NOAA-NOS-OCM-2022-2007142 NOFO Report (2).pdf

2022 NOAA Hawaii Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 3

A. Program Objective 3 B. Program Priorities 16 C. Program Authority 18

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

III. Eligibility Information 19 A. Eligible Applicants 19 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 19 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 19

IV. Application and Submission Information 19 A. Address to Request Application Package 20 B. Content and Form of Application 20 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 35 D. Submission Dates and Times 35 E. Intergovernmental Review 36 F. Funding Restrictions 36 G. Other Submission Requirements 36

V. Application Review Information 37 A. Evaluation Criteria 37 B. Review and Selection Process 41 C. Selection Factors 42 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 43

VI. Award Administration Information 43 A. Award Notices 43 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 44 C. Reporting 46

VII. Agency Contacts 48 VIII. Other Information 48

Notice of Federal Funding Page 1 of 50

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: 2022 NOAA Hawaii Bay Watershed Education and Training (B- WET) Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-OCM-2022-2007142

Federal Assistance Listings Number: 11.473, Office for Coastal Management

Dates: Full proposals must be received by 6:59 pm Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) on February 25, 2022.

Three informational webinars with the Program Officer will occur on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 from 12:30-1:30pm; Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 2:00 to 3:00pm; and Tuesday, January 25, 2022 from 2:00 to 3:00pm HST. Webinar links and related teleconference information will be sent to interested applicants who sign up for an information session at https://forms.gle/ySLa994hGhS3YJ2MA.

Funding Opportunity Description: The NOAA Hawaii Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program is a federal funding opportunity that meets NOAA’s mission of science, service, and stewardship. The Hawaii B-WET program supports a vision of a future where societies and ecosystems are healthy and resilient in the face of sudden or prolonged change. The purpose for this financial assistance is to support our communities by developing well-informed members of society involved in decision-making that positively impacts our coastal, marine, and watershed ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands. This is a competitive opportunity for grants to assist in the development of new programs, encourage innovative partnerships among environmental education programs, and support geographically targeted programs to advance environmental education efforts that complement national and state school requirements. The Hawaii B-WET program plays a foundational role as an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the K-12 environment on Priority Content Areas such as Earth science, climate science, and indigenous local knowledge models for all sciences. Funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for students and professional development for teachers that support regional education and environmental priorities. More information about the B-WET program is online at https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/bwet.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program was established in 2002 to create environmentally literate students and teachers through education.

Recognizing that an informed community is the key to sustaining the Nation’s watersheds, in addition to both coastal and ocean environments, NOAA has developed B-WET programs in seven regions: California, Chesapeake Bay, Hawaii, Gulf of Mexico, New England, Pacific Northwest, and Great Lakes. The NOAA Office for Coastal Management - Pacific Islands in Honolulu administers the Hawaii B-WET program on behalf of the NOAA Office of Education and in partnership with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in Hawaii.

The goal of the Hawaii B-WET program is to support K-12 environmental literacy programs that provide students with Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) in Hawaii’s ahupuaa and related professional development for in-service teachers, administrators, or other educators serving K-12 students. Individuals that have been educated about Earth’s processes and long-term environmental trends can become effective problem solvers, informed future community leaders, and engaged decision-makers charged with managing Hawaii’s limited island resources. Experiential learning techniques, such as those supported by the B-WET program, have been shown to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and math, thus contributing to NOAA’s obligations under the America COMPETES Act (33 USC 893a).

The MWEE framework is the backbone of all B-WET funded projects and regardless of the priority, must incorporate the MWEE in order to be successful. The definition of the MWEE that follows was created by the NOAA B-WET National program and is used by all seven B- WET regions throughout the country.

The NOAA B-WET program recognizes that support is needed to bridge this gap that has been created by the loss of revenue, the cancellation of programs, and the inequities that are being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a major contributor to environmental education programs, the NOAA B-WET program is committed to responding to the immediate needs of this pandemic and supporting these critical institutions that provide meaningful experiences for youth at all levels. While writing the grant proposal, ensure that all current federal, state (Department of Education), and City & County guidelines regarding COVID safety are followed during the time of the project implementation.

