NOAA-NMFS-GARFO-2024-2008240 NOFO Report.pdf

FY24 NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4 B. Program Priorities 13 C. Program Authority 18

II. Award Information 18 A. Funding Availability 18 B. Project/Award Period 19 C. Type of Funding Instrument 20

III. Eligibility Information 20 A. Eligible Applicants 20 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 21 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 21

IV. Application and Submission Information 22 A. Address to Request Application Package 22 B. Content and Form of Application 23 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 31 D. Submission Dates and Times 32 E. Intergovernmental Review 32 F. Funding Restrictions 32 G. Other Submission Requirements 33

V. Application Review Information 34 A. Evaluation Criteria 35 B. Review and Selection Process 42 C. Selection Factors 44 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 45

VI. Award Administration Information 45 A. Award Notices 45 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 46 C. Reporting 49

VII. Agency Contacts 50 VIII. Other Information 50

Notice of Federal Funding Page 1 of 51

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: FY24 NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training

(B-WET)

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-GARFO-2024-2008240

Federal Assistance Listings Number: 11.008, NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards

Dates: Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on February 20, 2024 to be considered for funding. Applicants should apply online through Grants.gov.

Funding Opportunity Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) is seeking proposals under the New England Bay Watershed Education and Training (New England B-WET) Program: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/noaa-new-england-bay-watershed-education-and-training-new-england-b-wet-program New England B-WET is an environmental education program that funds locally relevant, authentic experiential learning for K-12 audiences through Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs; defined below) in New England states.

The FY24 New England B-WET funding announcement focuses on two priority areas: (1) projects combining long-term, classroom-integrated MWEEs for students and teacher professional development, and (2) Capacity Building for K-12 Environmental Literacy at the state and local level. Applicants may be physically located in any U.S. state; however, projects must target students and teachers in the New England region. For the purposes of this solicitation, the New England region includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

This New England B-WET funding announcement emphasizes our strong commitment to expanding the participation of minority communities that have historically faced barriers preventing or limiting access to NOAA resources and is interested in projects that partner specifically with organizations and institutions that serve underserved groups, including minority communities. NOAA also recognizes that the MWEE framework can contribute to fostering an understanding of how watersheds are connected to coastal and offshore Atlantic fisheries and protected species stewardship, as well as contribute to climate change and resilience education

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This Notice of Funding Opportunity includes information on the application process and evaluation criteria for proposals applying under Priority 1 may request between $25,000 to $100,000 in total Federal funding for a project period of two years. Projects applying under Priority 2 may request between $75,000 to $150,000 in total Federal funding for a project period of three years.

Grants resulting from this competition depend on the availability of annual Federal funding, as provided in enacted Appropriation Acts. Successful applicants are not guaranteed a specific level of funding. If funds are not available in FY2024, applications submitted in FY2024 may be carried over for consideration in FY2025 should funds become available then and if these applications remain relevant to New England B-WET priorities.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

a. Overview The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (NOAA B-WET) Program is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning, and outdoor investigations integrated into formal classroom learning, from kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12). Established first in 2002 in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, B-WET programs exist today in the Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, California, Hawaii, Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, and New England. New England B-WET began in 2008.

New England B-WET supports grantee capacity building and connects grantees with local NOAA and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) experts, while being responsive to local education and environmental priorities. For the purposes of this solicitation, the New England region is defined as the following states: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

NOAA recognizes that knowledge and commitment built from first-hand experience, especially in the context of one's community and culture, is essential for achieving environmental stewardship. Carefully selected experiences driven by rigorous academic learning standards, engendering discovery and wonder and nurturing a sense of community, will further connect students with their watershed, help reinforce an ethic of environmental stewardship, and promote academic achievement. Environmentally literate individuals can become effective future workers, problem solvers, and thoughtful community leaders and participants.

These programs engage youth in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) that provide memorable hands-on, experiential learning that are not typically available within traditional classrooms. It also plays a significant role in providing professional development to classroom teachers that increases their content knowledge, skills, and pedagogical expertise. Lastly, it supports the expansion of environmental literacy in a systematic manner throughout the region, including providing support for state-level capacity building.

b. Defining the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) All seven B-WET regions throughout the country use the MWEE as an approach to

Notice of Federal Funding Page 4 of 51 delivering high quality environmental education, as follows. It is based on the MWEE definition developed by the Chesapeake Bay Program Education Workgroup. Additional MWEE information and resources are provided as resources on our website:

www.noaa.gov/office-education/bwet/resources/mwee-resources.

