Applications for B-WET Competitive Grant Program Now Being Accepted

K-12 programs that provide students with meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEE) related to the Chesapeake Bay and related teacher professional development and capacity building, this one’s for you: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is now accepting applications for FY13 B-WET (Bay Watershed Education and Training) funding to support your program.

Proposals for FY13 funding must:

• Be a systemic MWEE program that strives to reach the entire student and teacher population in one or more grades in an entire school system or recognized sub-unit of a school system;
• Build the capacity of agencies and organizations to develop deliver, and sustain comprehensive STEM or environmental education programs that advance the MWEE at the state or regional level;
• Pilot the replication of highly successful urban STEM programs to urban communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

If you’re interested, be sure to read the full NOAA Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity for details and requirements. Also note that letters of intent must be submitted by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, October 30, 2012, and that the deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Eastern Time, December 19, 2012.

Informational webinars about the FY13 competition will be held October 10 at 10 AM, and October 12 at 1 PM (both times Eastern). To register for a webinar, visit http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/b-wet-workshops

Contact B-WET Chesapeake Manager Kevin Schabow with any questions.

UPDATE - October 26, 2012:

Due to the looming threat posed by Hurricane Sandy we have decided to postpone the deadline for letters of intent to the FY13 B-WET Chesapeake funding opportunity. Letters are now due by 5 PM Eastern Time on Monday, November 5th. This will not change the application deadline or time frame for receiving feedback on letters.

We’ve updated the B-WET website with this information, and the Grants.gov site will reflect this change shortly.