental education.
2022 Awards
In 2022, PBC awarded four minigrants of $250 each:
River Landing Bird Club - replace 12 old nest boxes and install 2 racoon baffles; purpose: to increase the survival of nestlings.
Piedmont Young Birders - help to purchase a spotting scope; purpose: to enhance teen skills in bird identification.
Congregational United Church of Christ - purchase shrubs, flowering plants, and mulch to expand a two-year-old native plant bird- and pollinator-friendly garden at the ; purpose: use native plants to attract insects that birds eat and/or feed their young as well as produce seeds and fruits for non-insectivores.
UNCG doctoral student research - install 8 new nest boxes in the wetland area of Price Park and evaluate the reproductive success of Eastern Bluebirds; purpose: address the importance of maintaining green space and clean water sources near areas where bluebirds nest.
New Garden Friends School - plant berry bushes for migrating birds and some camera traps for class projects; purpose: enable students to record camera trap data for migratory bird ecology studies/surveys.
Alderman Elementary School - bird feeders and binoculars for 4 kindergarten classes; purpose: learn how birds feed and interact in their environment.
Lindley Park Neighborhood Association - purchase bluebird houses, poles, baffles; purpose: to provide nesting opportunities for bluebirds and opportunities for resident humans to observe the live cycle of bluebirds and provide educational opportunities for children.
Thanks to Barbara Haralson and Wild Birds Unlimited for donating materials to support one of the projects.
River Landing Bird Club - replace 12 old nest boxes and install 2 racoon baffles; purpose: to increase the survival of nestlings.
Piedmont Young Birders - help to purchase a spotting scope; purpose: to enhance teen skills in bird identification.
Congregational United Church of Christ - purchase shrubs, flowering plants, and mulch to expand a two-year-old native plant bird- and pollinator-friendly garden at the ; purpose: use native plants to attract insects that birds eat and/or feed their young as well as produce seeds and fruits for non-insectivores.
UNCG doctoral student research - install 8 new nest boxes in the wetland area of Price Park and evaluate the reproductive success of Eastern Bluebirds; purpose: address the importance of maintaining green space and clean water sources near areas where bluebirds nest.
New Garden Friends School - plant berry bushes for migrating birds and some camera traps for class projects; purpose: enable students to record camera trap data for migratory bird ecology studies/surveys.
Alderman Elementary School - bird feeders and binoculars for 4 kindergarten classes; purpose: learn how birds feed and interact in their environment.
Lindley Park Neighborhood Association - purchase bluebird houses, poles, baffles; purpose: to provide nesting opportunities for bluebirds and opportunities for resident humans to observe the live cycle of bluebirds and provide educational opportunities for children.
Thanks to Barbara Haralson and Wild Birds Unlimited for donating materials to support one of the projects.