The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. MWEEs are made up of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom and are designed to increase environmental literacy by actively engaging students in building knowledge and meaning through hands-on experiences. In these experiences, the core ideas and practices of multiple disciplines are applied to make sense of the relationships between the natural world and society. MWEEs help connect students with their local environment and equip them to make decisions and take actions that contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.

The MWEE consists of four essential elements and four supporting practices that build upon each other to create a comprehensive, student-centered learning experience. Throughout the MWEE, teachers provide structure, support, and encouragement as students use their curiosity and creativity to investigate and take action to address a local environmental issue.

To support teacher implementation of MWEEs, B-WET has also included six characteristics that are recommended to be included in teacher professional development activities.

MWEEs are appropriate for all grade levels with content and practices growing in complexity and sophistication across the grades — starting with teacher-guided investigations and progressing to student-led inquiry. Using the MWEE framework helps educators create an engaging program to achieve their learning objectives (i.e., the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students should be able to exhibit following instruction).

Learning objectives should address academic standards but might also include other objectives, such as teamwork, social-emotional learning, and civic responsibility.

1. MWEE Essential Elements The MWEE consists of four essential elements that describe “what students do:” Issue Definition, Outdoor Field Experiences, Synthesis and Conclusions, and Environmental Action Projects. These elements, together with the supporting practices, create a learner-centered framework that emphasizes the role of the student in actively constructing meaning from the learning experiences. The essential elements are not meant to be linear. In fact, some elements, such as Synthesis and Conclusions, occur repeatedly throughout the MWEE.

1.1 Issue Definition

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During Issue Definition, students learn about an environmental issue by planning and conducting background research and investigations. An environmental issue is an environmental problem, often with observable phenomena, to which community members bring a variety of perspectives. To provide structure for their exploration of the issue, students focus on a driving question that is defined by the teacher. This question is the “big picture” question that sparks curiosity and organizes student inquiry and investigations, which ultimately informs environmental actions. It should be open-ended, relevant to students’ lived experiences, and meet learning objectives. To support youth voice and deepen the learning, students are actively involved in co-developing supporting questions with teachers to better understand the driving question and environmental issue.

To explore the driving and supporting questions, students gather information by making observations, finding and reading credible sources, talking to experts, and carrying out field investigations. Students also consider environmental policies and community practices and reflect on personal, stakeholder, and societal values and perspectives to develop a comprehensive picture of the root causes of the environmental issue.

1.2 Outdoor Field Experiences

Students participate in multiple Outdoor Field Experiences to explore the driving question and strengthen their connection to the natural world. Within appropriate safety guidelines, students are actively involved in planning and conducting the field investigations, including developing supporting questions to explore the driving question in the field. Field experiences allow students to interact with their local environment and contribute to learning in ways that traditional classroom or laboratory settings may not. During field experiences, students can use their senses, scientific equipment, and technology to make observations, collect data or measurements, and conduct experiments necessary to answer their supporting questions and inform environmental action. Students who have opportunities to learn in, thrive in, and appreciate the outdoors can become informed and engaged champions for our natural resources.

Outdoor Field Experiences can take place on school grounds or at locations close to schools, such as streams or local parks. They can also take place at off-site locations such as state or national parks, wildlife refuges, marine protected areas, or nature centers that are often staffed by experts and may provide access to field equipment and facilities. A range of partners, including environmental educators, natural resource professionals, or trained volunteers, can help facilitate field experiences; however, they should be co-developed and co-taught with teachers so that field experiences support learning objectives. Teachers and partners should ensure an accessible outdoor learning environment for all participants, including students with a range of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities. They

Notice of Federal Funding Page 6 of 51 should also prepare students by providing information and discussing what students can expect to see, feel, or experience during their time outdoors to ensure students feel safe and comfortable during their field experiences.

