PKG00255458-instructions.pdf

Fiscal Year 2020 NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 4

A. Program Objective 4 B. Program Priorities 10 C. Program Authority 15

II. Award Information 15 A. Funding Availability 15 B. Project/Award Period 16 C. Type of Funding Instrument 16

III. Eligibility Information 16 A. Eligible Applicants 16 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 17 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 17

IV. Application and Submission Information 17 A. Address to Request Application Package 17 B. Content and Form of Application 18 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 25 D. Submission Dates and Times 25 E. Intergovernmental Review 26 F. Funding Restrictions 26 G. Other Submission Requirements 27

V. Application Review Information 28 A. Evaluation Criteria 28 B. Review and Selection Process 32 C. Selection Factors 34 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 34

VI. Award Administration Information 35 A. Award Notices 35 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 35 C. Reporting 39

VII. Agency Contacts 40 VIII. Other Information 40

Notice of Federal Funding Page 1 of 40

ANNOUNCEMENT OF 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: Fiscal Year 2020 NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NMFS-SE-2020-2006202

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.008, NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards

Dates: Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on November 29, 2019 to be considered for funding. Applicants should apply online through www.grants.gov.

When developing your submission timeline, keep in mind that it may take Grants.gov up to two business days to validate or reject the application and that an advance registration process is required that may take a few days or several weeks. If Grants.gov has technical issues that prohibit submission or is otherwise impractical, hard copy applications will be accepted. Hard copies may be submitted by postal mail, commercial delivery service, or hand-delivery, but must be received (not postmarked) by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 29, 2019. Hard copy applications arriving after the deadline given above will be accepted for review only if the applicant can document that the application was provided to a delivery service that guaranteed delivery prior to the specified closing date and time. Hard copy applications received by the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office later than two business days following the closing date will not be accepted.

Funding Opportunity Description: The National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office (Southeast Regional Office) is seeking proposals under the Gulf of Mexico B-WET program (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/noaa-gulf-mexico-bay-watershed-education-and-training-gulf-b-wet-program). Gulf of Mexico B-WET funds locally relevant, authentic experiential learning for K-12 audiences through Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) in Gulf of Mexico coastal communities. MWEEs involve learning both outdoors and in the classroom as students engage in issue definition, outdoor field experiences, synthesis and conclusions, and action projects. The goal is to increase understanding and stewardship of the Gulf of Mexico and its local watersheds. Projects advance the environmental education goal of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (https://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/). This program

Notice of Federal Funding Page 2 of 40 addresses NOAA's Long Term Goal of "Healthy Oceans: Marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity are sustained within healthy and productive ecosystems" and NOAA's Engagement Enterprise Objective for “An engaged and educated public with an improved capacity to make scientifically informed environmental decisions".

Applicants may be physically located in any U.S. state; however, education projects must target teachers and/or students in Gulf of Mexico coastal counties. For the purposes of this solicitation, the coastal counties of Gulf of Mexico states (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) are defined and listed on page 48-49 of the following document: National Ocean Service, NOAA. 2011. The Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Commerce, ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/noaa_documents.lib/NOS/state_of_coast/Gulf_of_Mexico_2011.pdf.

This year’s funding announcement focuses on priority areas including: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students, Professional Development for Teachers related to Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, Exemplary Programs combining Teacher Professional Development with long-term classroom-integrated Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for their students; and adds a new priority area: Systemic Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Implementation.

Notice of Federal Funding Page 3 of 40

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

a. OVERVIEW

NOAA recognizes that knowledge and commitment built from firsthand 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 responsible citizenship, and promote academic achievement. Environmentally literate individuals can become effective future workers, problem solvers, and thoughtful community leaders and participants.

The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET )program is an environmental education program that promotes locally relevant, experiential learning in the kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) environment. B-WET was established in 2002 in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and currently exists in seven regions: Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, New England, California, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Great Lakes. Experiential learning techniques, such as those supported by the NOAA B-WET program, have been shown to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), thus contributing to NOAA's obligations under the America Competes Act (33 USC 893a(a)).

