Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
Marine Science Institute
The B-WET program offers regional funding opportunities through local NOAA host offices. Regional funding opportunities are generally published in late summer or fall each year. Each regional B-WET funding opportunity includes priorities that promote Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) that are tailored to local environmental challenges, culture, and needs, making them relevant to participants and their daily lives.
Who can apply for B-WET grants?
- K-12 public and independent schools and school systems
- Institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations
- State or local government agencies
- Interstate agencies
- Indian tribal governments
Please see regional funding opportunities for specific competition information.
What types of projects does B-WET fund?
- Student investigations of local environmental issues
- Professional development for teachers
- Support to get MWEEs implemented throughout an entire school district or school
Please see regional funding opportunities for specific competition information.
Regional programs and funding opportunities
California
The California B-WET program will not be running a competition in fiscal year 2025.
Past funding opportunity: The 2023 California B-WET funding opportunity for building capacity for implementing climate literacy in classrooms is closed.
The fiscal year 2023 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under funding opportunity number NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2023-2007548. Visit the California B-WET webpage for more information. This webpage includes examples of budget narratives, logic models, and project timelines for California B-WET applicants.
Deadline: February 23, 2023
Areas served: the California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Fresno, Humboldt, Lake, Kern, Kings, Madera, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Trinity, Tulare, Ventura.
Contact: Seaberry Nachbar, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, 831-647-4201, seaberry.nachbar@noaa.gov
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Chesapeake
Funding opportunity: The 2024 Chesapeake B-WET Funding Opportunity for School District Programming is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under grant opportunity number NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-2008219. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details. This webpage includes resources needed to apply for a Chesapeake B-WET grant.
Deadline: February 16, 2024
Informational Webinars: December 12, 2023 at 11:00am ET and December 18, 2023 at 3:00pm ET. An additional webinar focused on the climate resources included in this NOFO was held on January 8, 2024 at 11:00am ET.
Areas served: Chesapeake Bay watershed, including Maryland, the District of Columbia, and parts of Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Contact: Elise Trelegan, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, 410-226-1015, elise.trelegan@noaa.gov
Funding opportunity: The 2024 Chesapeake B-WET Funding Opportunity for Statewide K-12 Environmental Literacy Capacity Building is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found at Grants.gov under grant opportunity number NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-2008241. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details. This webpage includes resources needed to apply for a Chesapeake B-WET grant.
Deadline: February 16, 2024
Informational Webinars: December 12, 2023 at 11:00am ET and December 18, 2023 at 3:00pm ET.
Areas served: States within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Contact: Elise Trelegan, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, 410-226-1015, elise.trelegan@noaa.gov
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes B-WET program will not be running a competition in fiscal year 2025.
Past funding opportunity: The 2024 Great Lakes B-WET funding opportunity is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under federal opportunity number NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2024-2008196. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details. This webpage includes resources that may be helpful in developing a Great Lakes B-WET application.
Deadline: February 29, 2024
Informational webinars: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 from 3:00-4:00pm CT / 4:00-5:00pm ET and on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, from 1:00-2:00pm CT/ 2:00-3:00pm ET.
Areas served: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
Contact: Sarah Waters, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 989-884-6204, sarah.a.waters@noaa.gov
Past funding opportunity: The 2024 Great Lakes B-WET funding opportunity for indigenous communities is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under federal opportunity number NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2024-2008201. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details. This webpage includes resources that may be helpful in developing a Great Lakes B-WET application.
Deadline: March 1, 2024
Informational webinars: January 9, 2023, 1:00-2:00pm EST, January 10, 2023, 10:00-11:00am EST, January 18, 2023, 3:00-4:00pm EST, and January 19, 2023, 2:00-3:00pm EST. Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 2:30-3:30 pm CT / 3:30-4:30 pm ET and Wednesday, December 13, 2023 from 1:00-2:00 pm CT / 2:00-3:00 pm ET
Areas served: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
Contact: Sarah Waters, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 989-884-6204, sarah.a.waters@noaa.gov
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Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico B-WET program will not be running a competition in fiscal year 2025
Past funding opportunity: The 2024 Gulf of Mexico B-WET funding opportunity is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under funding opportunity number NOAA-NMFS-SE-2024-2008255. Visit the Gulf B-WET webpage for more information.
Deadline: February 5, 2024
Informational Webinars: November 16, 2023 from 1:00-2:00pm CT and on December 6, 2023 from 9:00-10:00am CT.
Areas served: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida
Contact: Amy Clark, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 228-688-1520, amy.clark@noaa.gov
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Hawaiʻi
Funding opportunity: The 2025 Hawaiʻi B-WET funding opportunity is now open.
The fiscal year 2025 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under funding opportunity number NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2025-28878. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details.
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Informational Webinars: Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. HST; Tuesday, December 17, 2024 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. HST; and Wednesday, January 8, 2025 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. HST. Webinar links and related teleconference information will be sent to interested applicants who sign up for an information session.
Areas served: Hawaiʻi
Contact: Māhealani Bambico, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, mahealani.bambico@noaa.gov
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New England
The New England B-WET program will not be running a competition in fiscal year 2025.
Past funding opportunity: The 2024 New England B-WET funding opportunity is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under Opportunity Number NOAA-NMFS-GARFO-2024-2008240. Please see the funding opportunity for all application details.
Deadline: February 20, 2024
Informational Webinars: Monday, November 13, 2023 from 11:00am- 12:30pm ET, Monday, December 11, 2023 from 1:00am- 12:30pm ET, and Monday, January 8, 2024 from 3:00-4:30pm ET.
Areas served: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
Contact: Allison Rosner, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 978-282-8462, allison.rosner@noaa.gov
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Pacific Northwest
Funding opportunity: The 2024 Pacific Northwest B-WET funding opportunity is closed.
The fiscal year 2024 funding opportunity can be found on Grants.gov under funding opportunity number NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2024-2008257. Visit the Pacific Northwest B-WET webpage for more information.
Deadline: February 1, 2024
Areas served: Oregon and Washington
Contact: Nicole Harris, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, 360-406-2084, nicole.harris@noaa.gov
Applicant resources
The resources below may help you prepare to submit an application for B-WET grant funding. Some regions offer grant writing workshops for prospective applicants or provide templates and example proposals. See the regional website links above or contact the regional program manager for more information.
- Implicit Bias in Program Development virtual session on January 19, 2023 at 3:00pm EST
- B-WET invites interested applicants to attend a virtual session focusing on implicit bias as it relates to program development. The session will introduce the basic concepts of unconscious biases, provide an opportunity for participants to identify instances of implicit bias in curriculum, and touch on community and partner engagement efforts. A recording will also be made available.
- Climate Change Education with NOAA B-WET webinar recording: This informational presentation provided by Frank Niepold from the NOAA Climate Program Office will highlight ways to incorporate climate change education into NOAA B-WET projects, provide examples of current and past grantees that have successfully implemented this topic, and share NOAA resources focused on climate change. The MWEE educational framework can directly foster climate knowledge, skills, and competencies to address climate change and create opportunities to contribute to climate solutions in participants' own communities. The webinar occurred on Wednesday, January 12th, from 3-4:30pm ET.
- Grants Dos and Don'ts handout, poster. and presentation: Guidance from NOAA’s Office of Education on how to write and submit grant applications.
- NOAA in your backyard: B-WET applicants are encouraged to partner with local NOAA offices and programs. This resource may help you locate potential NOAA partners in your area.
For general questions about the B-WET program, contact the National B-WET Program Manager: Bronwen Rice, NOAA Office of Education, 202-482-6797, bronwen.rice@noaa.gov.