1.3 Synthesis and Conclusions

During Synthesis and Conclusions, students reflect on each experience and investigation in relation to the issue, and share their claims and conclusions with each other. Teachers should plan for this to occur regularly throughout the MWEE. This learning and frequent reflection provide the foundation for the development of claims and environmental action that address the driving question and connect to the environmental issue. Throughout this process, students should demonstrate understanding of their investigations and conclusions with their peers or the school community. This could involve multiple disciplines and a variety of formats including discussion, journaling, presentations, graphing, performing skits or songs, or creating art.

1.4 Environmental Action Projects

As a result of their investigations, students identify solutions and develop Environmental Action Projects that directly address the issue within their school, neighborhood, or community. Students are actively engaged in and, to the extent possible, drive the decision-making, planning, and implementation of the action project. Teachers facilitate this process by forming groups, moderating, and answering questions. Students reflect on the value of the action and determine the extent to which it successfully addressed the issue.

This essential element allows students to understand that they personally have the power to bring about change by taking action to address environmental issues at the personal, community, or societal level. Taking action instills confidence in students and can contribute to students becoming environmental stewards in their communities.

Environmental Action Projects can take many forms and may fall into the following types:

> Restoration or Protection: actions that assist in the recovery or preservation of a watershed or related ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Examples include:

plant or restore protective vegetation/trees; restore a local habitat; remove invasive plants;

clean up litter at local beaches, parks, or school grounds; develop a school garden, natural history area, community garden, or other sustainable green space; install rain gardens to help manage storm water.

> Everyday Choices: actions that reduce human impacts on watersheds and related ecosystems and offer ways to live more sustainably. Examples include:

Notice of Federal Funding Page 7 of 51 refuse/reduce/reuse/recycle; monitor and save water in the face of potential drought or reduction in water availability; compost food or yard waste; research and implement energy efficient strategies or energy alternatives at school and/or at home.

> Community Engagement: actions that inform others about how to address community-level environmental issues. Examples include: give presentations to local organizations;

organize community events; record or broadcast public service announcements; share information on social media; post flyers in community; share posters at community events/fairs/festivals; mentoring.

> Civic Engagement: actions that identify and address issues of public concern. Students acting alone or together to protect societal values or make a change or difference in a student’s school, neighborhood, or community. Examples include: present to school principal or school board; attend, speak, or present at town meetings; write to local or state decision makers or elected officials.

2. MWEE Supporting Practices The MWEE also includes four supporting practices that describe “what teachers do,” along with their partners, to ensure successful implementation with students. The supporting practices are Teacher Facilitation, Learning Integration, Sustained Experiences, and Local Context.

2.1 Teacher Facilitation

MWEEs require that teachers support student learning for the duration of the MWEE, both inside and outside the classroom. Teachers balance roles of facilitation, direct instruction, and coaching to create a student-centered learning experience where the essential elements of the MWEE come together to support goals for learning and create opportunities for students to take active roles in the learning process. Teachers provide space for student choice and voice by creating learning experiences that center on what students value. Even when activities or lessons occur at partner sites or are primarily led by partners at the school, teachers should be actively engaged. Teachers should connect these experiences to prior learning, foster critical thinking, and lead reflection after the experience so, regardless of the facilitator, the entire MWEE experience feels cohesive to the students.

To support this level of engagement, teachers should have access to professional development opportunities that support their content knowledge, understanding of the MWEE framework, and confidence and intention to implement MWEEs independently (see Teacher MWEE Professional Development Characteristics for specifics).

2.2 Learning Integration

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The MWEE is an educational framework that helps teachers meet their learning objectives in an engaging way. MWEEs are not meant to be something “extra,” but rather a means of enriching lessons for deeper student learning while meeting academic standards. To achieve this vision, MWEEs should be embedded into the school curriculum to support goals for learning and student achievement. They can also provide authentic, engaging interdisciplinary learning that crosses traditional boundaries between disciplines. Finally, the MWEE essential elements can also be used by educators in out-of-school settings (for example, after school programs, clubs, or summer camps) to enrich activities and complement school-based programming.

