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.

Worldviews Network: Ecological Literacy Programming for Digital Planetariums and Beyond

Funding: $850,314
Year: 2010
The Worldviews Network - a collaboration of institutions that have pioneered Earth systems research, education and evaluation methods - is creating innovative approaches for engaging the American public in dialogues about human-induced global changes. Leveraging the power of immersive scientific visualization environments at informal science centers across the US, we are developing transformative educational processes that integrate the benefits of visual thinking, systems thinking, and design thinking.

The Worldviews Network - a collaboration of institutions that have pioneered Earth systems research, education and evaluation methods - is creating innovative approaches for engaging the American public in dialogues about human-induced global changes. Leveraging the power of immersive scientific visualization environments at informal science centers across the US, we are developing transformative educational processes that integrate the benefits of visual thinking, systems thinking, and design thinking. This "seeing, knowing, doing" approach empowers educators with tools and techniques that help audiences to visualize, comprehend, and address complex issues from a whole-systems perspective. The Worldviews Network will make explicit the interconnections of Earth’s life support systems across time and space as well as inspire community participation in design processes by providing real-world examples of successful projects that are increasing the healthy functioning of regional and global ecosystems

Award Number: NA10SEC0080011
Grant Dates: 10/01/2010 to 09/30/2014
PI: Ka Chun Yu
State: Colorado   County:   Denver District: CO01
Partners: American Museum of Natural History · California Academy of Sciences · Institute for Learning Innovation · Fort Worth Museum of Science and History · NASA Ames Exploration Center · NASA Goddard Space Flight Center · Bell Museum · Elumenati · Journey Museum & Learning Center · University of Michigan / Museum of Natural History · University of North Carolina at Asheville · WGBH Educational Foundation · University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) National Center for Atmospheric Research · Fort Collins Museum of Discovery · Colorado State University / Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) ·

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS)

Colorado State University offsite link · Fort Collins, Colorado
Funding: $1,252,392
Year: 2010
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a citizen science program where thousands of volunteers across the country measure and report the amount of precipitation that falls each day in their own neighborhood. In the next three years CoCoRaHS will use strategies from the “Citizen Science Toolkit” and align activities to the “Essential Principles to Climate Science” to engage thousands more participants in collecting, reporting and exploring precipitation. Evapotranspiration measurements will be added to teach and demonstrate the hydrologic cycle in action.

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a citizen science program where thousands of volunteers across the country measure and report the amount of precipitation that falls each day in their own neighborhood. In the next three years CoCoRaHS will use strategies from the “Citizen Science Toolkit” and align activities to the “Essential Principles to Climate Science” to engage thousands more participants in collecting, reporting and exploring precipitation. Evapotranspiration measurements will be added to teach and demonstrate the hydrologic cycle in action. Through strong NOAA partnerships with the National Weather Service, the National Climatic Data Center, the Earth Systems Research Lab and the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center, precipitation data quality and accessibility for professional users will be enhanced. The CoCoRaHS network will be constructing training, data entry and visualization tools utilizing Web 2.0 concepts, cyberlearning tools and hand-held device applications with a goal of increasing participation and expanding the volunteer network into broader, younger, more diverse audiences.

Award Number: NA10SEC0080012
Grant Dates: 10/01/2010 to 09/30/2015
PI: Chris Kummerow
State: Colorado   County:   Larimer District: CO02
Partners: Denver Museum of Nature and Science · Birch Aquarium at Scripps · Cornell University / Cornell Lab of Ornithology · Oregon State University / PRISM Climate Group · Colorado Division of Water Resources, State Engineers Office · University of South Carolina (USC) / Department of Geography · National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) · NOAA National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center · NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) / National Centers for Environmental Prediction · National Avalanche Center · U.S. Department of Agriculture Headquarters · Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) ·

GLOBE Program

Funding: $2,399,000
Year: 2010
In the project entitled "The GLOBE Program 2010: Collaborative Environmental Research at Local to Global Scales", the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) will improve the functionality of the GLOBE Program (www.globe.gov) by providing: (1) new methods, tools, and services to enhance GLOBE Partner and teacher abilities to facilitate inquiry-based learning and student research, (2) initial pilot testing and assessment of student and teacher learning activities and events related to Climate Science research, (3) improvements in GLOBE's technology infrastructure and data systems

In the project entitled "The GLOBE Program 2010: Collaborative Environmental Research at Local to Global Scales", the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) will improve the functionality of the GLOBE Program (www.globe.gov) by providing: (1) new methods, tools, and services to enhance GLOBE Partner and teacher abilities to facilitate inquiry-based learning and student research, (2) initial pilot testing and assessment of student and teacher learning activities and events related to Climate Science research, (3) improvements in GLOBE's technology infrastructure and data systems (e.g. database, social networking, information management) to support collaborations between students, scientists, and teachers, and (4) development of a robust evaluation plan. In addition, the UCAR will continue to provide support to the worldwide GLOBE community, as well as program management and timely communication with program sponsors.

