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Funding Opportunities

Sometimes funding a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience can be outside of your classroom budget. If you are looking for a way to finance outdoor field experiences, buy supplies for an action project, or other expenses to support a MWEE, the list below will link you to relevant grant programs in your state.

For other ideas on funding the implementation of a MWEE, check out the Funding your MWEE page.

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The Environmental Education Grant Program funds programs and initiatives that advance environmental literacy and result in students having the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation to take informed and responsible actions to protect and improve the environment.

Who Should Apply
Maryland school districts, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, higher education institutions, community associations, and more.
Amount
MWEE Implementation: $40,000/year for up to 3 years; Environmental Literacy Capacity Building: $40,000 for the 2023 schoolyear
Deadline
December (Annual)
State(s)
Maryland
Contact

Maryland DNR grant program that supports outdoor education programming which aims to improve student and community ability to take action benefiting Chesapeake and coastal ecosystems through professional development and training, curriculum expansion, outdoor learning, and stewardship.

Who Should Apply
Government-affiliated: Local and state government agencies and affiliates, including local school systems and park services, are eligible to propose projects
Amount
Available funding changes each year, visit website for the current grant cycle
Deadline
Deadlines change each year, visit website for the current grant cycle
State(s)
Maryland

Administered through Department of Environmental Protection, funds are used for projects ranging from creative, hands-on lessons for students, teacher training programs, and outdoor learning resources to conservation education for adults. Funds can be used to provide education resources, materials, equipment, and transportation to support creative, hands-on environmental education lessons for students. Review the grant website to learn of priority areas for the current grant cycle.

Organization
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Who Should Apply
Public schools and school districts (PreK-12) (including Intermediate Units and Charter Schools); Incorporated private schools; Incorporated conservation and education organizations and institutions; Universities and colleges; County conservation districts; Incorporated nonprofit organizations; Businesses (must be registered to conduct business in Pennsylvania)
Amount
Mini-Grants up to $5,000; Level I General Grants: from $5,001 up to $30,000; Level II General Grants: from $30,001 to $65,000 *funding levels may change each year
Deadline
November (Annual)
State(s)
Pennsylvania
Contact

In 2022, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation awarded more than $1 million in environmental grants through its competitive Environmental Education and Stewardship grants program. Eligible organizations include nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and public and private K-12 schools in communities served by Dominion Energy companies.

Organization
Dominion Energy
Who Should Apply
Non profit organizations and K-12 schools in communities served by Dominion Energy companies
Amount
The maximum grant award is $50,000 for nonprofit organizations in areas where Dominion Energy has significant assets or customer base. The maximum grant for K-12 schools is $5,000 for environmental education programs.
Deadline
Visit the website to learn about the current grant cycle
State(s)
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
Contact

Funding will support the establishment of programs aimed at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience and assist employers in developing a 21st-century workforce that is climate literate, informed by climate resilience and skilled at addressing consequent challenges.

Who Should Apply
State, tribal, territorial and local governments, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations in coastal and Great Lakes states or territories
Amount
$500,000 to $10 million each
Deadline
November 30, 2023 (letters of intent) & February 13, 2024 (full proposals)
State(s)
Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

The Youth Environmental Education Grant Program (Mini Pre-K-12 Environmental Education Grant Program) was established to provide accessible funds to schools, organizations, and agencies for youth environmental education opportunities and educator support. To accomplish this goal the program funds projects that involve youth and students investigating a local environmental issue, problem, or phenomenon through indoor and outdoor research culminating in developing solutions and taking action in their school or community – also known as the MWEE model.

Organization
Chesapeake Bay Trust
Who Should Apply
Schools, nonprofit organizations, community associations, faith-based organizations and more in Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay watershed portions of D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Amount
Up to $5,000 or $10,000 depending on the type of project
Deadline
January (Annual), and June (Annual)
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware
Contact

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET Chesapeake) grant supports programs that provide hands-on environmental education about issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed for students through “meaningful watershed educational experiences” (MWEEs) and related professional development for educators who serve formal K-12 audiences. It encourages capacity building and partnership development for environmental education programs throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Organization
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Who Should Apply
K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments
Amount
up to $100,000 annually (regional) up to $100,000 annually (statewide)
Deadline
early March (annual)
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

Caring for our Watersheds challenges students to submit the most creative, thought-provoking, and innovative ideas to improve their watershed and provides funding that supports putting their ideas into action. The program is a project of Nutrien in partnership with nonprofit organizations around the world. EarthForce is hosting the Chesapeake Bay grant program.

Who Should Apply
Students are the Applicants! 5th-12th grade students in groups of ten or more associated with a club, organization, or school within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Priority funding goes to frontline communities who connect their projects to climate resiliency and involve 3 plus community partners in the process, getting to collective and sustainable change in their local community.
Amount
Up to $1,000 in implementation funds, $250 in participation funds to faciliators, and up to $1,000 available in prize money!
Deadline
February, 16th 2024
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants support programs with measurable goals that strengthen food systems and communities, enhance public health, and safeguard the environment and natural resources.

Who Should Apply
Innovative small and mid-sized 501c3s in the US.
Amount
Visit website to learn of the Operational Support program and the By Invitation Only program
Deadline
February 1st (Annual), June 1st (Annual), and October 1st (Annual)
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

EPA Environmental Education Grants support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help provide people with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques.

Organization
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Who Should Apply
Schools and school systems, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations and state and local government agencies. (A teacher's school district, an educator's not-for-profit organization, or a faculty member's college or university may apply, but an individual teacher is not eligible)
Amount
Available funding changes each year, visit website for the current grant cycle
Deadline
Available funding changes each year, visit website for the current grant cycle
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

The National Environmental Education Foundation offers a variety of grants and awards to help organizations engage their local community to improve the environment, increase diversity, and expand their work locally. We routinely highlight individual and group commitment to nature through education and service. In 2019, NEEF provided nearly $700,000 in grants and awards to educational (both formal and informal) and public land partners across the country.

Organization
National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Who Should Apply
Nonprofits
Amount
Funding Opportunities vary each year, check the website for this current grant cycle
Deadline
Varies based on available funding opportunities
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

The NOAA Office of Education issued a competitive funding opportunity for projects that develop the collective environmental literacy necessary for communities to take actions that build resilience to extreme weather and climate change in ways that contribute to community health, social cohesion, and socio-economic equity.

Organization
NOAA Office of Education
Who Should Apply
Institutions of higher education; other nonprofits, including informal education institutions such as museums, zoos, and aquariums; K-12 public and independent schools and school systems; and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States
Amount
Proposed projects should be between two and five years in duration and have total budget requests of $250,000 to $500,000 for all years of the project.
Deadline
Deadlines and available funding change each year, check the website for the current grant cycle
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

Through federal funding opportunities of up to $5,000, NOAA Planet Stewards supports educators working in formal and informal educational settings to carry out hands-on action-based stewardship projects with elementary through college age students, as well as the general public. Stewardship projects must make a substantive, measurable impact on an environmental issue related to the educator’s community. Projects should focus on the conservation, restoration, and/or protection of human communities and/or natural resources from environmental issues in one of the four focus areas: Marine Debris, Habitat Conservation and Restoration, Carbon Footprint reduction, Carbon Sequestration.

Who Should Apply
The NOAA Planet Stewards program is open to all formal and informal educators working with elementary through college age students, as well as the general public.
Amount
up to $5,000
Deadline
June (Annual)
State(s)
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Delaware, New York
Contact

Sorry, but currently there are no funding opportunities in this location.