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1. Defining the NOAA Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience

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 composed of multiple components that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom, and are designed to increase the environmental literacy of all participants 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 learning experience for students. This process should be tailored to each audience and be age appropriate, with practices growing in complexity and sophistication across the grades, starting with teacher-guided investigations and progressing to student-led inquiry. Teachers should support and assist students in their inquiry and investigations of local environmental issues that are of interest to them and that connect to curriculum throughout the MWEE. To support teacher implementation of MWEEs, B-WET has also included five practices that are recommended to be in place for teacher professional development activities.

a. MWEE Essential Elements

The MWEE consists of four essential elements that describe “what students do.” These elements promote 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.

i. Issue Definition

Throughout the MWEE, students focus on a driving question that guides their inquiry, investigations, and ultimately results in environmental actions. To support this, teachers define a locally relevant environmental issue, problem, or phenomenon and a driving question— often referred to as an essential question, organizing question, or overarching question. This is the “big picture” question that is important for sparking curiosity and

Notice of Federal Funding Page 4 of 50 organizing student inquiry. The driving question should be open-ended, relevant to the students’ lives, maintain continuity of activities, and meet learning objectives.

During Issue Definition, students are actively involved in co-developing supporting questions with teachers. They also plan and conduct background research and investigations to better understand the driving and supporting questions (e.g. making observations and/or measurements; carrying out field investigations; talking to experts or relevant stakeholders;

reviewing credible resources; reviewing current environmental policies or community practices; exploring models). As a part of this process, students also reflect on personal and public values and perspectives, and root causes, related to the driving question.

ii. Outdoor Field Experiences

Students participate in multiple Outdoor Field Experiences sufficient to explore the driving question. 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 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 Projects. 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 in close proximity 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 should also prepare students by discussing and providing information about what students can expect to see, feel, and experience during their time outdoors in order to ensure students feel safe and comfortable during their field experiences.

iii. Synthesis and Conclusions

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Students identify, synthesize, and apply evidence from their investigations to make claims and draw conclusions about the issue. These claims are used by students to create a plan for environmental action. Synthesis and Conclusions should happen regularly throughout the MWEE. Teachers dedicate time for students to reflect on each experience and investigation in relation to the issue and facilitate students sharing their claims and conclusions with each other. Students may demonstrate understanding of their investigations and conclusions through communication to a variety of audiences such as their peers, other classrooms, school leaders, parents, or the community.

iv. Environmental Action Projects

Students identify and implement an environmental action project as a solution that directly addresses the defined issue within their school, neighborhood, town, or community. Students are actively engaged in and, to the extent possible, drive the decision-making, planning, and implementation of the action project, while teachers play a facilitation role 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 (e.g., 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 stormwater).

Everyday Choices: actions that reduce human impacts on watersheds and related ecosystems and offer ways to live more sustainably (e.g., 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

Notice of Federal Funding Page 6 of 50 environmental issues (e.g., 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 public values or make a change or difference in a student’s school, town, neighborhood, or community (e.g., present to school board or school principal;

attend, speak, or present at town meetings; write or meet with decision makers/elected officials of a students’ school, town, neighborhood, or community).

b. MWEE Supporting Practices

The MWEE also includes four supporting practices that describe “what teachers do” to ensure successful implementation with students.

i. 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.

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 Practices for specifics).

ii. Learning Integration

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 (e.g. after-

Notice of Federal Funding Page 7 of 50 school programs; clubs; summer camps) to enrich activities and complement school-based programming.

iii. Sustained Experience

MWEEs rely on teachers to plan and implement a multi-faceted unit of inquiry where each essential element--from asking questions through implementing action--builds upon and reinforces the others to provide rich learning opportunities. MWEEs are spread over the course of a unit or multiple units, where learning happens both in and out of the classroom.

A Sustained Experience 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.

iv. 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, town, 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, allow students to engage with members of their community of diverse cultures, values, and expertise for 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.

c. Teacher MWEE Professional Development Practices

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. In order to gain and maintain environmental education competencies, teachers benefit from sustained, high-quality professional development that includes ongoing support and feedback. 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

Notice of Federal Funding Page 8 of 50 professional development has ended. Specifically, the following practices are recommended for professional development to support teachers implementing MWEEs.

i. Increases teachers’ knowledge and awareness of environmental issues

Teachers must have an adequate level of content knowledge for their MWEE topic area specific to their grade level and discipline, including an understanding of the interactions between natural systems and social systems and human impacts on local watersheds and larger Earth systems. Recognizing that environmental issues often include different perspectives and opinions, teachers must also have a deep understanding of the facts related to environmental issues, along with an understanding of the various stakeholder values. In addition, teachers who demonstrate environmentally responsible attitudes and behaviors may be role models for their students and increase their ability to guide students in environmental actions to address complex environmental issues.

ii. Models MWEE framework

Facilitators should utilize the same techniques and experiences in professional development 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. Professional development should also provide opportunities for teachers to understand the goals and rationale behind the MWEE as a framework to learning and environmental stewardship. Professional development should include ongoing support for teachers, and include time for teachers to reflect on modeled activities, and plan for how the student MWEEs will be implemented in their own classrooms.

iii. Allows for adequate instructional time

Professional development should be multi-day, occurring consecutively or over the course of several weeks or months. Professional development should include ample opportunity for teachers to reflect on their own teaching practices and plan for how to use knowledge and skills gained from professional development in the classroom. Opportunities to share ideas and challenges with colleagues in a cohort creates space for dialogue that can provide teachers with additional support and inspiration.

iv. Provides ongoing teacher support and appropriate incentives

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 a structure

Notice of Federal Funding Page 9 of 50 in place for on-going teacher support and enrichment. This can take the form of follow up meetings, creating web-based forums for communication and feedback, establishing mentor teachers who can serve as points of contact, or including teams of teachers from one particular school. Continuing education credits and stipends can be used to encourage participation in on-going professional development opportunities. Outreach and training opportunities for school administrators help increase high level support for both environmental education and continuing teacher professional development for teachers.

v. Meets jurisdictional guidelines for effective teacher professional development

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 these general guidelines set forth by local education agencies.

d. Additional Required Components

i. NOAA place-based watershed framework: The project must describe and address the direct connection to the specific ahupuaa where activities will be conducted (Resource to identify the name of an ahupuaa- http://www.kipukadatabase.com/). The Hawaiian Islands are an excellent resource for environmental education and provide a multitude of “hands-on” laboratories where students can see, touch, hear, feel, and learn about the Earth processes and the dynamic interactions of different ecosystems within an ahupuaa. The islands’ complex, diverse, and unique ecosystems can be brought to life in the classroom through MWEEs.

a) Ahupuaa knowledge: Native Hawaiian cultural knowledge and understanding should be incorporated into the student's educational experiences and professional development to enhance the participant’s interaction and connection with nature. Experiences should demonstrate to participants that local actions within an ahupuaa can impact the greater environment and ultimately, stewardship and long-term community sustainability.

b) Ahupuaa stewardship: Projects should encourage participants to be actively involved in stewardship behaviors and decisions that conserve, restore, and protect natural and cultural resources within the ahupuaa. Projects can focus on a specific environment within an ahupuaa (including marine environments), but applicants should demonstrate how the focus area fits within the greater concept of ahupuaa.

ii. NOAA Priority Content Areas: NOAA has identified three areas of interest for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 projects. Projects must include at least 1 of the 3 Priority Content Areas

Notice of Federal Funding Page 10 of 50 described below, and may include all three. In FY22 NOAA is particularly interested in projects that highlight the Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) and climate science areas:

a) Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK): The Hawaii B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that provide opportunities for students and educators to fully immerse in indigenous, local, and traditional knowledge (e.g. ecological, social, and historical). These projects will use ILK as the foundation of program design, structure, content, and implementation, supplemented with Western science. The goal is to teach science that aligns with their ILK, which may also include the use of the indigenous language. Projects should support systemic and structural changes in education programs by creating quality ILK frameworks as models that can be replicated across the state. Cultural knowledge and understanding should be incorporated into the student (K-12) educational experiences or teacher professional development to enhance the participants' interaction and connection with their environment.

Program pedagogy and methodology will include a detailed description of the cultural practices and processes that are incorporated into the lesson plans for students and/or teachers as well as the appropriate education standards.

b) Climate science: The Hawaii B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that incorporate elements of climate science into programming that provide opportunities for students and educators to understand why climate studies are important and how learning climate science provides a basis for understanding climate change. The MWEE approach can be a direct means for students to develop climate knowledge, skills, and competencies to address climate change and climate impacts in their own communities. The K-12 education system is a well-positioned venue for instilling comprehensive knowledge, skills, competencies, and resilience around climate change, the most pressing economic, social and environmental issue of today. According to the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and the most recent National Climate Assessment (NCA, 2018), communities in the U.S. are experiencing changes in climate that are resulting in severe storms, flooding, hurricanes, extended drought, changes in ocean chemistry and sea level rise, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth. Currently, educational institutions, researchers and policy makers are calling for climate science education that goes beyond knowledge acquisition and formal classroom teaching to efforts that reach audiences of all demographics and incorporate the social, political, economic, and justice elements of 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 (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

Notice of Federal Funding Page 11 of 50 to climate solutions in their own communities.

c) Earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences: The Hawaii B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that provide opportunities for students and educators to engage in exploring and investigating Earth’s dynamic processes. Projects should reflect a multi-disciplinary approach in the study of NOAA related sciences and the interaction of different ecosystems within an island ahupuaa, as well as long-term trends in average environmental conditions to support appropriate resource management, long-term sustainability, and local economies in both water-based and terrestrial-based activities.

iii. Experiences for all students/teachers: The Hawaii B-WET program is strongly committed to expanding the knowledge and participation of low income, historically marginalized, underrepresented, and underserved student populations in environmental education. It is crucial for all participants to have an understanding of and connection with their own environment, therefore all students should be provided an outdoor experience regardless of where they live or go to school. The Hawaii B-WET program anticipates that a substantial portion of the target audience served by funded projects will represent minority communities. Projects are strongly encouraged to develop meaningful and mutually-beneficial partnerships that honor the strengths of community organizations to directly address equity and inclusion.

iv. Partnerships: Project proposals should include partnerships with Hawaii-based communities, organizations, schools, and/or school systems that will directly benefit from or contribute to the project. Partnerships with cultural and/or community experts will enhance the connection to the environment and are highly encouraged. 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. Signed letters of collaboration from each partner shall be submitted with the application package to demonstrate the level of commitment and involvement. Moreover, projects based on a NOAA-designated focus area should include a letter of collaboration from a NOAA office or lead site manager associated with the location.

v. Academic standards: Project proposals should be aligned to academic standards and should indicate how the project will align with one or more of these benchmarks of education. The State of Hawaii has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards and the Hawaii Common Core standards as the benchmarks of quality and excellence in education.

The Hawaii State Department of Education also has a department-wide framework called Na

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Hopena Ao, which is used to develop the skills, behaviors, and dispositions that are reminiscent of Hawaii’s unique context, that honors the qualities and values of the indigenous language and culture of Hawaii (https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/StudentLearning/HawaiianEdu cation/Pages/HA.aspx). The Native Hawaiian Education Council, which was created under the Native Hawaiian Education Act, along with a committee of other Hawaiian education institutions, created Na Honua Mauli Ola - Cultural Pathways for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments (http://www.olelo.hawaii.edu/olelo/documents/pdf/NHMO-2014-Poster-Pelaha.pdf, http://www.olelo.hawaii.edu/olelo/documents/pdf/NHMO2_ResearchSupports.pdf, http://www.olelo.hawaii.edu/olelo/documents/pub/NHMO.pdf). This is one example of a Hawaiian pedagogy that can be utilized for the NOAA Priority Content Area focusing on

ILK.

