The Great Lakes B-WET region serves projects in the Great Lakes watershed in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Funded projects support the environmental priorities of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation.
B-WET is an environmental education program that provides competitive funding for projects that support place-based experiential learning for students and related professional development for teachers. The core component of B-WET funded projects is the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEEs), multi‐stage activities that include learning both outdoors and in the classroom.
B-WET Program Highlight
Get to Know Great Lakes B-WET video
Get to know the NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program in the Great Lakes region through this profile of grantee, Inland Seas Education Association. Through their Great Lakes Watershed Field Course, they educate students and teachers on the importance of the Great Lakes watershed. Students featured here, inspired by their field experience, returned to Ohio motivated to take action to help their local watershed.
2024 awards
FY 2023 grantees
- Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District: Implementing Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences in the Tinker's Creek Watershed
- Friends of the St. Clair River: St. Clair River Watershed Pen Pals: From Creeks to Coast
- Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative: Advancing K-12 Environmental Literacy through Place-Based Stewardship Education (PBSE) in Michigan and the Great Lakes Region
- Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority: Science and Stewardship in the Heart of the Great Lakes
- ODC Network: River Keepers: Understanding the Impacts of Human Activity and Climate Change on Local Watersheds
- Riveredge Nature Center Inc: Water Journeys: Empowering Middle-Schoolers to Improve the Milwaukee River
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor: Climate Change in the Bay: Designing Meaningful Student Experiences in the Saginaw Bay Watershed
Indigenous Community Awards
Michigan Technological University with support from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: Increased Water Literacy & Stewardship with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC): “Water is Life”
Seneca Nation of Indians: Seneca Nation B-WET Project
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in collaboration with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians: Title Nimiigwechwendam Nibiish (I am thankful for water): Caring for Our Local Watersheds
2023 awards
FY 2022 grantees
- Environmental Literacy for Environmental Justice offsite link, Board of Education of the City of Chicago
- Rivers2Lake: Activating a Community of Lake Superior Educators offsite link, The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System:
- Building Flood Resilience by Connecting Students to their Watershed, Central Michigan University
- Coalition Connections: Building Watershed and Climate Literacy Through Place-Based Explorations, Eastern Michigan University/Southeast Michigan Stewardship (SEMIS) Coalition
- Supporting data-centered 3-P student learning through teacher- and student-scaffolded experiences using MiWaterNet stream monitoring offsite link, Lake Superior State University
- Youth for Climate and Water Action: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Rural Schools in the Lake Ontario, Paul Smith's College of Arts and Sciences
- Engaging K-12 Students in Authentic Watershed Experiences, Science and Stewardship: Reconnecting to the Land at Earth Heart Farms, The University of Toledo
Indigenous Community Awards
Creating Meaningful and Cultural Watershed Educational Experiences for the Students of the Ojibwe Charter School, The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan (ITCMI)
Braiding Knowledge Systems for Increased Earth and Climate Literacy: “Inawendiwin: Connection, Observation, & Learning Together”, Michigan Technological University with support from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Nibi gaa-gikinoo’amaage, Nibi gaa-bimaaji'iwemagak (Water Will Teach, Water Will Give Life) II, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Earth Partnership Indigenous Arts and Sciences initiative
Ninkchiwaawenindimin – “We honor each other”, The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
2022 awards
FY 2021 grantees
- Preventing Marine Debris Today for Healthy Waters Tomorrow offsite link, Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan
- Blue Crew: Flint River Environmental Leaders offsite link: A Systemic Community Approach to Water Quality Solutions Through a Youth Lens, Flint River Watershed Coalition
- Great Lakes Watershed Field Course offsite link, Inland Seas Education Association
- Creating the Next Generation of Great Lakes Stewards offsite link, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District
- Great Lakes MWEE Toolkit for Educators and Students offsite link, Grand Valley State University
- Exploring the Geoheritage of Lake Superior Coastal Sites (Exploring Our Foundations) offsite link, Michigan Technological University
- Rouge Education Project offsite link, Friends of the Rouge
- Schoolyard Stewards - Place Based Watershed Explorations Supporting Community Resilience offsite link, Eastern Michigan University
- Mid-Michigan Watershed Connections offsite link, MidMichigan Environmental Action Council
- CIMBY-Building Student and Teacher Leadership offsite link, Board of Education of the City of Chicago
- Lake Ontario, Oneida, Onondaga Program (LOOOP) offsite link, Upstate Freshwater Institute
- Niagara River/Lake Erie (NRLE) Classrooms offsite link, Friends of Reinstein Nature Preserve Inc.
