Deadline: 23-Feb-23
Through this funding announcement, the CA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program is soliciting proposals that Build Capacity for Implementing Climate Literacy in Classrooms.
California B-WET funds locally relevant, authentic experiential learning for K-12 audiences through Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). MWEEs involve learning both outdoors and in the classroom as students engage in issue definition, outdoor field experiences, synthesis and conclusions, and environmental action projects. The goal is to increase understanding and stewardship of the ocean, its local watersheds, and special areas like national marine sanctuaries.
Program Objectives
- The NOAA B-WET program is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment. B-WET was established in 2002 in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and currently exists in seven regions: California, Chesapeake Bay, Hawai`i, Gulf of Mexico, New England, Pacific Northwest, and Great Lakes. Four of the seven B-WET regions are coordinated by or in partnership with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, which serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 15 national marine sanctuaries and Papahanaumokuakea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.
- The primary delivery of B-WET is through competitive funding that promotes Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). The MWEE is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom and are designed to increase environmental and climate literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences. In these experiences, the core ideas and practices of multiple disciplines are applied to make sense of the relationships between the natural world and society. MWEEs help connect students with their local environment and equip them to make decisions and take actions that contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.
- While the CA B-WET Program uses the MWEE as the backbone and foundation for meaningful outdoor experiences, this solicitation does not directly fund MWEE implementation. This solicitation is focused on building capacity for climate literacy. However, the ultimate goal is to use MWEEs as a way to teach about their changing climate.
Priorities
- Build Capacity for Implementing Climate Literacy in Classrooms their Earth is warming. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that Earth’s average temperature has risen over the past century and is projected to rise over the next hundred years. The global average sea surface temperature has been rising steadily for decades. Climate-related impacts like extreme weather events, sea level rise, flooding, droughts and wildfires are growing more prevalent around the globe. Human activities are changing Earth’s climate. Today’s rapidly changing climate will continue to challenge their planet now and in future generations. their quality of life and, ultimately, Their survival depend on their “climate literacy” — their ability to understand, predict and adapt to the reality of a warming planet.
- You are climate literate if you understand the influence of climate on yourself and society – and your influence on climate. A climate-literate person understands the essential principles of Earth system governing climate patterns; knows how to gather information about climate and weather, and how to distinguish credible from non-credible sources on the subject; and communicates about climate and climate change in a meaningful way
- Projects proposed through this solicitation should build capacity for county or district-wide K-12 climate literacy initiatives which support the policies and structures necessary to advance climate literacy. Proposals should create frameworks, incentives, support systems, and/or drivers for climate literacy to encourage or support systemic planning and implementation in local school districts. Projects should also seek to connect to existing education initiatives like Career and Technical Education (CTE), Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming, project-based learning, or other efforts/initiatives that already have momentum at the county or district.
Funding Information
- This solicitation announces that approximately $400,000 may be available in FY 2023 in award amounts to be determined by the proposals and available funds. The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries anticipates that approximately 4-6 grants will be awarded with these funds.
- You may apply up to $100,000 per year, for up to 3 years
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants are:
- K-12 public and independent schools and school systems
- Institutions of higher education
- Community-based and nonprofit organizations
- State or local government agencies
- Interstate agencies
- 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. Likewise, Federal agencies are not eligible to receive Federal assistance under this announcement, but may be project partners.
- Funding is available to the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Solano, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Monterey, San Benito, Merced, Madera, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Kings, Tulare, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. Applicants must be located within the U.S. and can be physically located in any state, but must work within the following counties listed.
For more information, visit B-WET.