Application and reporting
When to report and apply
Report deadline is July 31st
Our online reporting system opens in late October, and reports can be submitted once all schools in the district have completed their outdoor school experience The final report deadline for the previous school year is July 31st. Reports submitted after the deadline will not be reimbursed.
While the deadline is July 31st, we encourage you to report as soon as practical after the outdoor school experience concludes. Submitting before the end of the school year is strongly encouraged.
Application deadline is October 15th
Our online application system opens by early March, and applications become accessible for the coming school year, once the previous year’s reports have been submitted. The application deadline is October 15th of the current school year.
Application Changes for the 2025-2026 School Year
The 2025-2026 Application includes changes to the application questions and budget categories. Read this document outlining the new budget categories to prepare for your application. Click on the link below for a complete list of application questions.
Where to report and apply
Please read the instructions on this page to understand the process thoroughly. When ready, use the button link to access the online application and reporting system (OARS).
Please contact your outdoor school regional program manager or the main office ([email protected]) if you have questions.
Who can report and apply
Designated district representative or Outdoor School contact
Each district superintendent must assign a representative, known as the District Designate. Only one District Designate is allowed per district. Every designate must register in the Outdoor School application and reporting system and is responsible for submitting the accurate application or report.
Delegate or contributor to the application or report
The district designate can assign parts of the application or report to teachers or other staff called “contributors”. Contributors are often people who intimately know the program details and can report on the experiential portions of a report. The contributor will receive an email to access the system.
How to register
District Designate Registration:
- The District Designate must register as a user by selecting "Create a new account" in the lower-right corner below the login button.
- Choose a password to be used for all future access.
- When registering for the first time, you will need to know your assigned Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) number - if you do not know this, contact your regional program manager or email [email protected].
Delegate/Contributor Registration:
- If you have been delegated a report, you must register using the link sent to you in an email.
- From that link, you will be able to access the unfinished report that you have been delegated by the Designate.
- Do not use the "Create a new account" option; only the District Designate should do so.
How to report or apply
To report or apply, you must first register in the Outdoor School Application and Reporting System (OARS) (see instructions above). You can log in to the system as often as necessary to complete your application or report. Be sure to save your work frequently.
- Fill out an application or report for each participating school within your district.
- Applications should only include schools within the district's boundaries.
- Only one application or report package can be managed per payment cycle at a time.
- The District Designate can complete this or delegate parts of it to a contributor using the "delegate" button.
- Contributors complete their section and return to the Designate:
- Once you have completed portions of the form that are relevant to you, click the “Submit for district review” button.
- This step returns editing power back to the District Designate.
- Note: Once returned to the Designate, the link you received via email will no longer work.
- Designates Get ready to submit: before submitting, ensure all your answers reflect the entire school year, each component of the form is complete and that all participating schools have been included.
- Submit your application or report:
- “District Designates” review all the content for each school in your district’s package.
- Once all forms are completed for each participating school in your district, click “Submit”.
- Note: If you need to change something in the application or report, contact your regional coordinator to re-open it.
If you need assistance, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Application resources
Cost Estimate for Application Outdoor School program provider
An Outdoor School program provider can provide a quote that helps with your cost estimates before you apply. Use the cost estimate tools to get a full understanding of what a quote covers to avoid unexpected costs.
We recommend that schools, districts, and designated representatives review the following documents to plan for the application process.
Reporting resources
Program Summary for Report
If a school contracted with an outdoor school provider, that provider should be able to provide a short 2–3 page program summary that includes metadata with your school’s name, date of program, and activities and academic subjects covered. that meets the criteria in the reporting template. You must upload a PDF file of your outdoor school program summary in your report. Use the program summary template, which must be uploaded as a PDF file.
Be prepared by reviewing the following for a complete understanding of the reporting process.
Have funding questions?
If you aren't yet ready to report or apply, then you may want to first learn more about what the outdoor school funds cover and how to plan.