Explore awards

Use the filter menu and interactive map to explore the past competitions offered and grants awarded through the Environmental Literacy Program.

To learn more about project findings and outcomes, view the summaries of our grantees’ summative evaluation reports.

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Climate Strong—Building Tribal Youth Leadership for Climate Resiliency

Funding: $499,407
Year: 2018
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, 1854 Treaty Authority, University of Wisconsin Extension’s G-WOW program, and Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve are proud to provide the Climate Strong-Building Tribal Youth Leadership for Climate Resiliency program.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, 1854 Treaty Authority, University of Wisconsin Extension’s G-WOW program, and Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve are proud to provide the Climate Strong-Building Tribal Youth Leadership for Climate Resiliency program. Our three-year project aims to increase the knowledge and readiness of middle to high school students to deal with the impacts of extreme weather and environmental hazards that face the Ojibwe Ceded Territories (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) and build capacity for increased climate change community resiliency curriculum in the classroom. Climate change impacts everyone, but for indigenous peoples it threatens culturally significant traditions, such as wild rice harvesting, that relies on sustainable fish, plant, and wildlife resources. These resources are critical for subsistence, spiritual and cultural needs, and treaty rights. Culturally relevant, place-based education is an important tool to involve students, in particular, underrepresented students, in developing critical thinking skills to assess the issue of community resiliency to extreme weather events and engaging in action to help resolve it. In order to achieve our objectives, we will aim our educational efforts toward youth first, as well as reaching the communities we serve. Each year, six residential youth camps (18 total) will be hosted within the Ojibwe Ceded Territories. Each three-day camp will be focused on investigating issues of community resiliency, adaption, and mitigation associated with increasing extreme weather events as well as natural environmental hazards. Camps will use place-based, experiential lessons to teach resiliency issues demonstrated by climate change effects on Ojibwe culturally important natural resources. Our project will train formal and informal educators throughout the Ojibwe Ceded Territories on how to use indigenous climate curriculum using tribal traditional ecological knowledge and NOAA assets to investigate community climate resiliency issues. Using both teacher “train the trainer” workshops and our camps, this project will create a network of formal K-12 and informal educators trained to become leaders in providing culturally relevant climate resiliency outreach to students. We will increase community resiliency literacy through six community outreach events each year (18 total) that will highlight resiliency issues facing our region and the research being done on landscape and ecological vulnerabilities through NOAA and tribal assets. Our goals are increased community resiliency literacy and adaptation of stewardship behaviors that reduce climate change impacts and increases adaption and mitigation behaviors by our participants. These behaviors will help increase stewardship practices reducing extreme weather impacts affecting the sustainability of culturally relevant resources, thereby preserving important cultural, spiritual, subsistence, and treaty rights practices.

Award Number: NA18SEC0080009
Grant Dates: 10/01/2018 to 09/30/2022
PI: Courtney Kowalczak
State: Minnesota   County:   Carlton District: MN08
Partners: Bell Museum · National Sea Grant College Program / University of Minnesota (UM) / Minnesota Sea Grant · National Sea Grant College Program / University of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Sea Grant · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Lake Superior · University of Wisconsin–Extension / Environmental Outreach · Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission · Fond du Lac Environmental Program · 1854 Treaty Authority · Climate Generation · University of Minnesota–Duluth · Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa ·

Multicultural students At Sea Together -3 (MAST-3)

Hampton University offsite link · Hampton, Virginia
Funding: $359,099
Year: 2005
The primary goal of MAST-3 is to increase the diversity of students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, electing careers in NOAA related marine sciences. This is done through a multidisciplinary program that engages students in NOAA-related marine research, and explores marine policy, the heritage of African Americans and Native Americans in the coastal environment, and seamanship. MAST students use the Chesapeake Bay to understand efforts to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management.

The primary goal of MAST-3 is to increase the diversity of students, particularly those from underrepresented groups, electing careers in NOAA related marine sciences. This is done through a multidisciplinary program that engages students in NOAA-related marine research, and explores marine policy, the heritage of African Americans and Native Americans in the coastal environment, and seamanship. MAST students use the Chesapeake Bay to understand efforts to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management. To do this, Hampton University has formed partnerships with various NOAA labs/sites, several university laboratories, the USEPA, various museums, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the menhaden fishing industry.

Award Number: NA05SEC4691007
Grant Dates: 10/01/2005 to 09/30/2009
PI: Benjamin Cuker
State: Virginia   County:   Hampton City District: VA03
Partners: National Aquarium / National Aquarium In Baltimore (NAIB) · Old Dominion University (ODU) · Banneker-Douglass Museum · Calvert Marine Museum · Chesapeake Bay Foundation · Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum · Havre de Grace Maritime Museum · Reedville Fishermen's Museum · Smithsonian Institution / Environmental Research Center · United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) / Chesapeake Bay Program Office · U.S. Naval Academy Museum · University of Maryland / Center for Environmental Science / Chesapeake Biological Laboratory · University of Maryland / Center for Environmental Science / Horn Point Laboratory · University of Maryland (UMD) Baltimore County · Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) / Marine Advisory Services ·

Educational Applications of the National Maritime Center Science on a Sphere

Hampton University offsite link · Hampton, Virginia
Funding: $201,866
Year: 2005
This project is developing and implementing a strong environmental literacy and science education program to accompany NOAA's Science on a Sphere® (SOS) at The National Maritime Center's Nauticus museum. The program will use the SOS as a focal point to support learning about global oceanic and atmospheric circulations and their effect on local environments. The team is creating real-time global displays of environmental phenomena for the SOS from the expansive University of Wisconsin environmental satellite database.

