National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is seeking proposals under the Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program.
Donor Name: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/01/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000
This environmental education program supports locally relevant, authentic experiential learning in the K-12 environment. Funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students, related professional development for teachers, and help to support regional education and environmental priorities in the Great Lakes. The primary delivery is through competitive grants.
This Great Lakes B-WET region funding announcement focuses on MWEEs for K-12 students that incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and promote climate resilience.
Priorities
All B-WET projects under this funding announcement should support the direct implementation of the MWEE and follow the MWEE definition guidance to be successful.
In addition, a proposal must address the following priority: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for K-12 students that incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and promote climate resilience.
Supported student activities under this priority area should incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and climate resilience activities as it relates to the Tribal community(ies) and local watershed, and address all aspects of the MWEE.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the White House Council on Environmental Quality issued a memorandum to recognize Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge – also known as Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge – as one of the many important bodies of knowledge that contributes to the scientific, technical, social, and economic advancements of the United States and to our collective understanding of the natural world in decision-making. [Executive Office of the President Memorandum for the Heads of Departments and Agencies, Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Federal Decision Making.
Additional Considerations to Support Program Priorities
Applicants with primarily outside-of-school projects should adapt components of the MWEE model for implementation in outside-of-school hours. Activities should emphasize using the environment as a core element of STEM skills, engage students and staff in hands-on environmental education opportunities that take place both outdoors and indoors, provide opportunities for students to interact with Tribal Knowledge Holders/elders, and other subject matter experts, and promote student interest in STEM careers. Outside-of-school projects should emphasize project-based learning, maximize youth voice and empowerment, and include opportunities for student reflection and meaning-making.
Funding Information
Total Federal amount that may be requested from NOAA should not exceed $100,000. The minimum Federal amount to request from NOAA is $50,000.
Project Period
Projects should be for a period between 12- 24 months. No cost sharing is required under this program.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. For-profit organizations, foreign organizations, and foreign public entities are not eligible to apply, however, for-profit and foreign organizations and foreign public entities may participate with an eligible applicant as a project partner. Additional guidance on sub-recipient partners can be found . Likewise, Federal agencies are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners and may contribute services in kind. Applicants may be physically located in any U.S. state; however, education projects must target students and teachers located in counties in the Great Lakes watershed in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.