In a significant development for environmental education, the Department of Commerce has announced the Fiscal Year 2024 Statewide K-12 Environmental Literacy Capacity Building grant. This competitive funding opportunity, identified by the number NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-2008241, aims to support and enhance environmental education programs across the Chesapeake Bay watershed states.
The grants notice specifies a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, with an emphasis on education, environment, and natural resources categories. It highlights the strategic goal to foster innovative programs, build capacity, and strengthen partnerships for environmental literacy. The initiative is expected to award six grants, with the award ceiling set at $150,000 and no minimum award floor, ensuring a broad scope for applicant projects.
A diverse group of entities are eligible to apply, including nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, various levels of government institutions, and recognized Native American tribal governments. The Chesapeake Bay Studies, under CFDA Number 11.457, is the focal program for this funding.
This announcement comes on the heels of the department’s commitment to advancing the environmental literacy goal of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and aligns with the NOAA Education Strategic Plan. The program is designed to not only support existing high-quality environmental education efforts but also to stimulate the growth of new, innovative approaches to environmental literacy. Applications are open until February 16, 2024, with full details available through the Department of Commerce’s official channels.
Opportunity ID: 350896
General Information
- Document Type: Grants Notice
- Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-2008241
- Funding Opportunity Title: Fiscal Year 2024 Statewide K-12 Environmental Literacy Capacity Building
- Opportunity Category: Discretionary
- Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement
- Category of Funding Activity: Education, Environment, Natural Resources
- Expected Number of Awards: 6
- CFDA Number(s): 11.457 — Chesapeake Bay Studies
- Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No
- Version: Synopsis 1
- Posted Date: Nov 07, 2023
- Last Updated Date: Nov 07, 2023
- Original Closing Date for Applications: Feb 16, 2024
- Current Closing Date for Applications: Feb 16, 2024
- Archive Date: Mar 17, 2024
- Estimated Total Program Funding:
- Award Ceiling: $150,000
- Award Floor: $0
Eligibility
- Eligible Applicants:
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Independent school districts
- County governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Private institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Special district governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Additional Information
- Agency Name: Department of Commerce
- Description:
Chesapeake B-WET is a competitive grant program that supports existing, high-quality environmental education programs, fosters the growth of innovative programs, and encourages capacity building and partnership development for environmental literacy efforts throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed states. Successful projects advance the environmental literacy goal of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and the NOAA Education Strategic Plan by building capacity within organizations and networks that work at the state- or multi-state level to support hands-on environmental education for students and related professional development for teachers, administrators, and other educators who serve formal K-12 audiences. Through this funding announcement, NOAA is soliciting proposals that support Statewide K-12 Environmental Literacy Capacity Building. Note that a separate funding announcement through B-WET for Implementing MWEEs in School Districts and Supporting School District Capacity for Environmental Literacy is also available on Grants.gov.
Grantor Contact Information
If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
Elise Trelegan
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
elise.trelegan@noaa.gov
240-628-4507