The goal of this funding opportunity is to support K-12 education programs that provide students with Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) related to the Gulf of Mexico and/or related MWEE professional development for in-service teachers, administrators, or other educators serving K-12 students. The Gulf of Mexico and its tributaries are an excellent resource for environmental education. Its tidal and non-tidal waters and the surrounding landscape provide hands-on, place-based laboratories where students can see, touch, and learn about the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the greater environment. Information on the Gulf of Mexico B-WET program, including examples of currently supported projects, can be found on NOAA’s website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/noaa-gulf-mexico-bay-watershed-education-and-training-gulf-b-wet-program.

Successful B-WET projects provide formal education that supports the priorities of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (https://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/) and the goals of NOAA’s Education

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Strategic Plan (https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2015%20Strategic%20Plan%20Full%2 0Text%20Web%20Final_0.pdf).

b. DEFINING THE MEANINGFUL WATERSHED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

The primary delivery of B-WET is through competitive funding that promotes Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). MWEEs are multi-stage activities that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom, and aim to increase the environmental literacy of all participants. Teachers should support students to investigate topics both locally and globally that are of interest to them, learn they have control over the outcome of environmental issues, identify actions available to address these issues, and understand the value of those actions. More information about the MWEE can be found at the following link: https://www.noaa.gov/education/explainers/noaa-meaningful-watershed-educational-experience.

MWEEs are defined as follows:

1. Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students

MWEEs for students should be learner centered and focused on questions, problems, and issues to be investigated through collecting, analyzing and sharing data; learning protocols;

exploring models; and examining natural phenomena. These activities, grounded in best practices and the context of the local community and culture, help increase student interest, motivation, and attitudes toward learning, and achieve environmental stewardship. As a result of the MWEE activities students should have an understanding of basic watershed concepts, as well as the interaction between natural systems (e.g. wildlife, plants, and water cycle) and social systems (e.g. communities, transportation systems, and schools), highlighting the connection between human activity and environmental conditions. MWEEs consist of multiple components as defined below.

1.1 Issue definition and background research

Students focus on an environmental question, problem, or issue requiring background research and investigation. They learn more about the issue through classroom instruction, the collection of data, conducting experiments, talking to experts and reviewing credible publications. This process should be age appropriate with practices growing in complexity and sophistication across the grades, starting with educator guided investigation and progressing to student-led inquiry.

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1.2 Outdoor field activities

Students participate in outdoor field activities sufficient to collect the data or make observations required for answering the research questions and informing student actions, or as part of the issue definition and background research. B-WET program recommends providers aim to include at least 5 hours of student activity time spent outdoors. Students should be actively involved in planning the investigation, taking measurements, or constructing the project within appropriate safety guidelines, with teachers providing instruction on methods and procedures, data collection protocols, and proper use of equipment as needed. These activities can take place off-site and/or on the school grounds.

Resources exist to support environmental learning projects that provide benefits to both students and the school environment. For example, please see the School Grounds for Learning resources available at: http://baybackpack.com/schoolyard_projects/about.

1.3 Stewardship action projects

Students participate in an age appropriate project during which they take action to address environmental issues at the personal or societal level. Participants in B-WET MWEE activities should understand they have control over the outcome of environmental issues, be encouraged to identify actions to address these issues and understand the value of those actions. Examples of stewardship activities include: Watershed Restoration or Protection (e.g., create schoolyard habitat, planting trees or grasses, invasive species removal, community cleanup, stormwater management); Everyday Choices (e.g., reduce/reuse/recycle/upcycle, composting, energy conservation, water conservation);

Community Engagement (e.g., presentations, social media, event-organizing, messaging at community events/fairs/festivals, mentoring, PSAs, flyers, posters); and Civic Action (e.g., town meetings, voting, writing or meeting with elected officials/decision makers).

1.4 Synthesis and conclusions

Students analyze and evaluate the results of projects and investigations. Students synthesize and communicate results and conclusions to an external audience such as other classrooms, schools, parents, or the community.

