The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is offering funding through the 2025 Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program. This competitive grant opportunity is designed to support K-12 environmental education projects in Oregon and Washington. The program is administered through NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and is part of a larger national initiative that aims to provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students while offering professional development for teachers. The initiative aligns with NOAA’s broader vision of promoting healthy ecosystems and sustainability in marine and estuarine environments.

The program prioritizes two key areas: systemic classroom-integrated MWEEs that promote climate resilience and include high-quality teacher professional development, and MWEEs that integrate Indigenous Knowledge in the learning experience. Proposals must focus on engaging students with hands-on environmental learning, field experiences, and community-driven stewardship projects. Projects should address local environmental issues, incorporate NOAA assets such as data and expertise, and align with relevant educational standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards.

Eligible applicants include K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, regional, state, or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. For-profit organizations and federal agencies may participate as project partners but are not eligible to receive direct funding. Projects must serve students and educators within Oregon and Washington, although applicants may be based anywhere in the United States.

The funding availability for this opportunity is approximately $750,000 for Fiscal Year 2025. Applicants may request between $60,000 and $75,000 for one-year projects or up to $150,000 for two-year projects. No cost-sharing or matching funds are required, although leveraging additional resources is encouraged. Funding will be awarded through grants or cooperative agreements, depending on the level of NOAA involvement.

Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by March 13, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (8:59 PM Pacific Time). Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons before submission, a process that may take several weeks. Required documents include a project description, budget justification, letters of support, and an Environmental Literacy Model outlining how the MWEE framework will be implemented. Projects should also include an evaluation plan demonstrating how outcomes will be measured.

NOAA will review applications based on criteria such as relevance to program goals, technical merit, qualifications of applicants, budget appropriateness, and outreach potential. The final selection will consider geographic distribution, type of institution, project type, and other policy factors. Successful applicants will be notified in spring 2025, with projects expected to begin on or after August 1, 2025.

For more details or assistance, applicants may contact Nicole Harris, Pacific Northwest B-WET Grants Manager, at Nicole.Harris@noaa.gov or (360) 406-2084. Additional resources and information are available at Olympic Coast B-WET website.