OpportunityTitle: NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants are 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. The Department of Commerce/  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) is strongly   committed to broadening the participation of historically black   colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal   colleges and universities, and institutions that service underserved   areas. While applicants do not need to be from the targeted   geographical regions specified in the program objectives, they must be   working with target audiences in these areas
Description: The NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program is an environmental education program that supports experiential learning through local competitive grant awards in specific geographic regions. Prior to 2008 NOAA B-WET Programs were established for the Chesapeake Bay, California, and the Hawaiian Islands. As of 2008, three new programs are in place in New England, the northern Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. In FY09, it is anticipated that funds will be available for each of these three regions. Proposals are currently being solicited from the Pacific Northwest region, the northern Gulf of Mexico region, and the New England region. For the purposes of this solicitation, these three regions are defined as follows: a. Pacific Northwest--the states of Oregon and Washington; b. Northern Gulf of Mexico--the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas; c. New England--the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. NOAA recognizes that knowledge and commitment built from firsthand experience, especially in the context of one&apos;s community and culture, is essential for achieving environmental stewardship. Carefully selected experiences driven by rigorous academic learning standards, engendering discovery and wonder, and nurturing a sense of community will further connect students with their watershed, help reinforce an ethic of responsible citizenship, and promote academic achievement. Experiential learning techniques, such as those supported by the NOAA B-WET Program, have been shown to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), thus contributing to NOAA&apos;s obligations under the America COMPETES Act (33 U.S.C. 893a(a)).
GrantorContactEmailDescription: For application download issues
GrantorContactText: Steve  Drescher &lt;br/&gt;Policy Advisor &lt;br/&gt;Phone 301-713-0926
CloseDateExplanation: NOAA publishes this notice to inform the   public of an amendment to the solicitation ``NOAA Bay Watershed   Education and Training (B-WET) Program&apos;&apos; announced in the Federal   Register on December 16, 2008 (73 FR 76341). Due to issues with the   submission process and system-wide delays in using Grants.gov on the   days prior to and including the deadline, some potential applicants for   the NOAA B-WET program may have been unsuccessful in submitting their   applications through the website. To ensure that all applicants have   the opportunity to apply for the B-WET program, NOAA will accept paper   applications to this announcement where it can be shown that the   applicants attempted to submit via Grants.gov by the January 26   deadline originally published in the announcement, and who contacted a   Federal Program Officer to communicate their problem. If these   applicants would like to have their application considered for funding,   they may submit a complete paper application package to the B-WET   National Coordinator by 5:00 PM ET, February 27, 2009.      All information and requirements published in NOAA Bay Watershed   Education and Training (B-WET) Program solicitation published in the   Federal Register on December 16, 2008 apply to any applications   submitted pursuant to this notice.        Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on January 26, 2009.