2. Support for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences with Students

In addition to the components identified above, NOAA recommends that the following elements are in place to fully support successful MWEE implementation with students.

2.1 Teacher participation for the duration of the MWEE

While external partners are entirely appropriate to support MWEEs, teachers should support the experience in the classroom and in the field. Teachers are in the best position to help

Notice of Federal Funding Page 6 of 40 students make connections and draw on past lessons, serve as environmental role models, and enhance students overall outdoor education experience and should be involved in all components of the experiences detailed above. To support them in this role, teachers should have appropriate knowledge of environmental issues and watershed concepts, skill in connecting these issues to their curriculum, and competency in environmental education pedagogy, including the ability and confidence to teach outdoor lessons and to lead students in critical thinking about environmental issues.

2.2 Integration with classroom curriculum

Experiences should be integrated into what is occurring in the classroom, and can provide authentic, age appropriate, engaging multi-disciplinary content to address academic standards. Specifically, elements of science and social studies standards related to questioning and investigation, evidence-based analysis and interpretation, model and theory building, knowledge of environmental processes and systems, skill for understanding and addressing environmental issues, and personal and civic responsibility align well with MWEEs. Non-school activities may enrich traditional classroom curriculum when needed, though this need should be documented and supported by local education agencies.

2.3 Use of the local context for learning

The local community and environment should be viewed as a primary resource for student MWEEs. Place-based education promotes learning that is rooted in the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature, and art of a students’ schoolyard, neighborhood, town or community, and thus offering students and teachers the opportunity to explore how individual and collective decisions impact their immediate surroundings. Once a firm connection to their local environment is made, students are better positioned to expand their thinking to recognize the far-reaching implications of the decisions they make to the larger national and global environment.

2.4 Experiences are a set of activities over time

The MWEE includes the full duration leading up to and following the outdoor field experiences. Each component should involve a significant investment of instructional time, incorporate time for reflection, and include all students. Experiences such as tours, simulations, demonstrations, or nature walks may be instructionally useful, but alone do not constitute an entire MWEE as defined here.

2.5 Includes NOAA assets, including personnel and resources

NOAA has a wealth of applicable products and services as well as a cadre of scientific and professional experts that can heighten the impact of environmental instruction both in the classroom and in the field. Additionally, environmental professionals can serve as important

Notice of Federal Funding Page 7 of 40 role models for career choices and stewardship. For more on NOAA assets for education please see: http://www.noaa.gov/education or http://www.noaa.gov/office-education/grants/noaa-assets.

3. Teacher Professional Development for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Teachers should be skilled in using environmental education and MWEEs to address multiple subjects’ curriculum standards and local education agency initiatives. In order to gain and maintain environmental education competencies, teachers need access to 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 conduct MWEES after the B-WET supported program has ended. Specifically, the following elements are recommended for professional development to support teachers implementing MWEEs:

3.1 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 basic watershed concepts and the human connection to the watershed. 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 actions to address complex environmental issues.

3.2 Models environmental education pedagogy

Facilitators/trainers should utilize the same techniques and experiences in trainings that teachers are expected to use with their students, such as hands-on, place-based, outdoor field experiences and environmental issue investigation and action. Based on educational research findings and preliminary evidence from the B-WET national evaluation system, the B-WET program recommends that facilitators/trainers offer teachers more than 30 hours of professional development time, of which more than 10 hours should be spent outdoors.

These targets are expected to support teacher change and increase the likelihood that teachers will implement MWEEs. These targets 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).

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Also, 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. For example, please see the School Grounds for Learning resources available at:

http://baybackpack.com/schoolyard_projects/about.

3.3 Allows for adequate instructional time

Professional Development trainings should be multi-day, occurring consecutively or over the course of several months. Trainings should include ample opportunity for teachers to reflect on their own teaching practices and planning for how to use knowledge and skills gained from professional development in the classroom.

3.4 Provides ongoing teacher support and appropriate incentives Even in cases where teachers participate in robust multi-day trainings, such as a summer or weekend courses, it is still essential that professional development providers have a structure 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 may help increase high level support for both environmental education and continuing teacher professional development for teachers.