2.3 Sustained Experience

MWEEs rely on teachers to plan and implement a series of rich and connected learning opportunities where each essential element — from asking questions during Issue Definition through implementing Environmental Action Projects — builds upon and reinforces the others. To accomplish this, MWEEs are incorporated into a unit or multiple units, where learning happens both in and out of the classroom. This provides adequate time for students to not only reflect on the individual lessons and experiences, but also on how all of the elements cohesively come together. While an individual lesson may occur in one class period or field experience, that lesson or experience should be explicitly connected to the larger learning sequence of the MWEE.

2.4 Local Context

MWEEs have teachers use the local environment and community as a context for learning that is relevant to students’ lives. Situating the MWEE within local contexts promotes learning that is rooted in the unique culture, history, environment, economy, literature, and art of a students’ school, neighborhood, or community. To enrich MWEEs, local resources (e.g. partners, expertise, field sites) should be incorporated. Partnerships, such as those with local community-based organizations, create opportunities for students to engage with members of their community of diverse cultures, values, and expertise that can create a more equitable and inclusive experience.

Emphasizing the local context enables students and teachers to develop stronger connections to, and appreciation for, their local environments and communities. This also enables students and teachers to explore how their individual and collective decisions affect their immediate surroundings and in turn affect larger ecosystems and watersheds.

3. Teacher MWEE Professional Development Characteristics Professional development providers play a crucial role in preparing teachers to implement successful MWEEs with their students. Professional development that includes

Notice of Federal Funding Page 9 of 51 characteristics such as: relevant content; explicit modeling of educational frameworks;

collaboration, feedback and modeling instruction such as student-centered teaching;

adequate time for professional development including time for ongoing support; and offering participation incentives that teachers value leads to a variety of positive outcomes.

Professional development should empower teachers to confidently and competently use the MWEE framework to support standards-based learning that aligns with local education agency initiatives. Teachers should gain confidence in the value of MWEEs and strategies for conducting them so that they will be able to implement MWEEs after the professional development has ended. To set teachers up for success, the following six overarching characteristics, informed by education research and evaluation results, are recommended for inclusion in professional development to support teachers implementing MWEEs.

3.1 Increases teachers’ knowledge and awareness of environmental issues Professional development facilitators should ensure that teachers have an adequate level of content knowledge in science, specific to their grade level and discipline, to support their MWEE. The content knowledge should also be connected to the interactions between natural systems and social systems, including human impacts on local watersheds and larger Earth systems. Recognizing that environmental issues often include different perspectives and opinions about the environment, teachers must also experience and build skills that enable them to address these traditionally non-academic factors in their classrooms. When combined, this knowledge and these experiences often result in teachers who are more aware of, and more prepared for, the complexity of implementing MWEEs.

3.2 Models MWEE framework

Professional development should also provide opportunities for teachers to understand the goals and rationale behind the MWEE as a framework for fostering learning and environmental stewardship. Facilitators of teacher professional development should utilize the same techniques and experiences that teachers are expected to use with their students, such as hands-on Outdoor Field Experiences, critical thinking about environmental issues, and Environmental Action Projects.

Research suggests teachers are more likely to engage their students in activities they experience themselves during professional development programs. Therefore, MWEE professional development should always include opportunities for teachers to experience environmental action projects that connect to the watershed issue being studied, as well as the inquiry activities their students will take to plan and implement their own action projects

3.3 Includes collaboration, feedback, and models high-quality instruction Effective professional development includes peer collaboration, time for teachers to

Notice of Federal Funding Page 10 of 51 experience, plan for, and practice model activities and lesson plans, and opportunities for reflection and feedback. Collaborative opportunities that include observing effective teaching practices and replicating these practices with expert instruction and feedback, can result in higher likelihood that teachers will apply these practices when implementing MWEEs. Such opportunities also foster exchanging ideas and create a collaborative atmosphere for changing the culture around adopting new teaching practices at multiple levels within a school system. In addition, when teachers experience high-quality instruction, such as active learning and student-centered inquiry, they are more likely to use high-quality instruction when implementing MWEEs with their own students.

