NOAA Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals that support NOAA Ocean Exploration’s education priorities, which include increasing the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the education program; and developing education resources to complement virtual and hybrid education delivery.
NOAA Ocean Exploration is dedicated to exploring the unknown ocean, unlocking its potential through scientific discovery, technological advancements, and data delivery. By working closely with partners across public, private, and academic sectors, we are filling gaps in our basic understanding of the marine environment. This allows us, collectively, to protect ocean health, sustainably manage our marine resources, accelerate our national economy, better understand our changing environment, and enhance appreciation of the importance of the ocean in our everyday lives.
NOAA Ocean Exploration operates an education program to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean, ocean exploration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education and is committed to improving America’s environmental literacy by bringing the excitement of ocean exploration and discovery to a wide variety of diverse audiences. Educators and public and private partnerships are essential to this mission. NOAA Ocean Exploration offers many opportunities for educators to learn about NOAA science and technology associated with exploring the ocean in their classrooms.
NOAA Ocean Exploration is soliciting proposals that:
- Connect NOAA Ocean Exploration’s exploration resources to the expanded delivery of virtual and hybrid professional development experiences for educators; thus increasing the opportunities to provide high quality education content and experiences to the public about ocean exploration. Expand the available audience for NOAA Ocean Exploration education content, in terms of quantity, diversity, and geographic location.
- Invest in projects and partners that are leading STEM education programming for diverse youth in middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college to learn about the ocean, develop or advance STEM skills, and increase awareness of ocean science and exploration careers.
- Invest in a future ocean workforce that is more representative of U.S. demographics by funding projects that minimize barriers to entry and retention of diverse learners from communities historically marginalized from ocean science and exploration industries.
Deadline: Sep. 15, 2023
Eligible applicants represent U.S.-based institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations; and for-profit organizations.
NOAA Ocean Exploration anticipates approximately $500,000 per year (with a ceiling of $1,000,000 per year depending upon the availability of funding) will be available to fund a proposed project under this notice. This will be a multiyear award (performance dependent) with a maximum of 5 years.