Deadline: 6-Dec-21
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched the Environmental Education Local Grants Program in Region 3 to support locally-focused environmental education projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment.
Goal: The goal of this solicitation is to fund locally-focused EE projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, as described in this solicitation. EPA will provide financial support for projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop informed, knowledgeable and responsible citizens in the community(ies) in which the project is located.
Educational and Environmental Priorities
In order to be eligible, all applications must:
- Address at least one of the EPA educational priorities,
- Address at least one of the EPA Administrator’s environmental priorities; and,
- Satisfy the definition of “environmental education”
EPA’s Educational Priorities
Applications must address at least one of these Educational Priorities to be considered eligible.
- Community Projects: Increasing public understanding of the benefits of and participation in environmental stewardship through community collaboration on issues including, but not limited to climate change, water and soil quality, food waste management, management of ecosystem health and/or local fire or flood prevention.
- Career Development: Educating students of any age group and/or training their educators or community leaders on how to teach, in formal and non-formal settings, about environmental issues, solutions and stewardship for the purpose of encouraging interest in gratifying careers in environmental fields
- Environmental Education Capacity Building: Building the capacity of agencies and organizations to develop, deliver, and sustain comprehensive environmental education programs statewide.
- Environmental Justice: For purposes of this solicitation, Environmental Justice refers to activities increasing public awareness and knowledge that disproportionate and adverse environmental, human health, climate-related and other cumulative impacts are more likely to affect or have affected underserved communities.
EPA’s Environmental Priorities
Applications must address at least one of the Administrator’s Environmental Priorities to be considered eligible.
- Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality: These efforts help protect the health of all Americans and the ecosystems they depend on by preventing pollution, increasing energy efficiency, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, reducing industrial air pollution and pollution from vehicles and engines, protecting the stratospheric ozone layer, reducing acid rain, and addressing climate change.
- Ensuring Clean and Safe Water: These efforts ensure that drinking water is safe, and restores and maintains oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitats for fish, plants, and wildlife.
- Cleaning Up Communities by Revitalizing Land and Preventing Contamination: These efforts provide guidelines for safe and environmentally friendly practices in waste management and support the redevelopment and reuse of potentially contaminated sites.
Funding Information
- EPA Region 3 anticipates funding three or four grants in Fiscal Year 2021 under this solicitation; each grant will be funded for no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 in federal funds.
- Applicants should plan for their projects to begin no earlier than July 1, 2022.
Regions
Region 3 covers the states of Delaware (DE), the District of Columbia (DC), Maryland (MD), Pennsylvania (PA), Virginia (VA), and West Virginia (WV).
Eligibility Criteria
- Any local education agency, college or university, state education or environmental agency, nonprofit organization in Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a noncommercial educational broadcasting entity as defined and licensed by Federal Communications may submit an application.
- Applicant organizations must be located in the United States or territories, and the majority (i.e., greater than 50%) of the educational activities must take place in the United States; or in the United States and Canada or Mexico; or in U.S. Territories.
- A teacher’s school district, a nonprofit organization of which an educator or other individual is a member, or a faculty member’s college or university may apply, but an individual, a teacher or a faculty member may not apply on his/her own.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335841