Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770
The Fiscal Year 2025 NOAA Delaware Bay B-WET Funding Program is a competitive NOAA grant opportunity designed to strengthen environmental education for K-12 audiences across the Delaware Bay watershed region, specifically in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The program is part of NOAA's Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) initiative and is focused on helping schools and local partners create high-quality, place-based learning that connects students to real environmental issues in their own communities. The funding is intended to support projects that are locally relevant, tied to watershed and coastal systems, and built to improve environmental literacy and stewardship over time.
A central feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). An MWEE is a learner-centered approach where students investigate a local environmental issue and move from learning to informed action. Projects are expected to include multiple MWEE components that blend classroom learning with outdoor field experiences. These components typically include defining an environmental issue that matters locally, conducting hands-on fieldwork outdoors, analyzing and synthesizing what was learned to draw conclusions, and then completing an environmental action project that allows students to apply their learning in a practical way. The overall goal is to help students understand the Delaware Bay and its connected watersheds, including rivers, smaller streams, upland areas, and the natural habitats that support both wildlife and human communities.
The program description highlights that MWEE-based projects should be interdisciplinary, meaning they can draw on multiple subject areas to help students understand how natural systems and human communities influence each other. By grounding learning in local places and real-world problems, the program aims to build stronger connections between students and their surrounding environment while developing the knowledge and decision-making skills needed for stewardship. In practice, this can involve partnerships between school systems and organizations such as nonprofits, universities, or local agencies that bring technical expertise, field sites, or educator training capacity into the project.
The stated priority for this particular funding announcement is "Supporting systemic and sustainable MWEEs." That means NOAA is looking for proposals that go beyond one-off field trips or short-term activities and instead build lasting environmental literacy programming. Projects that strengthen a school district's ability to deliver MWEEs year after year, develop strong implementation models, embed MWEEs into curricula, and build educator capacity through rigorous teacher training and professional development align well with this priority. The opportunity also notes that projects should advance regional fisheries initiatives, align with state and local education and environmental priorities, and support the broader goals of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which generally implies that NOAA expects to have some level of programmatic involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with the opportunity is 11.008, and the funding activity categories are education and environment.
Eligibility is broad but limited to nonprofit and public-serving entities. Eligible applicants include K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments. Individuals are not eligible to apply, and neither are for-profit organizations, foreign organizations, or foreign public entities as direct applicants. However, those ineligible entities may participate as project partners under an eligible lead applicant, and federal agencies also cannot receive funds under this announcement but may serve as partners. The announcement points applicants to the federal regulations on subrecipient and partner relationships (2 CFR 200.331) for additional guidance on how those roles should be structured and managed.
Key logistical details included in the posting are the opportunity number (NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770), the agency (U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA), the original closing date (April 18, 2025), and an award ceiling of $225,000 per award. The opportunity was created on January 22, 2025.Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770
- The DOC NOAA - ERA Production in the education, environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2025 NOAA Delaware Bay B-WET Funding Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.008.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-04-18. (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 $225,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Fiscal Year 2025 NOAA Delaware Bay B-WET Funding Program: FAQs
What is the Fiscal Year 2025 NOAA Delaware Bay B-WET Funding Program?
This is a competitive NOAA grant opportunity under NOAA's Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) initiative. It is designed to strengthen environmental education for K-12 audiences by supporting high-quality, place-based learning tied to real environmental issues in the Delaware Bay watershed region.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The program aims to improve environmental literacy and stewardship over time by helping schools and local partners deliver locally relevant education connected to watershed and coastal systems. Projects are expected to connect students to real issues in their own communities and support sustained, long-term learning models rather than one-time activities.
Which geographic areas are included in the eligible region?
The opportunity focuses on the Delaware Bay watershed region, specifically in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Who is the intended audience for funded projects?
Funded projects are intended to serve K-12 audiences. The program emphasizes strengthening environmental education programming for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
What kinds of learning experiences does NOAA expect projects to provide?
