Great Lakes B-WET Program FY20 | NOAA NOS ONMS 2020 2006058

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS ONMS 2020 2006058

The Great Lakes B-WET Program FY20 is a competitive NOAA grant opportunity run by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to strengthen environmental education across the entire Great Lakes watershed. The program is designed to both sustain existing high-quality education efforts and spark new, innovative approaches, with a clear emphasis on building organizational capacity and encouraging partnerships that can broaden reach and improve long-term impact. Projects are expected to align with regional Great Lakes education priorities and to translate those priorities into hands-on learning that connects students and educators directly to local watershed and Great Lakes issues.

A central requirement of this opportunity is that funded projects provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) for students, along with related professional development for teachers. In practice, that means proposals should go beyond one-time presentations or disconnected activities and instead support learning experiences that are sustained, rooted in real environmental contexts, and tied to the watershed. The teacher development component is meant to help educators deliver these kinds of experiences effectively and to strengthen their ability to continue similar work after the grant period, which also supports the program goal of building lasting capacity in the region.

Funding for Great Lakes B-WET FY20 comes through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and NOAA anticipated having roughly $800,000 available for the fiscal year to support eligible applications. NOAA expected to make approximately 12 to 17 new awards (the source data also lists an expected 18 awards), indicating a moderately competitive program with multiple awards rather than a single large grant. Awards are offered under assistance mechanisms that include grants and cooperative agreements, and the activity focus falls under environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development (CFDA 11.429).

The federal funding request range is clearly defined: applicants should request no less than $30,000 and no more than $80,000 in NOAA federal funds. Applications seeking more than $80,000 or less than $30,000 may not be reviewed or considered for funding, so proposals need to be scoped realistically to fit within that band. The award ceiling is $80,000, reinforcing that the program is geared toward targeted, project-scale education initiatives rather than major infrastructure or long-term operating support.

Key administrative details include the opportunity number NOAA NOS ONMS 2020 2006058, categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The posting reflects a creation date of May 7, 2019, with an original application closing date of July 12, 2019. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility specifics referenced in an associated eligibility clarification field, meaning applicants typically need to consult the full announcement to confirm whether their organization type and project approach fit NOAA's requirements.

Overall, Great Lakes B-WET FY20 targets programs that can deliver strong, place-based watershed learning for students, support teachers through professional development, and expand the effectiveness of Great Lakes environmental education through innovation, partnerships, and capacity building, all within a defined per-award funding range of $30,000 to $80,000.

• 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 "Great Lakes B-WET Program FY20" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.429.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 07, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 12, 2019. (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 $80,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 18 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NOS ONMS 2020 2006058

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