3.5 Meets jurisdictional guidelines for effective teacher professional development Each jurisdiction has established guidance and recommendations germane to all forms of teacher professional development. When possible, professional development opportunities in environmental education should adhere to these general guidelines set forth by local education agencies.

c. RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE MEANINGFUL WATERSHED

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

The following resources explain the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) and provide guidance on implementing a MWEE. Though some of the following resources are Chesapeake Bay-focused, the information provided is highly applicable to MWEEs implemented in the Gulf of Mexico.

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> MWEE definition webpages: http://www.noaa.gov/explainers/noaa-meaningful-watershed-educational-experience The full definition of the MWEE is provided online in an easy to use online format.

> Bay Backpack MWEE webpages: http://baybackpack.com/mwee/what-is-a-mwee Bay Backpack is an online resource that supports hands-on environmental learning. By providing educators with information about funding opportunities, field studies, and curriculum guides and lesson plans related to the Chesapeake Bay, Bay Backpack helps educators find the tools they need to give their students MWEEs.

> MWEE guidebook:

http://baybackpack.com/assets/documents/Educators_Guide_to_MWEE_Download.pdf This guide provides basic tools to help think, plan, and evaluate a MWEE. It has been designed for users with varying levels of familiarity with the MWEE. It defines and explains the MWEE, guides you through creating a solid plan that connects a MWEE to the curriculum, helps you identify opportunities to build on existing MWEEs and assess success, and provides guidance on communicating MWEE successes and securing funding.

> MWEE 101 training: https://cbexapp.noaa.gov/course/view.php?id=5555 This is an online course for the MWEE and is made up of three lessons: Why MWEEs, What Makes a MWEE, and Planning and Evaluating MWEEs. These lessons will introduce you to the MWEE, explore what MWEEs can look like, highlight the MWEE's components, and introduce the tools that support the development and implementation of MWEEs.

> School Grounds for Learning: http://baybackpack.com/schoolyard_projects/about This resource supports 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.

B. Program Priorities

a. COASTAL COUNTIES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

Applicants may be physically located in any U.S. state; however, education projects must target priority teachers and/or students, which are those in the Gulf of Mexico coastal counties. For the purposes of this solicitation, the coastal counties of Gulf of Mexico states (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) are defined and listed on page 48-49 of the following document: National Ocean Service, NOAA. 2011. The Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/noaa_documents.lib/NOS/state_of_coast/Gulf_of_Mexico_2011.pd f.

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b. GULF OF MEXICO ALLIANCE PRITORITES

The NOAA Gulf of Mexico B-WET program responds to regional education and environmental priorities through local implementation. Therefore, applications are asked to employ MWEEs that address the priorities outlined by the major regional policy workgroup, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance is a partnership of the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, with the goal of significantly increasing regional collaboration to enhance the ecological and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico. The five U.S. Gulf States have identified six priorities that are regionally significant and can be effectively addressed through increased collaboration at local, state, and federal levels.

Gulf of Mexico Alliance Priorities:

- Water quality for healthy beaches and shellfish beds

- Wetland and coastal conservation and restoration

- Environmental education

- Identification and characterization of Gulf habitats

- Reducing nutrient inputs to coastal ecosystems

- Coastal community resiliency

For more information about these priorities please visit the Gulf of Mexico Alliance website at: http://www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org/.

c. B-WET PRIORITY AREAS

Proposals must address one of the following B-WET priority areas: (1) Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students; (2) Professional Development for Teachers related to Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences; (3) Exemplary Programs combining Teacher Professional Development with long-term classroom-integrated Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for their students; or (4) Systematic Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Implementation. Each of these four B-WET priority areas is described below.

1. Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students

The NOAA B-WET program seeks proposals for projects that provide opportunities for students to participate in a MWEE. The marine and estuarine environment and the surrounding watershed provide an excellent opportunity for environmental education. In

Notice of Federal Funding Page 11 of 40 many cases, tidal and non-tidal waters and the landscape around them can provide "hands-on" laboratories where students can see, touch, and learn about the environment. In other cases, the environment can be brought alive to the classroom through strong complement of outdoor and classroom experiences. The watershed environment can provide a genuine, locally relevant source of knowledge that can be used to help advance student learning skills across the entire school curriculum. Proposals submitted under this area should address the specific elements and types of activities that define MWEEs for Students (see section I.A.b.).

2. Professional Development for Teachers related to Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences

The NOAA B-WET Program seeks proposals for projects that provide teachers opportunities for professional development in the area of environmental education. As the purveyors of education, teachers can ultimately make Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences for students by weaving together classroom and field activities within the context of their curriculum and of current critical issues that impact the watershed. Long-term professional development opportunities will reinforce a teacher's ability to teach, inspire, and lead young people toward thoughtful stewardship of our natural resources. Proposals submitted under this area should be designed so that teachers not only understand what a MWEE is, but why this type of pedagogy is important. The goal is to ensure that professional development experiences for the teacher ultimately benefit the student. Projects should be designed so that teachers are capable of conducting a MWEE and provide the resources and technical support needed to implement an experience in their classroom . Proposals submitted under this area should address the specific elements and types of activities that define Professional Development for Teachers related MWEEs (see section I.A.b.).

3. Exemplary Programs combining Teacher Professional Development and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for their Students

The NOAA B-WET program seeks proposals for exemplary projects that combine Teacher Professional Development with long-term classroom-integrated MWEEs for their Students.

Long-term professional development for teachers coupled with multiple MWEEs for students that are fully supported in the classroom by their teachers will ensure that the concepts of watershed education are fully reinforced throughout the school year. Proposals submitted under this area should address the specific elements and types of activities that define both Teacher Professional Development and MWEEs for their Students (see section I.A.b.).

4. Systemic Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Implementation

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The NOAA B-WET program seeks proposals that develop and implement systemic MWEEs in school districts throughout the Gulf of Mexico coastal counties. Systemic MWEE projects reach the entire student population in one or more grades within a school district, with teacher-supported MWEEs and ensure that the teachers of these students receive high quality professional development to give them the content knowledge and pedagogical skills for outdoor learning to support all aspects of the MWEE as defined in section I.A.b.

Projects that are systemic encourage ownership from a broad range of constituents and promote long-term sustainability of the MWEE project in a school district. These programs require leadership and support from the school district, however, because of the broad reach of systemic projects, partnerships with multiple partners are often required to ensure all students receive all components of a MWEE and meaningful professional development for teachers is provided.

For systemic projects, students should participate in all MWEE elements as defined in section I.A.b (issue definition, outdoor field experiences, synthesis and conclusions, and stewardship action projects). Student MWEEs should be organized around a driving question that has students focus on a locally relevant environmental issue, problem, or phenomenon.

For systemic projects, teacher professional development should be offered for all teachers whose students will be engaged in MWEEs so they can support classroom integration. It should deliver training on both content and instruction in the outdoors, include year-long support for teachers, and include a plan for how teachers will be involved in implementing watershed education with their students. This kind of in-depth professional development reinforces a teacher's ability to teach, inspire, and lead young people toward thoughtful stewardship of our natural resources. Where appropriate, teacher professional development should include tools for teachers to implement MWEEs on their school grounds. Teacher professional development under this priority area should address all aspects of the MWEE as defined in section I.A.b.

For systemic projects, proposals should include details about where the project fits in the scope and sequence of school district curriculum, and applicants should clearly understand and convey the primary learning objectives. Multi-disciplinary objectives are encouraged.

Letters of support from curriculum supervisors and science, social studies, and other relevant subject coordinators at the district level can be effective in communicating such details.

Whenever possible, MWEEs should be embedded across an entire grade level or levels in a district, or be part of a broader systemic program in a school district to reach every student.

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For example, projects may reach only half of a grade level’s teachers and students if the application includes documentation from the school district and other partners that the proposed project is a component of a larger systemic effort that reaches the entire grade level. If this is not feasible, applicants should explain why it is not feasible and how they will build toward systemic implementation over the course of the grant and into the future.

