Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS SE 2018 2005331

The Fiscal Year 2018 NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity run through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office, within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is designed to fund environmental education projects that connect K-12 students and educators in the Gulf of Mexico region to hands-on, locally relevant learning about watersheds, coastal systems, and the links between land, water quality, habitats, and marine life. Rather than supporting general classroom instruction alone, the program is built around experiential education that gets students outside, involved in investigations, restoration activities, monitoring, or other field-based learning that helps them understand real environmental issues affecting their communities.

A central requirement of the program is the delivery of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). These are structured learning experiences that typically include direct outdoor or field experiences, investigation and analysis using scientific practices, and opportunities for students to apply what they learn through stewardship or action projects. In practical terms, a funded project might involve students collecting and interpreting water quality data, studying habitat conditions, learning how runoff affects fisheries and estuaries, or working with local partners on solutions such as habitat restoration or community education. The intent is to make watershed science tangible and relevant, while building students’ skills in observation, data use, problem-solving, and environmental decision-making.

The program also places strong emphasis on professional development for teachers. Funded proposals are expected to support educators with training, coaching, curriculum materials, and partnerships that help them deliver high-quality watershed-based instruction and field experiences. This teacher-focused component matters because it increases the lasting impact of the grant by strengthening local capacity: teachers gain the confidence, content knowledge, and practical tools to continue offering watershed learning opportunities even after the grant period ends.

From a policy and mission standpoint, the Gulf of Mexico B-WET program aligns with NOAA priorities, especially the agency’s long-term goal of Healthy Oceans, which includes sustaining marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity within healthy and productive ecosystems. It also supports NOAA’s broader engagement objective of building an informed and engaged public that can make science-based environmental decisions. In other words, the program is not only about student learning outcomes; it is also about building stewardship, strengthening community understanding of coastal and watershed systems, and supporting regional environmental priorities across the Gulf of Mexico.

Administratively, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NOAA NMFS SE 2018 2005331; CFDA 11.008) was offered as a discretionary funding competition using grant and cooperative agreement instruments. The original posting date was August 24, 2017, with an original application deadline of November 3, 2017. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was listed as $100,000, and NOAA anticipated making around seven awards. The eligible applicant category is listed broadly as “Others,” with the expectation that applicants consult the eligibility details in the full announcement for specific clarification on which organizations or entities qualify.

Overall, the FY 2018 Gulf of Mexico B-WET competition aimed to fund a small portfolio of projects that deliver high-impact, place-based watershed education for K-12 students, paired with strong teacher professional development and partnerships, all supporting NOAA’s goals for healthier coastal ecosystems and a more scientifically informed public in the Gulf region.

  • The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2018 NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 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 Aug 24, 2017.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 03, 2017. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FY 2018 NOAA Gulf of Mexico B-WET Program (NOAA NMFS SE 2018 2005331) - FAQs

1) What is the FY 2018 NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program?

The FY 2018 NOAA Gulf of Mexico B-WET Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity designed to fund environmental education projects that connect K-12 students and educators in the Gulf of Mexico region to hands-on, locally relevant learning about watersheds and coastal systems. The program emphasizes real-world learning that helps participants understand how land and water are connected through water quality, habitats, and marine life.

2) Which federal agency runs this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is run through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office, within the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA).

3) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to support high-impact, place-based watershed education for K-12 students in the Gulf of Mexico region, paired with strong professional development for educators. The focus is on experiential learning that makes watershed science tangible, relevant, and connected to local environmental issues affecting participants communities.

4) What types of projects does the program aim to fund?

The program aims to fund environmental education projects that go beyond general classroom instruction and instead involve experiential, field-based learning. Examples described include student investigations and analysis, restoration activities, monitoring, and other outdoor learning experiences tied to watershed and coastal issues.

5) Does the program fund general classroom instruction by itself?

The program is described as not supporting general classroom instruction alone. It is built around experiential education that gets students outside and involved in investigations, restoration, monitoring, or other field-based learning.

6) What is a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)?

A MWEE is a structured learning experience that typically includes direct outdoor or field experiences, investigation and analysis using scientific practices, and opportunities for students to apply what they learn through stewardship or action projects.

7) Are MWEEs required for funded projects?

Yes. A central requirement of the program is the delivery of Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs).

8) What might an MWEE look like in practice?

Based on the opportunity description, a funded project might involve students collecting and interpreting water quality data, studying habitat conditions, learning how runoff affects fisheries and estuaries, or working with local partners on solutions such as habitat restoration or community education.

9) What student outcomes does the program emphasize?

The program intent includes helping students build skills in observation, data use, problem-solving, and environmental decision-making, while strengthening understanding of real environmental issues affecting their communities.

10) What geographic region is the program focused on?

The program focuses on the Gulf of Mexico region.

11) Who is the target audience for the education activities?

The education activities are designed to connect K-12 students and educators to watershed and coastal learning experiences.

12) How important is teacher professional development in this grant?

Teacher professional development is a strong emphasis of the program. Funded proposals are expected to support educators through training, coaching, curriculum materials, and partnerships that help them deliver high-quality watershed-based instruction and field experiences.

13) Why does the program emphasize professional development for teachers?

The teacher-focused component is intended to increase the lasting impact of the grant by strengthening local capacity. Teachers gain confidence, content knowledge, and practical tools to continue offering watershed learning opportunities after the grant period ends.

14) How does this program align with NOAA priorities?

The program aligns with NOAA priorities, especially the long-term goal of Healthy Oceans, which includes sustaining marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity within healthy and productive ecosystems. It also supports NOAA's broader engagement objective of building an informed and engaged public that can make science-based environmental decisions.

15) Is the program only about student learning outcomes?

No. The opportunity description notes that the program is also about building stewardship, strengthening community understanding of coastal and watershed systems, and supporting regional environmental priorities across the Gulf of Mexico.

16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this competition?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NOAA NMFS SE 2018 2005331.

17) What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 11.008.

18) What type of funding mechanism was used?

The opportunity was offered as a discretionary funding competition using grant and cooperative agreement instruments.

19) When was the original posting date for this opportunity?

The original posting date was August 24, 2017.

20) What was the original application deadline?

The original application deadline was November 3, 2017.

21) What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was listed as $100,000.

22) How many awards did NOAA anticipate making?

NOAA anticipated making around seven awards.

23) Who was eligible to apply?

The eligible applicant category is listed broadly as "Others." Applicants were expected to consult the eligibility details in the full announcement for clarification on which organizations or entities qualify.

24) What kinds of partnerships are encouraged or expected?

The opportunity description references partnerships as part of supporting teachers and implementing field experiences, including working with local partners on solutions such as habitat restoration or community education.

25) What environmental topics are central to this program?

Central topics include watersheds, coastal systems, water quality, habitats, marine life, and the connections between land-based activities (such as runoff) and downstream impacts on estuaries and fisheries.

26) What does "place-based" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Within the description provided, place-based refers to learning that is locally relevant and tied to real environmental issues in the participants communities in the Gulf of Mexico region.

27) What is the overall goal of the FY 2018 Gulf of Mexico B-WET competition?

The overall goal was to fund a small portfolio of projects that deliver Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for K-12 students, paired with strong teacher professional development and partnerships, in support of NOAA goals for healthier coastal ecosystems and a more scientifically informed public in the Gulf region.

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