3.4 Allows for adequate instructional time and ongoing support Professional development should be multi-day, occurring consecutively or over the course of several weeks or months and include time for ongoing support for teachers. Professional development facilitators should build in adequate time for the types of experience described above, including time to learn, practice, reflect upon, and design practices they learn during the professional development. Even in cases where teachers participate in robust multi-day workshops, such as summer or weekend courses, it is still essential that professional development providers have structures and opportunities in place for ongoing teaching support and enrichment. This can take the form of follow up meetings, web-based forums for communication and feedback, mentor teachers who can serve as points of contact, or teams of teachers from one particular school.

Regarding the time allocated for professional development, educational research findings and evidence from the B-WET national evaluation system support the B-WET program recommendation that professional development include more than 30 hours of professional development (for example, in-person multi-day workshops, virtual lectures or demonstrations, field-based data collection, one-on-one consultations), of which more than 10 hours should be spent doing hands-on inquiry or engaging in action projects in the outdoors. It has been shown that these targets will change teacher practice and increase the likelihood that teachers will implement impactful MWEEs. Where states and/or school districts put limits on the amount of time teachers can spend in professional development, applicants should describe those limitations and how they will maximize the professional development time that is available.

Where appropriate, professional development should include tools for teachers to implement MWEEs on their school grounds. Resources exist to support the effective hands-on implementation of MWEEs and the development and continued use of integrated, sustainable indoor and outdoor environmental learning projects that provide substantial benefit to both students and the school environment.

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3.5 Offers appropriate incentives

Having appropriate incentives can increase participation in professional development programs. For example, teachers who participated in B-WET-funded professional development programs in the past reported that receiving a stipend or continuing education credits were the “most valuable” incentives enabling them to participate in those programs.

While a variety of incentives can be offered to professional development program participants, it is clear that continuing education credits and stipends can enable participation in ways that other incentives might not.

3.6 Meets jurisdictional guidelines and engages leadership

Each jurisdiction has established guidance and recommendations relevant to all forms of teacher professional development. When possible, professional development opportunities for MWEEs should adhere to guidelines set forth by state and/or local education agencies.

Outreach and training opportunities for school administrators will also help ensure jurisdictional alignment and increase high level support for both environmental education and continuing teacher professional development for teachers.

4. Other Considerations

4.1 Includes NOAA assets, including personnel and resources

NOAA has a wealth of applicable products, data, and services as well as a cadre of scientific and professional experts who can enhance student and teacher experiences both in the classroom and in the field. These resources complement the educator’s strengths and augment the educational resources. Additionally, NOAA personnel can serve as important role models for career choices and stewardship. For applicants seeking to address the Climate Change special interest area, NOAA provides data, tools, and information to understand and prepare for climate variability and change. Many resources exist that can support teachers and students. For more on NOAA assets for education please see:

www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections, NOAA in your state (www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS/), and NOAA in your backyard (www.noaa.gov/education/noaa-in-your-backyard).

4.2 Ensures cultural relevance

The New England B-WET Program is strongly committed to expanding the participation of communities historically and systemically facing barriers to outdoor experiential educational experiences and MWEEs and ensuring that students’ identities are reflected in those experiences. Programming should be designed to be culturally relevant and make authentic connections to students' lived experiences. Cultural relevance is defined as the ability to

Notice of Federal Funding Page 12 of 51 effectively reach and engage communities and their youth in a manner consistent with the cultural context and values of that community while effectively addressing disparities of diversity, equity, and inclusion within an organization’s entire structure.

B. Program Priorities

Proposals must address one of the following priorities: (1) Projects combining long-term, classroom-integrated Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) through teacher professional development and student experiences or (2) Projects that will increase capacity for the field of environmental education at the state and local level.

Descriptions of these priorities are described in detail below.

a. Priority 1: Projects combining long-term, classroom-integrated Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) through teacher professional development and student experiences.

NOAA’s New England B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that support high quality teacher professional development for classroom-integrated Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). Projects must include the development of teacher-led student outdoor experiences, learning, and environmental actions that connect students to their local watershed. These projects must address all aspects of the MWEE, as defined in Section I.A.b.

1. Teacher Professional Development Professional development for teachers, coupled with MWEEs for students that are fully supported by their teachers in the classroom, will help concepts of watershed education be reinforced throughout the school year. Teachers should be trained to rely extensively on hands-on, inquiry-based experiential teaching and learning that allows students to draw on multiple disciplines and provides genuine, locally relevant sources of knowledge that can be used to help advance student learning skills across the entire school curriculum.

