G.A.L.A. is seeking funds that will allow it to acquire, integrate, implement, and evaluate the Granite Earth Institute (GEI) Study Circle Program as a strategy to expand and support G.A.L.A.'s volunteer network in building sustainable and healthy communities. The Granite Earth Institute is the New Hampshire sister organization of the Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI). The GEI Study Circle Program (www.graniteearth.org) fits perfectly with G.A.L.A.'s mission of translating sustainability education into locally inspired action that is practical, effective, and fun. It also meets two target needs of the community G.A.L.A. serves- "A resource that empowers people to live within their means - environmentally, economically, and socially" and "An information and networking hub that translates sustainability principles into local action". The Study Circles are 5-8 week discussion courses for small groups of approximately 8-12 participants. Each study circle uses a coursebook that encourages participants to explore values, attitudes, and actions around issues of sustainability through discussion with other people. This project will help G.A.L.A. work through the GEI acquisition process and become the new sister organization to NWEI. This partnership with a national organization will help G.A.L.A. promote community-based learning and activities, without losing its local identity. The partnership also responds to one of G.A.L.A.'s primary goals from its recently completed strategic plan, to build "meaningful and effective partnerships". G.A.L.A. aims to utilize the Study Circles as a strategy to increase civic engagement, volunteerism, and emerging leaders, to establish an informed network of activists, and to build more sustainable and healthy communities. The Study Circles will become the first step in G.A.L.A.'s three-prong logic model which includes 1) sustainability education, 2) individual action at home, and 3) collective action in the community. The equivalent G.A.L.A. programs include, respectively, 1) GEI Study Circles, 2) Starting At Home, and 3) Sustain-A-Raisers. The relation of these three programs is as follows - Individuals who participate in the Study Circles will be asked to translate the curriculum into actions they can take at home to conserve resources and improve health. These actions will fall under "Starting At Home," a partnership program between G.A.L.A. and Project Laundry List. At the conclusion of a Study Circle, the group will be encouraged to take on a community project based on G.A.L.A.'s Sustain-A-Raisers program. This grant will help fund the GEI acquisition process, integration of branding and website, first-year implementation operating expenses, and a 6-month and 1-year evaluation process. Success will be determined by G.A.L.A.'s ability to utilize the study circles to establish and maintain an informed network of community leaders across the region and ultimately increase the number of G.A.L.A. supporters. This success will better position G.A.L.A. for the final goal in its three-year strategic plan- to scale and pollinate a "G.A.L.A. Group" model across New England.