Are you an ocean education professional working to chart the course for a more diverse future ocean workforce by providing STEM education and/or early career development opportunities for youth from communities historically marginalized from ocean science and exploration industries? If yes, then apply for the 2023-2024 Ocean Odyssey Grants.
Donor Name: NOAA Ocean Exploration
State: All States
County: All Counties
U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/15/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $20,000
Grant Duration: 9 months
Details:
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in cooperation with NOAA Ocean Exploration, is excited to offer grants to educators and education programs leading workforce development initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within ocean science and/or exploration career pathways.
The overarching goal is to support a future ocean workforce that is more representative of US demographics by funding projects that minimize barriers to entry and retention of diverse learners from communities historically marginalized from ocean science and exploration industries. The Ocean Odyssey Grants are an investment in projects and partners that are leading science, technology, engineering, and math (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.
Priority is for proposals that support learning and skill development opportunities, address barriers along ocean science and exploration career pathways, utilize NOAA ocean educational resources, and demonstrate student impact within the short funding period (October 2023 – June 2024).
This year, funding has been divided to strategically support multiple stages of the ocean science and exploration workforce development pipeline.
Mini Grants for Formal Educators
The classroom is an excellent setting to bring the wonder of ocean science and exploration alive, deepen students’ understanding of ocean sciences, increase their awareness of ocean careers, and to help students develop STEM skills needed for future education and career demands.
Ocean Odyssey Mini Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support formal educators and/or education support personnel (e.g., curriculum specialists, interventionists, administrators, etc.) in projects that build educators’ capacity to bring ocean science and exploration alive for diverse learners in underserved middle school and high school classrooms.
Project outcomes should directly or indirectly result in:
- Deepening student understanding of the ocean,
- Increasing student awareness of ocean careers, and/or
- Developing or advancing STEM skills applicable to ocean science and exploration.
Eligibility Criteria
Formal educators or education support staff working with middle and high school students in a classroom setting.
Preference given to:
- Projects that utilize NOAA resources – data, educational resources, videos, lessons, etc
- Projects that focus on open ocean science and/or ocean exploration concepts, technologies, and careers, as opposed to coastal and near-shore foci
- Focus on United States and Territories
- Projects that include an evaluation plan to assess impact (measurable outcomes preferred over number reached)
- Projects led by schools, districts, and/or educators that have not previously received grant funding from NOAA, the Foundation, or other federal education funding sources
- Projects that include plans to persist beyond the funding period
- Projects that support underserved student populations.
Funding Conditions
- Funds go to schools/school districts, not individuals.
- Proposals must include an official letter of support from a building administrator or school district official.
- Funds will not cover salary (except for substitute teacher pay).
- Budget requests with high indirect costs will be scored less favorably than budget requests that directly support students and educators.
Grants for Education Programs
Immersive educational programs and hands-on learning experiences are opportunities to advance STEM skill development and provide exposure to industry experts and/or technologies beyond the walls of a traditional classroom.
Ocean Odyssey Grants up to $20,000 are available to support education programs (formal education programs, informal education programs, and/or University programs) that advance STEM education programming for communities historically and consistently marginalized from ocean science education and career paths.
Project outcomes should result in:
- Increased inclusion in and/or access to STEM education that supports ocean science career development of diverse learners from historically marginalized communities,
- Deepening student understanding of the ocean,
- Increasing student awareness of ocean careers, and/or
- Developing or advancing STEM skills applicable to ocean science and exploration.
Eligibility Criteria
Formal or informal education programs supporting middle school, high school, and college-aged students. School districts, nonprofit organizations, community colleges, universities, local and state entities are all welcome to apply. Federal agencies may not apply.
Preference given to:
- Projects that engage diverse learners from communities marginalized from ocean sciences
- Projects that reduce or minimize a barrier that has negatively impacted recruitment or retention of diverse learners to ocean science careers
- Projects that utilize NOAA resources – data, educational resources, videos, lessons, etc
- Projects that focus on open ocean science and/or ocean exploration concepts, technologies, and careers, as opposed to coastal and near-shore foci
- Focus on United States and Territories
- Projects engaging partners external to the submitting institution/organization, especially partners that provide tangible in-kind support
- Projects that include an evaluation plan to assess impact (measurable outcomes preferred over number reached)
- Projects that include plans to persist beyond the funding period
Funding Conditions
- Funds will be released to schools, organizations, and/or universities, not individual personnel
- Salary support and fringe may not exceed 25% of the total budget request
- Budget requests with high indirect costs will be scored less favorably than budget requests that directly support students and educators
For more information, visit Ocean Odyssey Grants.
