Now Accepting Applications for the Chesapeake Bay Trust Environmental Education Grant Program
by Julie Walker
Photo courtesy of
Chesapeake Bay Trust
The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a non-profit grantmaking organization that gives funding to students, teachers and communities to help improve their environment and the Chesapeake Bay. The Trust seeks to increase environmental stewardship through environmental education by providing grants that build and expand pre-K through 12 environmental education programs and increase student access to programs that provide meaningful outdoor learning experiences. These projects can range from outdoor field experiences with students, to rain garden planting, to the installation of living shorelines.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust is now accepting applications for the Environmental Education Grant Program. Grant applicatants can apply for one of two tracks ....
Environmental Literacy Program Development Track: Applicants may request from $5,001 to $50,000 per year for up to three years (Maximum $150,000 total award). The purpose of Environmental Literacy Program Development proposals is to support the development, pilot, and scale up of comprehensive, systemic, and sustainable environmental literacy programs within local school systems that can serve as model programs. Applicants to this track should be local school systems or nonprofit organizations working in partnership with local school systems.
Environmental Literacy Program Implementation Track: Applicants may request $5,001 - $30,000 for one year. The purpose of Environmental Literacy Program Implementation proposals is to support the expansion and delivery of comprehensive programs to provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students as a component of a school system Environmental Literacy Program. Successful proposals can include some program development activities with emphasis on the delivery of teacher supported meaningful outdoor learning experiences for students. These experiences should meet the criteria outlined below which mirror guidance including in the new draft definition Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences. They should be investigative and project oriented, provide both structured and unstructured outdoor learning experiences, be integrated with classroom instruction, and be part of a sustained program or activity for participating students. Programs should be contributing to the implementation of environmental literacy programs in local schools and/or school systems and letters of support are strongly encouraged. Requests for professional development to support MWEE’s and environmental literacy programs are welcome and encouraged.
Please contact Jamie Baxter, jbaxter@cbtrust.org, to discuss which track is more appropriate for your proposal idea. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Trust staff to discuss proposals prior to the deadline. Click here for additional details and to download the RFP. Grants support programs serving Maryland students, teachers and schools. Deadline to apply is December 15th 2014.