Projects should include more than 30 hours of professional development time for each teacher, of which more than 10 hours should be spent doing hands-on inquiry or engaging in action projects outdoors. Professional development opportunities should allow for adequate instructional time, and create a structure for on-going teacher support and enrichment. Where states and/or school districts put limits on the amount of time teachers can spend in professional development, applicants should describe those limitations and how they will maximize the professional development time that is available. Projects should be designed so that teachers are capable of conducting MWEEs independently. These targets are expected to support teacher training and increase the likelihood that teachers will successfully implement

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MWEEs in their classrooms. The long-term goal for the professional development is to empower teachers to continue MWEE implementation and stewardship action in their classrooms even after B-WET funding is exhausted.

Professional development for teachers may include, but is not limited to, a combination of the following types of supported activities: workshops, college level courses, training for individuals who provide teacher professional development, individual teacher coaching and support (e.g., curriculum planning, shared teaching, demonstrations and/or other forms of in-school or in-field support), development of teacher networks, and/or online support (e.g., courses, webinars, discussion forums). Research suggests teachers are more likely to engage their students in activities they experience themselves during professional development programs. Therefore, MWEE professional development should always include opportunities for teachers to experience environmental action projects that connect to the watershed issue being studied, as well as the inquiry activities their students will take to plan and implement their own action projects.

Professional development, and subsequent implementation with students, may take place on school grounds or at off site locations. Where appropriate, professional development should include tools for teachers to implement MWEEs on their school grounds and/or adequate resources for transportation for teachers to participate in off-site professional development.

2. Student Experiences All proposals should demonstrate a connection to the Gulf of Maine or Atlantic Ocean through a local watershed system so that students understand how their actions, even if inland, are connected to the health of the marine ecosystem. B-WET funded projects should include more than 5 hours of student activity time spent outdoors and incorporate at least one measurable environmental action situated in places where students live, grow, and play.

Student MWEEs led by the applicant and partners should serve as part of the teacher's professional development and training for how to successfully implement a MWEE.

Since teachers often cite the lack of transportation funding as a barrier to taking students off school grounds for field trips, if you believe your proposed projects would benefit students the most by bringing them to a site that requires transportation to the site, we encourage you to allocate funds in your budget to cover transportation costs.

3. Other Requirements All proposals submitted under Priority 1 should also include the following elements:

3.1 An outreach opportunity. Outreach opportunities should allow students, teachers, and

Notice of Federal Funding Page 14 of 51 project staff to share their experiences with peers, other students, and their community (e.g., newsletters, peer-to-peer presentations, conferences, community events, media/social media).

3.2 Inclusion of multiple partners. Partners may include (but are not limited to) non-profits, community organizations, schools, school departments, tribes, local municipalities, universities, etc. Partners should be actively involved in the project and submit a letter demonstrating the level of commitment and involvement with the application package.

3.3 Demonstrate alignment with state or local learning standards and NOAA’s Education Strategic plan (www.noaa.gov/education/explainers/noaa-education-strategic-plan).

3.4 Use of NOAA resources. Description of NOAA resources that will be used in support of the training or MWEEs such as data, places, or collaborations with NOAA entities as partners.

3.5 Community partnerships that lead with equity. Applicants should work with community organizations that lead with equity (if the applicant is not one of these entities). In order to be effective, sustainable, and equitable, environmental education must be integrated within organizations that understand and support the needs of their community. The NOAA B-WET program is interested in projects that partner specifically with organizations and institutions that serve groups that have been affected by historic and systemic barriers preventing or limiting access to NOAA resources, particularly minority communities. Projects are strongly encouraged to develop meaningful and mutually-beneficial partnerships that honor the strengths of community organizations. In successful partnerships, organizations have shared goals and work together to share resources, communicate effectively, collaborate on decision-making, and competently engage members of diverse cultures and expertise.

Adequate compensation should be provided for community-based organization partners and community members for the effort they are contributing to the project. Community partnerships may include, but are not limited to:

> Historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, Tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas.

> Organizations and institutions that serve groups historically or systematically excluded from STEM and environmental fields, particularly minority communities.

