Fiscal Year 2020 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program | NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006338

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006338

The Fiscal Year 2020 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (Chesapeake B-WET) Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA) designed to strengthen environmental education across the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. The program focuses on supporting proven, high-quality education efforts while also encouraging the development of new, creative approaches. A major emphasis is building long-term capacity in the region by helping organizations form stronger partnerships, improve program delivery, and expand access to effective watershed education.

At its core, the opportunity is aimed at advancing environmental literacy outcomes tied to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and the NOAA Education Strategic Plan. Funded projects are expected to help students understand real issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to connect learning to practical action. The program is centered on Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), which combine classroom instruction with outdoor learning. These experiences typically guide students through defining an environmental issue, conducting field investigations outdoors, analyzing and drawing conclusions from what they observed, and then participating in stewardship or civic action that connects learning to community or watershed improvement.

The target audience is formal K-12 education, meaning the projects should directly serve students in kindergarten through 12th grade in school-based settings, and they may also include professional development that supports the educators who work with those students. This includes teachers, school administrators, and other educators who influence or deliver instruction to K-12 learners. By investing in both student programming and educator training, the program seeks to improve not only one-time experiences but also the ability of schools and partner organizations to deliver high-impact watershed education over time.

This funding opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that NOAA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 11.457 and falls within the broader category of environment, natural resources, and science and technology-related research and development activities, with an education and capacity-building focus specific to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Key logistics include a funding opportunity title of "Fiscal Year 2020 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program" and a funding opportunity number of NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006338. The opportunity was created on December 13, 2019, with an original application closing date of March 6, 2020. Awards were anticipated to be competitive, with an expected number of approximately five awards and a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $200,000 per award.

Eligibility is described as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which signals that eligibility is broader than just state or local governments but depends on the specific definitions and requirements provided in the full announcement. In practice, opportunities like this often involve education-focused nonprofits, school systems, higher education institutions, local or regional organizations, and similar entities working in or serving the Chesapeake Bay watershed, but the full eligibility details would be confirmed in the official notice.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted investment in hands-on, field-based watershed learning and the partnerships needed to deliver it well. Competitive proposals would be expected to show strong educational design aligned with MWEE elements, clear benefits for K-12 students and educators, and a practical plan for delivering meaningful outdoor and classroom experiences that lead to informed stewardship and civic engagement related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2020 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.457.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 13, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 06, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006338

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