NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards
Active
- Assistance listing
- 11.008
- Agency
-
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
- Grant awards
- 287 $127,479,266 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 13-1450-0-0-306
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
NOAA (Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) funds K-12 environmental education projects aligned with its science, service, and stewardship mission through the NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards program (CFDA 11.008), with the most recent award disbursed July 1, 2026. The program directly funds meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs)—learner-centered frameworks that engage students in investigating local environmental issues through combined classroom and outdoor learning, culminating in student-led environmental action projects. Funded projects also support teacher professional development in watershed literacy, curriculum design, climate resilience education, invasive species management, environmental justice, and community-based environmental literacy initiatives. Recent awards illustrate scope diversity: the School District of Philadelphia received support for 9th-grade watershed science curriculum development incorporating Pennsylvania's new environmental literacy standards; Delaware's career and technical education program received funding to train educators in embedding environmental competencies across CTE pathways; and Camden's charter school network received support for an invasive species curriculum centered on northern snakeheads, with field experiences aboard an education vessel and community fishing rodeos.
The program is predominantly Project Grants (55 percent of 287 total awards) with a substantial Cooperative Agreement component (45 percent). NOAA alone funds the program; the portfolio shows 287 awards totaling $127.5 million in federal obligations since 2010, with non-federal cost-share contributing an additional $9.4 million. Award volume has fluctuated in recent years—18 awards in 2022, 28 in 2023, dropping to 4 in 2024, and 12 in 2025. Recent awards range from approximately $30 thousand to $5.6 million, reflecting both small field-experience pilots and large multi-year capacity-building initiatives. A notable mega-award of $5.6 million funded a museum's redesigned STEAM galleries and school programs focused on environmental stewardship.
Grant opportunities remain active regionally. The FY 2025 Delaware Bay B-WET solicitation (due April 18, 2025) seeks Cooperative Agreements for systemic MWEE implementation across the Delaware Bay watershed in four states. Historical regional B-WET competitions in New England and the Gulf of Mexico have posted annually, typically requesting $25 thousand to $150 thousand per award over two- to three-year periods, with emphasis on teacher professional development paired with student watershed experiences and capacity-building for statewide environmental literacy initiatives.
Objective and description
- Objective
The objectives of the overall program are to facilitate educational activities related to NOAA's mission of science, service and stewardship. Awards may support the education of children, youth, and/or adults through informal or formal (K-16) educa
- Description
The objectives of the overall program are to facilitate educational activities, supported by the NOAA Office of Education, related to NOAA's mission of science, service and stewardship. Awards may support the education of children, youth, and/or adults through informal or formal (K-16) education projects that address one or more of NOAA's mission goals and the objectives of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan for 2021-2040 (see https://www.noaa.gov/education/explainers/2021-2040-noaa-education-strategic-plan).
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible applicants include federal, state, and local governments, tribal entities, universities and colleges, nonprofit and for-profit organizations and/or individuals. Individual Notices of Funding Opportunities may have more restrictive eligibility requirements.
- Beneficiary eligibility
This program benefits other Federal, state, and local governments, tribal entities, public and private universities and colleges, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and the general public. Individual Notices of Funding Opportunities may have more restrictive eligibility requirements.
- Uses of assistance
To provide funds to support educational activities and educational studies related to NOAA's mission.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Up to five years. The funding is spent during the award's period of performance unless otherwise negotiated between the recipient and NOAA and approved by the NOAA Grants Management Division.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Most funding opportunities under 11.008 are excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Check individual Notices of Federal Opportunity (NOFO) to confirm the applicability of this requirement.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applications will undergo an administrative review and a technical merit review based on NOAA standardized evaluation criteria. NOAA standardized selection factors may also be used in making the final selection.
- Award procedure
Applications will undergo an administrative review and a technical review based on NOAA standardized evaluation criteria. For each project recommended for funding under this program, NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts of projects as required under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 40 C.F.R 1500 through 1508. See the funding opportunity announcement for further NEPA guidance. NOAA reserves the right to withhold the awarding of a grant or cooperative agreement to any individual or organization delinquent on a debt to the Federal government until payment is made or satisfactory arrangements are made with the agency to which the debt is owed.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approval time is expected to range from 180 to 240 days from the time of receipt of a complete application. This timeframe includes processing the award through NOAA and DOC financial assistance functions.
- Renewals
Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the sole discretion of the Department of Commerce/NOAA and contingent upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds.
Grant opportunities
Show all 23
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 287 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University System Of New Hampshire | $20,304,562 | 16% |
| 2 | North American Association For Environmental Education, Inc. | $17,122,440 | 13% |
| 3 | American Meteorological Society, Inc. | $7,957,399 | 6% |
| 4 | Consortium For Ocean Leadership, Inc. | $4,589,324 | 4% |
| 5 | National Fish And Wildlife Foundation | $3,270,464 | 3% |
| 6 | National Academy Of Sciences | $2,565,299 | 2% |
| 7 | Duke University | $2,001,354 | 2% |
| 8 | National Geographic Society Inc. | $1,827,587 | 1% |
| 9 | The Ocean Foundation | $1,663,900 | 1% |
| 10 | Environmental Leadership Program, Inc. | $1,660,000 | 1% |
10 of 199 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $5,980,962 |
| FY2025 | $7,716,399 |
| FY2024 | $15,337,864 |
| FY2023 | $13,613,455 |
| FY2022 | $16,011,723 |
| FY2021 | $9,190,530 |
| FY2020 | $10,212,993 |
| FY2019 | $8,700,988 |
| FY2018 | $5,977,561 |
| FY2017 | $6,106,707 |
| FY2016 | $4,056,508 |
| FY2015 | $3,921,160 |
| FY2014 | $3,029,941 |
| FY2013 | $3,747,882 |
| FY2012 | $5,082,096 |
| FY2011 | $3,680,941 |
| FY2010 | $5,643,125 |
Show all 17
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 11.008?
Assistance Listing 11.008 is NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards, a federal grant program run by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce).
What is the CFDA number for NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards?
Its CFDA number is 11.008: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 11.008 awarded?
287 grant awards under 11.008 have obligated $127,479,266 in federal funds to 199 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 11.008?
The recipients obligated the most under NOAA Mission-Related Education Awards are University System Of New Hampshire ($20,304,562), North American Association For Environmental Education, Inc. ($17,122,440) and American Meteorological Society, Inc. ($7,957,399).
How much did 11.008 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 11.008 obligated $7,716,399 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 11.008?
No opportunity listed under 11.008 is open now. The latest, Fiscal Year 2025 NOAA Delaware Bay B-WET Funding Program, was posted on January 22, 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program