Applications for projects can come from any eligible applicant, however, substantial coordination and support from the school district is required. To document the appropriate level of support and engagement from school districts, official letters from superintendents, school boards, and/or school district curriculum supervisors are requested with proposals.

Per the eligibility information in section III.A. projects must target teachers and/or students in Gulf of Mexico coastal counties. An applicant who elects to implement a systemic project will reach the entire student population in one or more grades within a district. Rarely do school districts and counties also share the same physical territory. Therefore, the district targeted with a systemic MWEE must overlap territory with a coastal county as defined in section III.A.

d. NOAA SPECIAL INTEREST AREA

NOAA also has an additional Special Interest Area that applicants may wish to address if they choose, which is: Gulf of Mexico Fisheries. More information on the special interest area is provided below. While applicants are not required to address a NOAA Special Interest Area, projects that do so are encouraged because they capitalize on a specific NOAA resource or issue that is important to the Southeast Regional Office.

Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Special Interest Area:

The Southeast Regional Office is an office under the National Marine Fisheries Service. 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 Gulf of Mexico fisheries and protected resources including but not limited to shrimp, snapper, grouper, sturgeon, sawfish, sea turtles, coral, or marine mammals; and the habitats that support them.

Projects addressing this special interest area have fisheries or protected resources as the main issue student’s investigate, and include student action to protect or restore the species and/or its habitat.

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C. Program Authority

Under 33 U.S.C. § 893a(a), the America COMPETES Act, 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.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

It is anticipated that approximately $600,000 will be available in FY 2020 to fund eligible applications. NOAA anticipates making approximately three to seven new awards, subject to the availability of appropriations. For applications to B-WET priority areas 1 – 3, the total Federal amount that may be requested from NOAA should not exceed $100,000 per award. For applications to B-WET priority area 4, the total Federal amount that may be requested from NOAA should not exceed $150,000 per award. In all cases, the minimum Federal amount to request from NOAA is $25,000. The period of awards may be for a maximum of 24 months. The distribution of funding will depend on the Selection Factors in section V.C. of this announcement.

If there are no funds available or if funding for new projects is very limited in FY 2020, Gulf of Mexico B-WET may carry proposals recommended for funding forward until funding does become available. In that case, the results of this competition, including the results of the application review and rankings, will be carried over for FY 2021. So while we anticipate funding three to seven proposals in FY 2020, additional proposals from this competition may be selected for funding in the next fiscal year should funds be available.

The possibility of carrying the results of this competition over to FY 2021 depends on determining that the project applications received under this funding opportunity for FY 2020 funds remain relevant to NOAA priorities in the Gulf of Mexico in FY 2021.

This alternative to developing another, new funding opportunity for FY 2021 acknowledges the great effort required by applicants to develop a strong proposal as well as the work required by the B-WET Program Office and reviewers to conduct panel reviews. If we select proposals from this FY 2020 competition for possible funding in FY 2021, the standard practice of considering the remaining projects from this FY 2020 solicitation in rank order

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Future opportunities for submitting proposals to the B-WET competitive process are anticipated, but will depend on funding levels and resources available to support new projects.

B. Project/Award Period

The project start date should not begin before August 1, 2020. The period of awards may be for a maximum period of up to 24 months. Applications must include a project description and a budget for the entire award period. 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.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

Proposals selected for funding will be funded through a grant or cooperative agreement depending upon the amount of collaboration, participation, or involvement of NOAA in the management of the project. A cooperative agreement will be used if the NOAA B-WET program shares responsibility for management, control, direction, or performance of the project with the recipient. Specific terms regarding substantial involvement will be contained in special award conditions.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. For profit organizations, foreign organizations, and foreign public entities are not eligible to apply; however, for-profit and foreign organizations and foreign public entities may participate with an eligible applicant as a project partner. Likewise, Federal agencies are not allowed to receive funds under this announcement but may serve as collaborative project partners and may contribute services in kind.