Competition: 2010: Support for GLOBE Program Office Activities
Award Number: NA10SEC4690010
Grant Dates: 09/01/2010 to 08/31/2012
PI: Valerie Williams
State: Colorado   County:   Boulder District: CO02
Partners: Arizona State University (ASU) Phoenix · South Dakota Game Fish and Parks · Texas State Aquarium · Florida State University · National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters · National Science Foundation (NSF) Headquarters · University of Missouri–St. Louis · University of Nevada-Reno · University of Tulsa (UT) ·

Shedd-NOAA Partnership for Student, Teacher and Public Engagement

Funding: $1,100,000
Year: 2009
Shedd Aquarium has launched a large-scale effort to address the long-standing need to better connect citizens in the Great Lakes region to their local Great Lakes watershed, to engage them in making positive changes to help the ecosystem, and to engage decision-makers and leaders to enact large scale change to improve the ecosystem over the long term. Through this award, Shedd is positioning itself strategically as the regional hub for Great Lakes education and behavior change by promoting Great Lakes civic engagement.

Shedd Aquarium has launched a large-scale effort to address the long-standing need to better connect citizens in the Great Lakes region to their local Great Lakes watershed, to engage them in making positive changes to help the ecosystem, and to engage decision-makers and leaders to enact large scale change to improve the ecosystem over the long term. Through this award, Shedd is positioning itself strategically as the regional hub for Great Lakes education and behavior change by promoting Great Lakes civic engagement. Shedd Aquarium's Center for the Great Lakes is designed to bring scientists, business and government leaders, visionaries, and Great Lakes citizens together to formalize a strategic framework for increasing Great Lakes literacy and fostering Great Lakes stewardship. With the help of leading organizations: NOAA, COSEE Great Lakes, and members of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, a new vision for the Great Lakes region is being created. This civic engagement project is producing needed outcomes: increasing Great Lakes literacy while promoting policies of sustainability that ultimately will support the adoption of a stewardship ethic among our target audiences in the Midwest. Shedd's efforts empower citizens and civic entities to be critical thinkers who fully participate in the advancement of a sustainable society.

Award Number: NA09SEC4690042
Grant Dates: 10/01/2009 to 09/30/2012
PI: Michelle Parker
State: Illinois   County:   Cook District: IL07
Partners: Consortium for Ocean Leadership · University of Wisconsin–Madison / Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) · U.S. National Park Service · National Wildlife Federation (NWF) / Great Lakes Regional Center · National Park Conservation Association ·

Teen Advocates for Community and Environmental Sustainability (Teen ACES)

Funding: $498,471
Year: 2016
The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) developed museum-based education resources to engage high school-age youth in the exploration of climate literacy and Earth systems science through its Teen ACES (Teen Advocates for Community and Environmental Sustainability) project. As the future leaders who will make decisions about the issues they face in their communities, youth participants were positioned to act as advocates for establishing resilient communities in the Midwest.

The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) developed museum-based education resources to engage high school-age youth in the exploration of climate literacy and Earth systems science through its Teen ACES (Teen Advocates for Community and Environmental Sustainability) project. As the future leaders who will make decisions about the issues they face in their communities, youth participants were positioned to act as advocates for establishing resilient communities in the Midwest. The project utilized a variety of resources, including NOAA Science On a Sphere® (SOS) technology and datasets, Great Lakes and local climate assets from the Midwest Regional Climate Center and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, and existing local planning guides to develop museum-based youth programming. Teens explored environmental hazards including severe weather events and temperature extremes and considered the impact of the Great Lakes on regional climate. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Resilient Chicago, the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago, and the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium advised on the project to support the integration of municipal resiliency plans and their related adaptation and mitigation measures into the program. After completing a 30-hour course with MSI, teen participants had the opportunity to facilitate SOS® experiences for museum guests. Teens also shared their learning with the Chicago community through programs at Chicago Public Library branches and Chicago Park District sites. The project revised content for use in 102 after-school science clubs for students from diverse communities across the Chicago area. Educational resources and experiences created through this grant reached nearly 150,000 students, educators and guests over four years.

Award Number: NA16SEC0080001
Grant Dates: 10/01/2016 to 09/30/2020
PI: Marvin McClure
State: Illinois   County:   Cook District: IL02
Partners: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery · Science Central · National Sea Grant College Program / University of Illinois · Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) · Chicago Public Library (CPL) · Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV) · Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary & Arboretum · Loyola University · Moraine Valley Community College · NOAA Regional Climate Center / Midwestern Regional Climate Center · City of Chicago · City of Chicago / Chicago Park District · Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago ·