Deadline: 7-Nov-22
NOAA Ocean Exploration and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation are proud to announce that the request for proposals for this year’s Ocean Exploration Education Grants to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts related to ocean literacy and workforce development is now open.
Goal
The ultimate goal of this funding opportunity is to advance ocean exploration learning opportunities by investing in projects and partners that support the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) workforce development pipeline and engage diverse learners from communities that have been historically underserved and underrepresented in ocean science and exploration across U.S. states and territories. These grants are for use by educators and/or education program implementers working with diverse learners (in middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college) through projects that reduce or minimize historic barriers to the field.
Purpose
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (Foundation), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (NOAA Ocean Exploration), is proud to announce a funding opportunity to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts related to ocean literacy and workforce development. The overarching goal is to advance ocean exploration learning opportunities by investing in projects and partners that support the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) workforce development pipeline and engage diverse learners from communities that have been historically underserved and underrepresented in ocean science and exploration across the U.S. states and territories. These grants are for use by educators and/or education program implementers for the advancement of diverse learners (in middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college) through projects that reduce or minimize historic barriers to the field. Priority is for proposals that support ocean exploration learning and student opportunities, address historic barriers for entry into ocean science and exploration career fields, utilize NOAA educational resources, and demonstrate student impact within the short funding period.
Objectives
Proposals must focus on ocean literacy and/or workforce development projects that:
- Build the capacity for STEAM educators to bring ocean science and exploration alive for diverse learners;
- Advance or create new ocean exploration learning opportunities for middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college students in historically underserved and underrepresented communities;
- Support development of STEAM education/identity for students historically marginalized from ocean science and/or exploration careers; and,
- Establish and strengthen ocean exploration partnerships with organizations working at the intersection of STEAM education and DEIA.
Examples of potential projects could include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Ocean Literacy: Incorporation of ocean exploration educational content into programming (use of NOAA’s data and/or educational resources will be prioritized).
- Workforce development: Development and implementation of student programs that foster STEAM skill development, professional development opportunities that build capacity for educators to incorporate ocean exploration into the classroom, and/or sponsorship of competitive learning challenges to promote skills-based training for ocean exploration careers.
- Other Student Opportunities: Funding for internships, research opportunities, attendance of conferences and/or workshops.
Funding Information
- This year, DEIA Ocean Exploration Education Grants will be offered in the range of $10,000-$20,000 for new proposals. The period of performance is January 1, 2023 – July 30, 2023.
- Previous awardees may also apply for up to $7,500 of additional funding to support program improvements that increase the long-term financial sustainability of a previously funded project beyond the original grant period.
Eligibility Criteria
- Grant applicants are limited to organizations supporting ocean exploration learning opportunities for diverse students. Proposals should focus on one or more of the targeted age groups, including: middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college students. For the purpose of this grant opportunity, applications will be accepted from all nonprofits, state, and local entities, excluding federal agencies, which support educational, service, and/or coordination activities for diverse learners within the middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college range.
- Post-secondary institutions are eligible to apply as Key Personnel working under a Program Director who has programmatic experience serving children and youth (e.g. through a school district or community-based organization).
For more information, visit https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/news/oer-updates/2022/deia-edu-grant.html