Applicants may be physically located in any U.S. state; however, education projects must target teachers and/or students in Gulf of Mexico coastal counties, which are listed on page 48-49 of the following document: National Ocean Service, NOAA. 2011. The Gulf of Mexico at a Glance: A Second Glance. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/noaa_documents.lib/NOS/state_of_coast/Gulf_of_Mexico_2011.pd

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Per the system priority information in section I.B.c.4., an applicant that chooses to implement a systemic project will reach the entire student population in one or more grades within a school district. Rarely do school districts and counties also share the same physical territory. Therefore, if an applicant chooses the systemic priority, the district targeted must have overlapping territory with a coastal county as defined in this eligibility section (III.A.)

Additionally, consideration will be given to applicants who show prior experience in working in the Gulf of Mexico region, who show prior experience with Gulf of Mexico regional issues, or who demonstrate partnerships with local organizations in the Gulf of Mexico region on proposed projects.

The Department of Commerce/NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. The NOAA B-WET program encourages proposals involving any of the above institutions as well as other organizations that work with underserved or underrepresented audiences.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

No cost sharing is required under this program. Cost sharing is not considered in the evaluation criteria or selection factors.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

No other criteria.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

If it is not feasible to apply online through Grants.gov , application packages may be requested from: Amy Clark, Gulf of Mexico B-WET Program Manager, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 1021 Balch Blvd, Suite 1003, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529,

(228) 688-1520, amy.clark@noaa.gov.

Potential applicants may contact the Gulf of Mexico B-WET Program Manager before submitting an application to discuss B-WET goals and objectives as well as the elements of the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE).

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B. Content and Form of Application

Proposals should follow the content and format described below. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the part of the Southeast Regional Office or the reviewers as to the relative merits of the project described in the application. Some helpful resources for applicants can be found here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/funding-and-financial-services/education-and-evaluation-resources-applicants.

a. Format Requirements:

All pages should be single-spaced and should be composed in at least 11 point font with one-inch margins on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. The project description should not exceed 15 pages, exclusive of project summary, literature cited, budget information, resumes of investigators, letters of support, data sharing plan, National Environmental Policy Act questionnaire, and federal forms. Any attachment included in an electronic application should meet the above format requirement when printed out. All documents submitted as electronic application elements should be PDF (rather than MS Word, Excel, MOV, or other files types).

b. Content Requirements:

The following Federal Forms are required and must be submitted with applications with signatures of the authorized representative of the submitting institution. (Note: submission through Grants.gov results in automatic electronic signatures on these forms.):

1. Application for Federal Assistance: SF-424

2. Budget Information, Non-construction Programs: SF-424A

3. Assurances, Non-Construction Programs: SF-424B

4. Certifications Regarding Lobbying: CD-511

Additionally, the following Department of Commerce forms may be required:

5. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: SF-LLL (if applicable, see instructions on form)

The following information shall be included:

1. Project Summary (1-page limit): It is critical that the project summary accurately describes the project being proposed and conveys all essential elements and objectives of the activities. A person unfamiliar with your project should be able to read the summary and grasp your plan. The project summary should include: Organization title; Principal Investigator(s); Address, telephone number, and email address of Principal Investigator(s);

B-WET priority area to be addressed as described in section I.B.c. (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Students, Professional Development for Teachers related to

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Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, Exemplary Programs, or Systemic Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Implementation); the Gulf of Mexico Alliance issue to be addressed; Project title; Project duration; Project objectives; Total Federal funding requested; Cost-sharing to be provided from non-Federal sources if any;

Succinct description of work to be performed during the project period including audience description information (i.e. schools/school districts, grade levels, number of teachers/students to be reached), delivery method to be used (e.g. workshops, field experiences, interactive programs, summer institutes, classroom outreach, etc.), and contact time with project participants with indication of how much of this time will be spent outdoors. Your summary should use layman's terms to provide reviewers with an understanding of the purpose and expected outcomes of your educational project. A person unfamiliar with your project should be able to read this paragraph and grasp your plan.