- Smart Citizen Science Curriculum Dissemination and Implementation offsite link, Case Western Reserve University
- First Rings First-Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences for Teachers and Underrepresented Students in the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern offsite link, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District
- Fox-Wolf River Connections-Students Explore Ripple Effects in the Lake Michigan Watershed offsite link, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
2021 awards
FY 2020 grantees
- Stormwater Stewards: Creating Resilient Teacher Learning Communities to Support Youth-Led Action offsite link, Eastern Michigan University
- Blue Crew: Student Stewardship of the Lower Grand River Watershed offsite link, Grand Valley Metropolitan Council
- Increasing freshwater and data literacy among high school students through real-time stream monitoring with MiWaterNet offsite link, Lake Superior State University
- Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative – Expanding Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Rural Schools (LSSI-ER) offsite link, Michigan Technological University
- Our Lakes, Streams, and Rivers: Online and Field-based Hybrid Teacher Training offsite link, St. John Fisher College
- Great Lakes Water Sources: A Multifaceted Meaningful Watershed Education Experience for Genesee County Students, Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Maumee River Floating Laboratory on Watershed Science (FLOWS) offsite link, University of Toledo
- The Great Lakes W.I.S.E. Program – Developing environmental leaders through “Watershed Immersive Stewardship Experiences” offsite link, Regional Science Consortium
- Nibi gaa-gikinoo'amaage, Nibi gaa-bimaaji'iwemagak (Water will Teach, Water Will Give Life), Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and the University of Wisconsin - Madison Earth Partnership Indigenous Arts and Sciences
- Coastal Engineering Education: People, Place and Practice, Wisconsin Sea Grant
- For the Birds--and People Too: Understanding Interdependence of Living Things in the Lake Michigan Watershed offsite link, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
2020 awards
FY 2019 grantees
- Calumet Is My Back Yard offsite link: Burnham Park Expansion, City of Chicago Board of Education
- Stormwater Stewards: Youth-Led Responses to Community Watershed Challenges offsite link, Eastern Michigan University
- Flint River Bridges- Year 2 offsite link, Flint River Watershed Coalition
- The Rouge Education Project offsite link, Friends of the Rouge
- Deer Creek GEEKS offsite link, Grand Valley State University
- Prep for Day 1: K-12 Students Jump into West Michigan Watershed offsite link, Hope College
- Terrestrial Systems Today for Healthy Waters Tomorrow offsite link, Huron Pines
- Developing Great Lakes Stewards through Place-making In Urban and Rural Classrooms offsite link, Lake Superior State University
- The Power of Place: Connecting Students to Their Watershed offsite link, Muskegon Area Independent School District
- Our Lakes, Streams, and Rivers: Experiential Education and Stewardship in the Lake Ontario Watershed offsite link, St. John Fisher College
- Great Lakes Student Research Campaign: Engaging Students and Teachers in Authentic Watershed Studies, University of Toledo
2019 awards
FY 2018 grantees
- Calumet Is My Backyard (CIMBY) Program offsite link, City of Chicago Board of Education
- Connecting the Watershed Dots: Clear Lake, Escanaba River, Bay de Noc, Lake Michigan offsite link, Delta-Schoolcraft Independent School District
- Great Lakes Watershed Field Course offsite link, Inland Seas Education Association
- Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative – Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Rural Schools offsite link, Michigan Technological University
- Flint River GREEN: Developing a Community-Based, Applied, and Integrated Watershed Curriculum for the Flint River Watershed offsite link, Flint River Watershed Coalition
- Rouge Education Project (REP) offsite link, Friends of the Rouge
- Engaging Students and Teachers through GLOBE: Authentic Watershed Studies in the Maumee and Lake Erie Watersheds, The University of Toledo
- Day in the Life of the Niagara River/ Lake Erie Watershed offsite link, Friends of Reinstein Nature Preserve
- Using the PASST to WEather the Future: Inspiring Great Lakes Stewards through Past Shipwrecks, Current Weather, and the Future of Climate Change offsite link, Regional Science Consortium at Presque Isle Center
- A Deeper Dive into the Testing the Waters (TTW) Program offsite link, Riveredge Nature Center
- Rivers2Lake- A Superior Focus: Deepening Connections to Lake Superior’s Coast offsite link, University of Wisconsin- Superior
- All Wet: Inclusive Watershed Education for Learners of All Abilities offsite link, Wisconsin Maritime Museum
- Lake Ontario Headwaters Watershed Education Program offsite link, Paul Smith’s College of Arts and Sciences
2018 awards
FY 2017 grantees
- Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities: Integrating Ecosystem Study, Citizen Science, and Stewardship, Michigan State University (Healthy Waters)
- Developing a Comprehensive Teacher Support System for K-12 Great Lakes Literacy and Place-Based Watershed Education offsite link, Eastern Michigan University
- Ganawendan Ginibiiminaan: Bad River Water Stewardship Phase 2, The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (Arboretum)
- Rivers2Lake: Continuing Meaningful Watershed Education along Lake Superior’s Coast offsite link, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System/UW-Superior
- Watershed Stories: Learners Exploring their Place in the Ecosystem, Regents of the University of Minnesota
- STEM Hub engages students in Great Lakes research, The Pennsylvania State University
- Our Fisheries, Our Future offsite link, Michigan State University (NEMIGLSI)
- Testing the Waters offsite link, Riveredge Nature Center
- Groundswell – Go Outside and Learn (G-GOAL) offsite link, Grand Valley State University
- WAKE Zone: Watershed Advocates for Kids’ Engagement offsite link, West Michigan Environmental Action Council Education Foundation
- Great Kids Saving the Great Lakes, Detroit Zoological Society
2017 awards
FY 2016 grantees
- Great Lakes Model Schools: Where Cleveland Students Learn to Care for their Watershed offsite link, Alliance for the Great Lakes
- Rivers2Lake South: Meaningful Watershed Education along Lake Superior’s Coast offsite link, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System / UW-Superior
- Great Lakes Literacy in Action: Connecting Students to their Watersheds in SE Michigan through Place-Based Education offsite link, Eastern Michigan University
- Inland Seas Great Lakes Watershed Field Course for K-12 teachers to learn and implement MWEEs in their classroom offsite link, Inland Seas Education Association
- Promoting Healthy Watersheds and Communities by Integrating Ecosystem Science, Transportation Networks, and Stewardship, Michigan State University
- Watershed Alive III: A Place to Call Our Own offsite link, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
- Using Place-Based Education to Create Stewards of the Great Lakes offsite link, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District
- Buffalo State’s Our Living Watershed B-WET Program offsite link, Research Foundation for SUNY/Buffalo
- Experiencing the Saginaw Bay Watershed from the Classroom to the Water’s Edge offsite link, Saginaw Valley State University
- Ganawedan Ginibiiminaan: Bad River Water Stewardship, The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System/UW Madison
- We all Live on the Water: Teachers as Watershed Leaders offsite link, Wisconsin Maritime Museum
2013 awards
FY 2012 grantees
- Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, WI
- Great Lakes Museum of Science, Cleveland, OH
- United Way of Buffalo and Erie CountyBuffalo, NY
- Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan offsite link, Alpena, MI
- Lake Superior Estuarine Research Reserve at UW-SuperiorSuperior, WI offsite link
- Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI offsite link
2012 awards
FY 2011 grantees
- Superior Rivers2Lake Program offsite link, University of Wisconsin-Superior/Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve
- Great Lakes “F-EX” (Field Experiences) for Watershed Educators: Providing Meaningful Teacher Experiences to Promote NOAA’s Great Lakes Education Discoveries for Students, University of Illinois (Illinois-Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania Sea Grant Collaboration)
- Groundswell FORCES offsite link, Grand Valley State University
- Developing Great Lakes Literacy and Stewardship in Urban Southeast Michigan through the Great Lakes Education Program, Michigan State University
- CIMBY Gets WET offsite link, Chicago Public Schools, District #299
- Great Lakes–Great Stewards Environmental Education Project offsite link, The Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania Sea Grant)
- Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative offsite link, Copper County Intermediate School District
- Our River, Our Future – Transforming a Community through the Rediscovery of its Local Watershed offsite link, The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan
- Lake Michigan Watershed Field Experience Course, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Explore and Restore Our Waters in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin Maritime Museum
- Urban Field Observations in Science UFO-S, Detroit Zoological Society
- Chicago River Schools Network offsite link, Friends of the Chicago River
Funding:
FY2024: $850,500
FY2023: $1,100,000
FY2022: $1,250,000
FY2021: $1,187,232
FY2020: $900,000
FY2019: $890,000
FY2018: $890,000
FY2017: $786,000
FY2016: $796,700
FY2012: $427,468
FY2011: $998,000
Contact:
Sarah.A.Waters@noaa.gov
For more information, see also Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET), National Marine Sanctuaries