The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office has posted the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Chesapeake Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) FY21 grant program.
Educator workshops supported by Chesapeake B-WET grants help make sure teachers have the tools they need to share science with today’s students. Photo: Virginia Commonwealth UniversityThe NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office has released details of the FY21 Chesapeake Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program funding opportunity. A total of roughly $1.6 million, subject to appropriations, may be available to fund roughly 10 new projects.
Applications are due by March 1, 2021. The full Notice of Funding Opportunity is now available; it includes comprehensive information about eligibility and the application process.
B-WET supports programs that provide hands-on environmental education about issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed for students through “meaningful watershed educational experiences” (MWEEs) and related professional development for educators who serve formal K-12 audiences.
This year, new grants will prioritize two types of projects: increasing local school district capacity to plan for and deliver curriculum-embedded environmental education, and implementing system-wide MWEEs in school districts. We recognize that educators are facing challenges due to shifts between in-person and virtual learning this year so we aim to provide maximum flexibility in how B-WET programs are delivered. These grants are intended to help school districts develop long-lasting MWEE programs that exist well beyond the grant funding.
In FY21, we are also encouraging applications to include partnerships with community-based organizations that are based in or work with disenfranchised communities.
Informational webinars providing information to potential applicants about program priorities and the application process, will be held on January 7, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. EST and January 19 at 11 a.m. EST; more information and registration is available.
Information on the B-WET Chesapeake program, including examples of education partnerships that have been funded to date, is available. Contact Elise Treleganwith any questions.