2. Project Description (15-page limit): The project description should describe and justify the project being proposed and address the elements of the evaluation criteria as described in section V.A.

Project descriptions should include the goals and objectives for your project. Include specific approaches to achieving those objectives, including methods, timelines, and expected outcomes. Include information about how the project contributes to greater understanding and stewardship of the Gulf of Mexico watershed and coastal systems and processes.

Describe the need for your project and cite timely studies or sources, where appropriate, that verify the need for your project.

Project descriptions should define the target audience(s). Specifically, project descriptions should include a precise location of the project and area(s) to be served and the number of teachers and/or students to be reached each year of the proposed project. Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of that audience, including anything that makes your target audience unique. Applicants should clearly state total anticipated contact time with target audience (teachers in professional development and/or students), and indicate how much of this time will be spent outdoors.

Project descriptions should outline how the project proposes to implement each component of a MWEE (defined in section I.A.b.) including defining the learning objectives to be reached during the course of study; identifying the driving question that will guide inquiry for the investigation; determining the local context that will establish the relatable connections and life relevancy of the content and core ideas; defining the issue to be investigated and develop focused questions that are relevant for investigation; planning and conducting student investigations; analyzing and interpreting data from their investigations, Notice of Federal Funding Page 19 of 40 constructing, communicating, and refining explanations about findings from their investigations; developing a claim and identifying solutions about their investigations;

designing a plan and taking informed actions to address their issue; and evaluating the effectiveness of the action taken to address their issue. In addition, describe how the project will address the factors described in the selected B-WET priority area (section I.B.c.). Lastly, note what NOAA products, services, or staff will be used in program delivery and discuss a plan for sustainability of project beyond NOAA funding.

Project descriptions should include significant external sharing, communication, and stewardship. Projects should include a mechanism that encourages students and/or teachers to share their experiences with peers and with the environmental education community, e.g., through mentoring opportunities, presentations at conferences, in-school service days, or other public forums, media, or other community stewardship activities.

Project descriptions should also identify and document the results or benefits to be derived from the proposed activities. Project descriptions should include a two-part evaluation description as explained below. Up to 10% of the budget can be spent on the evaluation component of your proposal.

(1) Project-level Evaluation: For this funding opportunity, project-level evaluation is defined as the systematic collection and documentation of information about your project's short-term outcomes in order to improve the project's effectiveness, document successes towards meeting project objectives, and inform decisions about future programming. It informs those who design, manage, and implement the project to make refinements and introduce improvements into future efforts.

Project-level evaluations should be rigorous and well planned, with a clear articulation of how the evaluation results will be used (e.g. what questions will they answer). They should be appropriate for the kind of project proposed, the capacity of applicant, and the size of project (e.g. new start up project vs. long standing program, new applicant vs. repeat applicant). They may be quantitative and/or qualitative and may include, for example, evaluation tools and surveys, observation, or outside consultation. They should result in not only data, but interpretations of the data.

Proposals should provide a project-level evaluation plan for short-term outcomes. If your medium- and long-term outcomes can also be measured within the project period, explain your plans for that evaluation as well. The evaluation plan should include:

> How will the evaluation be used and what do you hope to gain (e.g. information to determine the success of the project; information on how to improve the project's

Notice of Federal Funding Page 20 of 40 effectiveness.)

> What will be evaluated (e.g. changes in participants’ knowledge or attitudes related to watersheds) > The type(s) of evaluation that is planned (e.g. needs assessment, formative evaluation, process evaluation, outcome evaluation, etc.)

> The methods for implementing the evaluation (e.g. what will be measured, how it will be measured, when will evaluation data be gathered, and how will results be analyzed and delivered?)

Resources for Project evaluation:

> The MWEE Audit Tool in the Chesapeake Bay MWEE Planning Toolbox:

http://baybackpack.com/assets/img/mwee/planning-toolbox.pdf.

Use the Audit Tool to determine if your project meets the full definition of the MWEE and to identify areas that could be strengthened.

> B-WET Student Item Bank and Guidance:

https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/PDF%20-…