2021 Pacific Northwest Bay-Watershed Education and Training | NOAA NOS ONMS 2021 2006747

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS ONMS 2021 2006747

The 2021 Pacific Northwest Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) opportunity is a NOAA-funded environmental education grant designed to strengthen hands-on, locally relevant watershed learning for K-12 students across the Pacific Northwest. The program focuses on supporting Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), which are structured learning experiences that connect classroom instruction to real-world environmental investigations and stewardship, typically involving outdoor or field-based components when possible. In addition to direct student experiences, funded projects are expected to provide professional development for teachers so that educators can confidently deliver watershed-focused instruction and sustain this kind of learning beyond the grant period. Overall, the intent is to advance regional environmental and education priorities by building stronger connections among schools, community partners, and local ecosystems.

A central feature of this specific 2021 funding round is its explicit response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. NOAA notes that the pandemic significantly reduced the ability of environmental education organizations to work with schools, reach students, and provide in-person programming, leading to canceled programs and lost revenue. The opportunity is framed as a way to bridge that gap and prevent long-term damage to environmental education capacity in the region. It also highlights how the pandemic has amplified inequities, implying that proposed projects should be attentive to access barriers and the uneven impacts on students, educators, and communities. In practical terms, this modified notice signals that NOAA is prioritizing continuity and recovery for institutions delivering watershed education, including support that helps them adapt programming so meaningful experiences can continue despite public health and operational constraints.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary competitive grant competition administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. Cooperative agreements typically indicate that NOAA expects to have an ongoing partnership role during the award, such as collaborating on project direction, providing technical input, or coordinating with regional priorities, rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal involvement. The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 11.429 and is categorized under environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development-related activities, reflecting its focus on applied environmental learning and education outcomes.

The award structure indicates a maximum funding amount of up to $100,000 per award, with an anticipated total of about five awards. The opportunity was posted on December 17, 2020, with an application deadline of February 4, 2021. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility specifics referenced in the full notice, which commonly means the program may be open to a range of entities such as nonprofits, tribal organizations, local governments, school districts, colleges or universities, or other community-based organizations involved in environmental education, depending on the detailed criteria in the solicitation.

In summary, this B-WET opportunity funds Pacific Northwest organizations to deliver high-quality watershed education experiences for K-12 students and training for teachers, while directly addressing the setbacks environmental education providers faced during COVID-19. It is intended not only to keep experiential watershed learning alive, but also to stabilize and support the institutions and partnerships that make those experiences possible, particularly in a time when program cancellations, financial strain, and inequitable access threatened to reduce environmental learning opportunities for youth.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2021 Pacific Northwest Bay-Watershed Education and Training" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.429.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 17, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 04, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NOS ONMS 2021 2006747

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