In addition, the ocean literacy principles (http://oceanliteracy.wp2.coexploration.org/), climate literacy principles (www.climate.gov/teaching/essential-principles-climate-literacy/essential-principles-climate-literacy), and energy literacy principles (www.energy.gov/eere/education/energy-literacy-essential-principles-energy-education) present guidelines on information individuals and communities should know to have a better understanding of these Earth systems.

vi. Includes NOAA assets, including personnel and resources: MWEEs use NOAA assets, such as data, resources, expertise, or places. NOAA has a wealth of applicable products, data, and services as well as a cadre of scientific and professional experts who can enhance student 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 more on NOAA assets for education please see: https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections, NOAA in your state (https://www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS/), NOAA in your backyard (https://www.noaa.gov/education/noaa-in-your-backyard), and NOAA Environmental Literacy Program's resilience assets (https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/elp/resilience-assets).

NOAA has identified several environments in Hawaii as special places for place-based management. Projects are encouraged to be connected to or based on conservation efforts at one of the following locations: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary; Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument; Heeia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR); or West Maui or South Kohala Coral Priority Areas.

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2. Definitions: The terms used throughout this announcement are thus defined:

a. Ahupuaa: An ahupuaa is a division of land, which is often oriented vertically extending from the uplands and usually includes portions of the sea, that is part of a larger traditional resource management system established by ancient Hawaiians to sustainably utilize the resources throughout the islands. The ahupuaa was developed and maintained as a practical approach for environmental stewardship and management of human-nature relationships, including use of natural resources. The ahupuaa includes connections and interactions between the lewa (sky), honua (Earth), and kai (sea). This unique relationship and understanding is based on Hawaiian traditions and values that convey the basic need to care for the Earth and its terrestrial, marine, atmospheric, and spiritual elements. Within the ahupuaa, human interactions and the use of resources were strictly managed through laws and social norms that were passed from generation to generation. This was a prominent practice and significant accomplishment in the history of traditional Hawaiian society.

Today, many are reviving and perpetuating knowledge and understanding about ahupuaa to apply the values and practices of ahupuaa stewardship to integrate both traditional and modern methods of resource management for the betterment of the environment and contemporary society.

b. Climate Science: The term for sciences related to any of the studies that deal with the long-term average of conditions in the atmosphere, ocean, ice sheets, and sea ice. These long term patterns of oceanic and atmospheric conditions at a location can be described by statistics, such as means and extremes, and/or indigenous histories and observations embedded in local traditional communities.

c. Curriculum: Refers to the lessons and academic content taught in a school or in a formal course or program which demonstrates a scope and sequence of learning objectives and assessments that build upon each topic. An individual teacher's curriculum, for example, would be the specific learning standards, lessons, assignments, and materials used to organize, teach, and assess students' proficiency of a particular course.

d. Earth Science: The term for sciences related to any of the studies that deal with the Earth or with one or more of its parts. Many scientists use the Earth systems science approach which treats the entire Earth as a system. Earth sciences include but are not limited to:

meteorology; climatology; atmospheric chemistry; geology; geodesy; geophysics; soil science; oceanography; hydrology; marine biology; glaciology; and marine, coastal, and atmospheric sciences.

e. Environmental Stewardship: The responsible use and protection of the natural

Notice of Federal Funding Page 14 of 50 environment through conservation and sustainable practices to enhance ecosystem resilience and human well-being.

f. Equity: the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to historically underserved or historically underrepresented communities that have been denied such treatment.

g. Hawaii: The islands of Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

h. Inclusion: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. For applicants that means, the practice to incorporate any relevant traditional and/or community knowledge into project activities to represent the diverse perspectives and values of their target community(ies).

i. Indigenous: originating or occurring naturally in a particular place.

j. Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK): refers to a cumulative body of knowledge, skills, observations, and systems developed, maintained, and practiced by “peoples with extended histories of interaction with the natural environment” and which are embedded in the cultural traditions of regional, indigenous, and/or local communities.

