OpportunityTitle: Ocean Education Partnership Grants for Professional Development and other Capacity-building of Informal Science Educators and Volunteers
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants are collaborative teams that include at least three 501(c)(3) non-profit aquariums in the United States. At least one applicant in each collaborative team must be an aquarium accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Each individual applicant must submit an application to NOAA as part of the collaborative team.  Applications that do not meet these eligibility criteria will not be merit reviewed.  The following types of organizations may also serve as applicants on a collaborative team that meets the eligibility criteria listed above: institutions of higher education; other nonprofits; K-12 public and independent schools and school systems; and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States.  There are no eligibility restrictions on institutions that are serving as project partners but are not submitting an application.  These partners can receive a portion of the funding through sub-awards. Also, federal employees may not serve as principal investigators (PIs) or co-PIs on any application, although they may be included as key personnel.  An individual may apply only once as a PI through this funding opportunity. However, institutions may submit more than one application and individuals may serve as co-PIs or key personnel on more than one application.
Description: The goal of this funding opportunity is to support a collaborative team of aquariums and other institutions to expand or develop professional development and other capacity-building activities for informal science educators and volunteers. A successful project will utilize the resources of multiple institutions to enhance the capacity of informal science educators and volunteers to engage visitors and promote public understanding and stewardship of coastal, marine, and/or freshwater environments. A successful project will also incorporate NOAA assets through partnerships with NOAA entities. When applicable, project design should be informed by successful capacity-building and professional development activities previously funded by NOAA&apos;s Environmental Literacy Grants Program (See &quot;Awards&quot; tab under http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/grants/elg.html). Project topics should relate to NOAA&apos;s mission in the areas of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, weather, and climate sciences and stewardship and focus on one or more of the goals of NOAA&apos;s Next Generation Strategic Plan http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/ngsp/goals/: healthy oceans; weather-ready nation; climate adaptation and mitigation; and resilient coastal communities and economies.Proposed projects should be between two and five years in duration and have maximum total combined budget requests of $1,000,000 for all years of the project. The combined total must include any funding that would support a partnership with NOAA. No awards funds for NOAA project costs will be given to any collaborative applicant; the anticipated NOAA project costs will be transferred directly within NOAA. Eligible applicants are collaborative teams that include at least three (3) non-profit U.S. aquariums, of which at least one must be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Collaborative teams should involve applicants from multiple U.S. states and are strongly encouraged to include at least one aquarium that has not previously received a grant from NOAA&apos;s Office of Education. There is special interest in collaborative teams that include aquariums representing a wide range of annual operating budgets, total visitorship numbers, and/or physical sizes. Also, there is special interest in projects that address reaching groups traditionally underserved and/or underrepresented in Earth System science.It is anticipated that recommendations for funding under this announcement will be made by September 28, 2012 and that the collaborative project funded under this announcement will have a start date no earlier than October 1, 2012. Note: Links to this announcement and other helpful information for applying is available at http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/grants/elg.html, under the &quot;Funding&quot; tab.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: For application download issues only.
GrantorContactText: Steve Drescher &lt;br/&gt;Policy Advisor &lt;br/&gt;
CloseDateExplanation: The closing time on May 7, 2012 is 11:59:59 pm EDT.