Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund is sponsored by NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). Reimburses field trips to over 100 educational sites managed by NC DNCR for K-12 students.

Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund | NC DNCR Education and friendship are built in the same boat at the NC State Parks Study NC's vast environmental landscape with a nature hike, canoeing, camping, and more Rocket your curriculum to new heights at the NC Science Museums The North Carolina Science Museum branches are located in downtown Raleigh, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Contentnea Creek, Greenville, and Whiteville Set sail for learning at the NC Historic Sites Uncover North Carolina's history outside of the textbook at any of the 26 places Dive into waterways and ocean conservation at the NC Aquariums North Carolina Aquarium locations are at Fort Fisher, Pine Knoll Shores, and Roanoke Island Get wild with animals from around the world at the NC Zoo The NC Zoo is the largest in the world that conserves and houses animals from Africa, Asia, and North America Dig into history at the NC State Historic Sites Hands-on-history is an exciting and proven method to teach students about the past Inspire the next generation of artists at the NC Museum of Art Visit a NC Museum of Art Branch in Raleigh or Winston-Salem Cultivate North Carolina's next generation of leaders Connect your students to their government in a tour of the State Capitol, Legislative Building, and Executive Mansion Where else in North Carolina can you fish for a field trip?

Jennette's Pier offers unique field trip activities of fishing and solar car building Students keep the beat with the NC Symphony Connect your students to classical music when the Symphony performs in Raleigh and throughout the state What is the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund?

Teachers from public schools and public charter schools will use this page to learn about and apply for field trip funding from the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund. This fund reimburses for field trips to over 100 educational sites managed by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) . You can choose from state parks, historic sites, museums, aquariums, the NC Symphony, the Zoo, and more!

Funding is provided by the State of North Carolina. Approval rates for first time applicants to this fund are 98% positive. Requests that are realistic and not exorbitant, aligned with classroom learning goals, and meet the funding requirements as detailed in the application, are highly likely to receive funding.

Please Note BEFORE Applying: Due to limited remaining funds, the Field Trip Fund has paused applications from counties where one or more schools have already received an award. If additional funds become available, applications from all counties will reopen. Please check this website for updates.

We are now only accepting applications for field trips occurring before June 2026 from these counties yet to receive a field trip award: Priority will be given to Title I schools. The maximum award per school is $2500. Questions?

Contact fieldtripfund@dncr. nc. gov .

Apply for Field Trip Funding Follow this link to apply for the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund What happens after the trip? Who do I contact with questions or for application assistance? Trips within 1–2 hours of your school are encouraged.

Research proves that local, place-based learning helps students connect to their communities and make learning more relevant and meaningful, particularly for elementary-aged students. Not sure which site(s) to visit? Reach out to us for guidance!

The Fund cannot support trips to private or National museums or parks, only to state-managed sites under the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. North Carolina's cultural, natural, and historic places are many, and are managed by state, national, private, and local agencies. Therefore, not every place important to North Carolina is eligible for funding.

Examples of some of the popular North Carolina field trip places that are ineligible for funding through the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund: Any site operated by the National Park Service: Wright Brothers National Memorial, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.

Historic Places / Privately Owned Museums: Biltmore, Old Salem Museums & Gardens and MESDA, Fort Defiance, Tweetsie Railroad, Great Smokey Mountains Railroad, Asheville Radio Museum, and others. Grandfather Mountain: the Mile High Swinging Bridge, Animal Habitats, and Nature Trails. We do serve the State Park portion of Grandfather Mountain.

Privately operated outdoor camps/ventures: YMCA camps, Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H, Linville Caverns, Gem Mountain, Hiddenite, and others. Privately operated programs: Sound to Sea, the Rachel Carson Nature Preserve, Carolina Ocean Studies, Unto These Hills Drama, Lost Colony, Carowinds, and others.

We also do not fund special, non-educational programs at DNCR sites, such as, but not limited to Polar Express, Day out with Thomas, holiday thematic programs, and the North Carolina State Fair. Pick a DNCR site to visit (see the DNCR Field Trip Finder ). Contact the site to confirm availability and book a date.

Talk to your principal to confirm if the school, or county, or PTO can cover costs upfront while awaiting reimbursement of the funds. Create a budget (guidance available). Submit your application online at least 8 weeks before the trip.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, you’ll hear back within 20 business days or sooner. What happens after the trip? Submit a simple report.

Your school will be reimbursed within 30 - 45 days. Who do I contact with questions or for application assistance? Rebecca Barefoot is the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund Manager and your main contact throughout the application process.

She can help you with: Confirming if the field trip site you are interested in is managed by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Confirming your eligibility Consulting on which DNCR location could best fit your field trip goals if you are unsure Technical issues or general questions about the application or review process Ensuring your application is complete Removing accessibility barriers (e.g. assisting those who are visually impaired) You can contact Rebecca Barefoot via: E-mail: fieldtripfund@dncr.

nc. gov A 30-minute meeting through Microsoft Teams Booking Sessions . This is a reimbursement program; the school (or county/PTO) must first pay the costs.

If you are a Title I school and covering a large single cost, such as a charter bus is financially impossible, contact our Field Trip Fund Manager Rebecca Barefoot to explore whether other options are available. Avoid charging students to cover the upfront costs unless you have plans to support families in need. Hotel accommodations or visits to non-DNCR sites are not eligible for funding.

Get multiple quotes if using a charter bus. Contact the Fund Manager before applying if you plan to request over $5,000 . Explore sites and plan your trip with the DNCR Field Trip Finder or contact the Field Trip Fund Manager for guidance.

Find a Field Trip | NC DNCR fieldtripfund@dncr. nc. gov The Field Trip Fund's Impact So Far Counties Served by the Field Trip Fund Counties indicated in orange are field trips both awarded and projected from 2025 - 2026.

The counties in blue have yet to apply. Hover your cursor over each county to view detailed information about the number of schools and students currently supported. The Fund Committee wants to serve all 100 counties, so apply today!

Map last updated: 3/4/2026 The Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund is made possible by funding from the State of North Carolina. It is managed by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in partnership with PBS North Carolina.