> Partnerships that help to address a watershed challenge, problem, or phenomenon by bringing in local expertise on existing environmental issues and creating innovative solutions

Notice of Federal Funding Page 15 of 51 and/or traditional ecological knowledge.

> Partnerships that enhance the local context, cultural relevance, and cultural competence in professional development for all teachers.

4. Special Interest Areas

New England B-WET has two additional Special Interest Areas that applicants applying under Priority 1 may wish to address if they choose. These Special Interest Areas are not required, however, they will be considered during the review process and will make applications more competitive. These areas are:

> New England fisheries and protected species: The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office is an office under the NOAA Fisheries. We work with partners to ensure sustainable fishing opportunities, protection for endangered species and marine mammals and the conservation of the habitat needed to support marine life. Given these commitments, NOAA is interested in B-WET projects that develop student understanding around the ecological, economic, or cultural importance of New England fisheries and protected species including, but not limited to, groundfish, shellfish, sea turtles, Atlantic salmon, or marine mammals;

and the habitats that support them.

> Climate change science, resilience, and justice: The K-12 education system is a well-positioned venue for instilling comprehensive knowledge, skills, competencies, and resilience around one of the most pressing economic, social and environmental issues of today: climate change. Education has the power to help students develop meaningful personal connections to climate solutions, a sense of personal agency and empowerment, and ultimately impact their behaviors and decision-making in relation to climate change (Kwauk, 2021; K12 Climate Action Commission, 2021). The MWEE educational framework can directly foster climate knowledge, skills, and competencies to address climate change, climate impacts, and the opportunities to contribute to climate solutions in their own communities. Proposals incorporating this special interest area should demonstrate an understanding of age-appropriate, effective climate education communication strategies that will empower teachers and students to take individual, school-wide, and/or community action.

b. Priority 2: Capacity building for K-12 environmental literacy at the state and local level.

B-WET projects funded under this priority will focus on building capacity and structures within schools for long-term environmental education and literacy programming at the state and local level.

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The project should:

> Engage educational administrators, leaders, and networks to build support for implementing state environmental and/or climate change literacy plans in K-12 learning in one of the six New England states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, or Rhode Island); and/or

> Build organizational capacity for long-term environmental education networking, planning, and policy engagement. Approaches to capacity building could include (but not limited to):

>> Managing state-wide mini-grants to K-12 schools, non-profits, tribal governments, or community-based organizations working to build individual school capacity for implementing MWEEs on school grounds, particularly focusing in environmental justice communities with disproportionately high human and environmental health risks and impacts or alternatively disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. Resources for community indicators may include, but are not limited to, the EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening or Mapping tool https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen or the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en#7.48/41.543/-71.41).

Examples of potential mini-grants may include (but are not limited to) activities that will support school wide climate change literacy and resiliency, the creation of a garden site or outdoor laboratory in an urban school yard to provide an outdoor green learning space to facilitate MWEE implementation, development of an outdoor gear lending library that serves an entire school, purchasing a beach accessible or all-terrain wheelchair to facilitate outdoor field trip accessibility, funding part-time environmental education staff that lead school-ground based student MWEEs, support for school-wide environmental action newsletter, workshop, or event that focuses on youth voice.

Should the application include the management of mini-grants with federal funds, the applicant must document prior experience administering grant funding and/or demonstrate the capacity to administer such a program.

>> Creating a state-level environmental literacy advisory group to inform state education decision makers.

>> Building capacity for agencies, organizations, and collaboratives that are working

Notice of Federal Funding Page 17 of 51 statewide to modify or enhance existing programs that ultimately support systemic MWEEs.

>> Increase the number of practitioners committed to advancing the MWEE framework with an emphasis on bringing new disciplines and perspectives to environmental literacy.

> Develop a community of practice to increase accessibility of MWEEs to neurodiverse students and teachers and/or those with physical disabilities.

Applicants for this priority must demonstrate a strong understanding of their state’s environmental literacy policies. Direct implementation of MWEEs for students should not occur in projects under this priority area, however, applications may include activities involving administrators, non-formal educators, teachers, and/or support staff such as those examples mentioned above.