k. Kupuna: Hawaiian word for ancestor, grandparent, elder, or source (of knowledge).

l. Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs): Details in Section I.A.1 of this announcement.

m. Pedagogy: the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.

n. Stewardship: Behaviors and decisions that conserve, restore, and protect natural and cultural resources.

o. Students: Kindergarten through high school (K-12) youth.

p. Teachers/Educators: Formal educators for kindergarten through high school and informal educators for all audiences.

q. Watershed: Land area from which water drains toward a common watercourse in a natural

Notice of Federal Funding Page 15 of 50 basin. For the Hawaii B-WET grant program, projects should incorporate the broader concept of ahupuaa.

B. Program Priorities

Native Hawaiians were recognized for their integrated and sustainable resource management practices, along with their ability to perpetuate environmental and cultural values from generation to generation. Hawaiian culture is recognized for keen observations of Earth’s processes and applying that knowledge to create sustainable practices that supported a population of nearly one million Hawaiians prior to western contact. The practice of ahupuaa management evolved in Hawaii as a result of the interrelationship of people and their environment. The Hawaiian perspective regards humans as connected to nature as a part of their environment, not as a separate entity. This unique relationship was premised on the need to care for the Earth and its terrestrial, marine, atmospheric, and cultural resources. It provides a powerful study and management mechanism to integrate Earth sciences and community resilience to hazards in our contemporary land-use planning, which also assists with decision-making processes.

Modern ahupuaa management focuses on knowledge of Earth's processes and fostering stewardship of the land and sea to understand the interconnectedness of the health of our environment to the resilience of our communities. It provides opportunities to promote community-based efforts with localized knowledge to take an active part in decisions about the management of the ahupuaa to balance the use of environmental resources with social and economic needs. In applying the concept of ahupuaa, communities can begin to assess the resilience of their surrounding environment by having a more in-depth understanding of Earth’s processes to arrive at sustainable land and natural resource management goals.

The Hawaii B-WET program provides a venue for students and teachers to incorporate traditional and modern ahupuaa management practices into meaningful science-based learning experiences. The islands’ ahupuaa provide a genuine, locally relevant opportunity for engaging in MWEEs while advancing student learning skills and problem-solving abilities through the introduction of culturally-based knowledge and practices with the general school curriculum.

All B-WET projects under this funding announcement should support the direct implementation of the MWEE, applying the concept of ahupuaa. All proposals should follow the MWEE guidance and additional required components to be successful. In addition a proposal must address one of the following priorities (and corresponding details that follow):

1. PRIORITY 1: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students

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The NOAA Hawaii B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that provide opportunities for K-12 students to participate in meaningful place-based outdoor experiences that empower students’ learning. Projects submitted under this priority should be learner-centered and focused on issues, problems, or phenomena to be investigated through: making observations and/or measurements; carrying out field investigations; talking to experts or relevant stakeholders; reviewing credible resources; reviewing current environmental policies or community practices; exploring models. These activities that are grounded in best practices and include the concept of ahupuaa, Increase Student Interest and Engagement in Learning, Support Student Achievement, Advance 21st Century Skills, and Advance Environmental Stewardship and Civic Responsibility. As a result of the MWEEs, students should have an understanding of basic watershed concepts, as well as the interaction between natural and social systems, highlighting the connection between human activity and environmental conditions. Proposals submitted under this area should address the NOAA MWEE components in the previous Sections, part I.A.1a , I.A.1b, and I.A.1d.

2. PRIORITY 2: Teacher Professional Development for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences

The Hawaii B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that provide teachers opportunities for professional development in implementing MWEEs. Educators should ultimately provide MWEEs for their students by weaving together classroom and field activities, within the context of their instructional coursework and current critical issues that impact the Hawaiian Islands. Systematic, long-term education programs, and professional development opportunities will reinforce an educator’s ability to teach, inspire, and lead young people toward thoughtful stewardship of our natural and cultural resources, as well as develop the next generation of decision-makers.