This project is developing and implementing a strong environmental literacy and science education program to accompany NOAA's Science on a Sphere® (SOS) at The National Maritime Center's Nauticus museum. The program will use the SOS as a focal point to support learning about global oceanic and atmospheric circulations and their effect on local environments. The team is creating real-time global displays of environmental phenomena for the SOS from the expansive University of Wisconsin environmental satellite database. Computer visualization systems and user-driven interactive displays will allow viewers to move from global scale to regional and local scale in order to explore specific features of the phenomena being visualized and to understand them in greater detail. The displays will be integrated with high quality education materials that are aligned with national standards and specifically address the NOAA Education Strategic Plan. The teaming of the University of Wisconsin, Hampton University, and the National Maritime Center offers the opportunity to expose students from ethnic minority groups to various NOAA career paths and help produce graduates with solid technical backgrounds.

Award Number: NA05SEC4691014
Grant Dates: 10/01/2005 to 09/30/2007
PI: John Andersen Ph.D.
State: Virginia   County:   Hampton City District: VA03
Partners: Bishop Museum · University of Wisconsin–Madison / Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) · National Maritime Center (TNMC) Nauticus Museum ·

Increasing Sea-Level Rise Resilience in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Funding: $449,076
Year: 2020
Sea-level rise (SLR) will disproportionately affect the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM; coastal Mississippi, Alabama, and northwest Florida) due to a confluence of socioeconomic challenges (e.g., vulnerable industry, low per capita income, low level of educational attainment, etc.), higher than average rates of SLR, and low-lying topography. Resilience of nGOM social, economic, and cultural resources in the face of SLR requires an informed and engaged constituency and leadership that understands their risks, SLR adaptation options, and the civic processes required for action.

Sea-level rise (SLR) will disproportionately affect the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM; coastal Mississippi, Alabama, and northwest Florida) due to a confluence of socioeconomic challenges (e.g., vulnerable industry, low per capita income, low level of educational attainment, etc.), higher than average rates of SLR, and low-lying topography. Resilience of nGOM social, economic, and cultural resources in the face of SLR requires an informed and engaged constituency and leadership that understands their risks, SLR adaptation options, and the civic processes required for action. Multiple formal and informal needs assessments have identified specific educational and informational gaps that act as barriers to SLR action in nGOM coastal communities. To address the SLR resilience barriers identified by nGOM stakeholders and decision-makers, the project team will implement a comprehensive and diverse education program that engages multiple sectors within coastal communities including youth, educators, municipal officials, concerned citizens, and non-participants (i.e., those who have not yet been engaged in dialogue around SLR resilience). The goal of the project is science and civics literate constituencies in the northern Gulf of Mexico that can actively support cultures, economies, and ecosystems that are resilient to SLR. This goal will be achieved by developing an inclusive SLR education program that spans ages, locations, and demographics. There are three categories of project activities targeting different community sectors: 1) educator workshops encouraging application of an existing SLR curriculum for high school students; 2) Community Connection Dialogues that connect community leaders working on SLR with engaged constituents to inform and empower future action; and 3) pop-in immersive SLR experiences at “every day” locations (e.g., baseball games, art walks) to reach those without the means/motivation to engage in SLR resilience. The SLR curriculum, Community Connection Dialogues, and Pop-Ins are three parts of a whole that work to bring community members at all levels of understanding and engagement into the conversation and direct them towards the next step in their pathway to SLR community resilience. This work is being led by Mississippi State University in partnership with the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Alabama School of Mathematics and Science, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, and the University of South Alabama. Collaborators from across the region will include the Mississippi State University Gulf Coast Community Design Studio, the five Gulf National Estuarine Research Reserves, Audubon Nature Institute, 350 Pensacola, League of Women Voters of Mobile, EEECHO, Ocean Springs Environmental Committee, UF/IFAS, Perdido & Pensacola Bays Estuary Program, Better Growth Mobile, Cities of Ocean Springs, MS and Pensacola, FL, Counties of Jackson, MS and Santa Rosa, FL, and the GoM Climate and Resilience Community of Practice.

Award Number: NA20SEC0080010
Grant Dates: 07/01/2021 to 09/30/2024
PI: Eric Sparks
State: Mississippi   County:   Harrison District: MS04
Partners: Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Rookery Bay · National Sea Grant College Program / Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Apalachicola · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Grand Bay · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Mission-Aransas · National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Weeks Bay · 350 Pensacola · Better Growth Mobile, Inc. · Education, Economics, Environmental, Climate and Health Organization (EEECHO) · League of Women Voters (LWV) of Mobile · Gulf Coast Community Design Studio · Escambia County / Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program · University of Florida / IFAS / Extension Escambia County · Jackson County / Utility Authority · City of Ocean Springs · City of Pensacola · Santa Rosa County / Board of County Commissioners · Audubon Nature Institute · Friends of Rookery Bay · University of South Alabama · Alabama School of Math And Science · University of Florida / IFAS / Extension Santa Rosa County · University of Florida / IFAS / Extension Dixie County · University of Florida / IFAS / Extension Levy County · City of Mobile / Chief Resilience Officer · South Florida Water Management District ·