C. Program Authority

Under 33 U.S.C. 893a(a), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is authorized to conduct, develop, support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal educational activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, including underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and policy careers. In conducting those activities, the Administrator shall build upon the educational programs and activities of the agency with consideration given to the goal of promoting the participation of individuals from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and in promoting the acquisition and retention of highly qualified and motivated young scientists to complement and supplement workforce needs.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

We anticipate that in FY 2024 New England B-WET will have approximately $350,000 available to support up to four awards under Priority 1 and one to two awards under Priority

2. The number of awards made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested for each project, the merit and ranking of the proposals, and the amount of funds made available to the New England B- WET Program. Up to 50% of Priority 1 funding may be set aside for applicants that have not previously been funded by B-WET. Therefore, the total funding amount for applicants that have successfully received B-WET funding in the past may be limited to 50% under this

Notice of Federal Funding Page 18 of 51 priority.

For Priority 1, applicants may request between $25,000 to $100,000 in Federal funding for the entire 2-year project. For Priority 2, applicants may request between $50,000 and $150,000 in Federal funding for the entire 3-year project. Applications requesting federal support from NOAA of more than the maximum will not be considered for review or funding. A recipient of a previous award seeking to continue an existing project beyond the approved award period must submit a new application and compete with other applications.

Publication of this announcement does not obligate NOAA to establish any specific partnership or to obligate available funds for partnership activities. There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards for this funding opportunity or that any proposal will be selected for funding. If an applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, it does so at its own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a subsequent award. NOAA is not responsible for proposal preparation costs. Direct costs of application preparation shall not be included within the project application budget. In addition, NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if this program fails to receive funding.

Top ranked applications not funded in the current fiscal year may be considered for funding in the next fiscal year without NOAA repeating the competitive process outlined in this announcement.

B. Project/Award Period

The project start date should not begin before September 1, 2024. The period of award must be two years (24 months) for projects applying under Priority 1 and three years (36 months) for projects applying under Priority 2. Applications must include a project description and a budget for the entire award period that is broken down by each award year.

Applicants selected to receive funding may be asked to modify the project start date. It is recommended to include the flexibility of the requested start date in your project description.

The requested award start date must begin on the first day of the month and end on the last day of the month. Project start dates will be no earlier than September 1, 2024, dependent upon availability of Federal funding as provided by Congress, acceptable completion of all NOAA/applicant negotiations including National Environmental Policy Act analysis and permit requirements, and the provision of other supporting documentation as requested.

Applicants selected to receive funding may be asked to modify the project start date.

When a multi-year project is awarded, the scope of work and budget for all years is approved

Notice of Federal Funding Page 19 of 51 at the time of the award, but funding is usually provided only for the first year of the project with the remainder of the award subject to incremental funding, usually annually. NOAA anticipates continuing these multi-year awards for the entirety of their project periods;

however, the agency has no obligation to provide an additional funding in connection with the award beyond the initial funding increment.

Should adequate funding be available, NOAA reserves the right to make single-year awards (one allotment of funding) with an award period of up to two years (Priority 1) or three years (Priority 2) if funding allows.

Applicants will be required to re-compete for continued funding after the initial period of performance.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

The type of funding instrument, exact amount of funding, the scope of work, and the terms and conditions of a successful award will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA/NMFS representatives after the application has been selected for funding.

The funding instrument will be either a grant or a cooperative agreement. The award will be a cooperative agreement if the proposed project involves substantial NOAA Federal scientific or programmatic involvement. NOAA involvement may include planning, scheduling, conducting and evaluating proposed project activities, and frequent contact with the applicant to help solve technical problems as they arise during the project. “Substantial involvement” means that after the award is approved for funding, NOAA scientific or program staff will assist, guide, coordinate, or participate in project activities in a partnership role. NOAA will NOT assume direction, primary responsibility, or a dominant role in project activities.

These reside with the recipient for the project as a whole, although specific tasks and activities may be shared between the recipient and NOAA. Examples of “substantial NOAA involvement” may include non-compensated collaboration in research or approval of key stages in project implementation before subsequent steps are taken.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems;

Notice of Federal Funding Page 20 of 51 institutions of higher education; community-based and non-profit organizations; state, county, local, or Indian tribal government agencies; and regional…