Based on educational research findings and preliminary evidence from the B-WET national evaluation system, the B-WET program recommends that professional development include more than 30 hours of professional development time, of which more than 10 hours should be spent outdoors. This may include any of the following types of B-WET professional development: workshops, college-level courses, professional development provider training (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), and/or online support (e.g., courses, webinars, discussion forums). Multi-day training may occur consecutively or over several months.

These targets are expected to support teacher change and increase the likelihood that teachers will implement MWEEs. Proposals submitted under this area should address the

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NOAA MWEE components in the previous Section I.A.1c and I.A.1d.

NOTE: The numbers associated with the priorities are for reference and are not a ranking of importance. A proposal may address multiple priorities, however, applicants must identify one priority which is the primary focus of their application and reflected in the project and budget narratives.

C. Program Authority

15 USC 1540 Cooperative Agreements; 33 USC 893a (a) America COMPETES Act; 16 USC 1442 National Marine Sanctuaries Act

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Grant awards are dependent on the availability of federal funding as provided in enacted Appropriations Acts. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is being released prior to final appropriations due to review and award process time frames. Based on previous appropriations, total anticipated funding for all awards is approximately $1,000,000 and is subject to the availability of FY2022 funding. Multiple awards are anticipated from this announcement. The anticipated number of awards ranges from five (5) to fifteen (15) and will be adjusted based on available funding. The federal assistance request for the B-WET Priority 1 and 2 is a minimum of $50,000 and a maximum of $150,000 for the entire proposed project period of up to 24 months. 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 applications 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.

B. Project/Award Period

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The performance period for FY2022 funded projects under Priority 1 or 2 cannot exceed 24 months. The start date on proposals shall be no earlier than August 1, 2022; or the first day of any preceding month after August 1, 2022, but no later than January 1, 2023.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

The funding instrument for these awards will be grants.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible funding applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, commercial and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, and Indian tribal governments conducting projects in Hawaii (Islands of Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and/or the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands). Individual applicants and federal agencies are not eligible.

DOC/NOAA supports cultural and gender diversity, and is strongly committed to broadening the participation of organizations that promote inclusion, such as tribal colleges, minority serving institutions, universities, and groups that work in historically underserved areas.

Federal agencies and employees are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners and may contribute services in-kind; these ‘in-kind services’ cannot be considered as part of an applicant’s match on shared costs. If an applicant proposes a federal agency as a collaborator, applicants should provide detail on the expected level of federal engagement in the application. Examples might include, but are not limited to partnership services; serving in a review capacity; or participating in priority task teams, working groups, or leadership teams. NOAA employees are not permitted to assist in the preparation of applications.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Cost sharing is not required under this program. Any voluntary cost sharing or matching does not impact scoring and must be consistent with the requirements of 2 CFR 200.306.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

None

IV. Application and Submission Information

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A. Address to Request Application Package

The standard application package is available online at https://www.grants.gov. If accessing the application package online is not feasible, application packages may be requested from Mahealani Bambico, Hawaii B-WET Coordinator at Mokupapapa Discovery Center, 76 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720 or via email at mahealani.bambico@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

Applicants should follow the full proposal application requirements stated in this announcement or applications will not be considered for review. The preferred content and form of full proposal packages should be complete and must follow the format described in this notice. Missing substantive application components will deem a proposal incomplete and will not be considered for further review.

Applicants should plan to upload their proposal at Grants.gov as four files: 1. Title page 2.

Project narrative, 3. Budget spreadsheet and narrative, and 4. Appendices.

The project descriptions must be no smaller than single-spaced, 12-point font. Project descriptions that exceed any of the page limits will be shortened by removing pages at the end of the proposal narrative before it is forwarded to merit reviewers for evaluation. Pages excised from lengthy applications will not be reviewed or considered. Any additional documents not required in the announcement, will be removed from the application before it is forwarded to merit reviewers for evaluation.

Required documents such as the SF-424 federal forms, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) questionnaire, Data Management Plan, and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) do not count towards the page limits, and could be included at the end of the appendices after all other supplemental material or uploaded as a…