Projects are expected to incorporate Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), which typically blend classroom learning with outdoor field experiences and lead students from learning to informed action on a local environmental issue.
What is an MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience)?
An MWEE is a learner-centered approach where students investigate a local environmental issue and move from learning to informed action. The opportunity describes MWEEs as including multiple components that support investigation, outdoor learning, analysis, and student action connected to a real local issue.
What MWEE components are highlighted in the opportunity description?
The opportunity notes that MWEE components typically include: defining an environmental issue that matters locally, conducting hands-on fieldwork outdoors, analyzing and synthesizing what was learned to draw conclusions, and completing an environmental action project that allows students to apply their learning in a practical way.
Does this program require outdoor or field-based learning?
The program description emphasizes that projects should include outdoor field experiences as part of MWEE implementation, alongside classroom learning.
What types of environmental topics or systems should projects focus on?
Projects should help students understand the Delaware Bay and its connected watersheds, including rivers, smaller streams, upland areas, and natural habitats that support both wildlife and human communities.
Are projects expected to be interdisciplinary?
Yes. The opportunity highlights that MWEE-based projects should be interdisciplinary, drawing on multiple subject areas to help students understand how natural systems and human communities influence each other.
What is the stated priority for this funding announcement?
The stated priority is "Supporting systemic and sustainable MWEEs." This means NOAA is looking for proposals that build lasting environmental literacy programming rather than one-off events.
What does "systemic and sustainable MWEEs" mean in practice?
Based on the description, it means projects should go beyond short-term activities and instead strengthen a school district's ability to deliver MWEEs year after year. Examples described include developing strong implementation models, embedding MWEEs into curricula, and building educator capacity through rigorous teacher training and professional development.
Are one-time field trips or short-term activities likely to align with the priority?
The opportunity specifically emphasizes going beyond "one-off field trips or short-term activities" in favor of sustainable approaches that can be repeated and institutionalized over time.
Are partnerships encouraged?
Yes. The description notes that projects can involve partnerships between school systems and organizations such as nonprofits, universities, or local agencies that can contribute technical expertise, field sites, or educator training capacity.
Do projects need to align with other NOAA or regional priorities?
Yes. The opportunity notes that projects should advance regional fisheries initiatives, align with state and local education and environmental priorities, and support the broader goals of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement funding instrument. The description indicates that this generally implies NOAA expects some level of programmatic involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number listed is 11.008.
What are the funding activity categories for this opportunity?
The funding activity categories listed are education and environment.
Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Eligibility is broad but limited to nonprofit and public-serving entities. Eligible applicants include K-12 public and independent schools and school systems, institutions of higher education, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments.
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply directly?
No. For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply as direct applicants under this announcement.
Are foreign organizations or foreign public entities eligible to apply?
No. Foreign organizations and foreign public entities are not eligible to apply as direct applicants.
Can ineligible entities participate in the project in another role?
Yes. The announcement states that ineligible entities may participate as project partners under an eligible lead applicant.
Can federal agencies receive funds under this announcement?
No. The opportunity states that federal agencies cannot receive funds under this announcement, but they may serve as partners.
What guidance is provided about subrecipients and partners?
The announcement points applicants to federal regulations on subrecipient and partner relationships (2 CFR 200.331) for additional guidance on how those roles should be structured and managed.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770.
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The agency is the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $225,000 per award.
What was the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is April 18, 2025.
When was the opportunity created?
The posting indicates the opportunity was created on January 22, 2025.
What kinds of outcomes is NOAA trying to achieve through funded projects?
Based on the description, NOAA is aiming for stronger environmental literacy and stewardship, deeper student connection to local environmental issues, and sustained capacity in schools and districts to deliver high-quality, place-based watershed education over time.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Environment
Next opportunity: OVW Fiscal Year 2025 STOP Formula Grant Program
Previous opportunity: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Notice of Intent to Re-Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-FOA-0003099
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "NOAA NMFS HCPO 2025 29770", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.