MWEE Partner Mini-grant Program

The application is available in a Word document. Please fill it out electronically and email back to Jennifer Uderwood at jcunderwood@deq.virginia.gov.
The deadline is March 1, 2008.

Once you have completed your project, please fill out the reporting form and email it to Jennifer Underwood at jcunderwood@deq.virginia.gov.

* A W-9 form must accompany your application. It can be faxed to 804-698-4533.

Purpose:

The MWEE Partner Mini-grant Program will support efforts by community groups to provide youth with meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs). Funding is intended to help community groups build capacity for delivering and sustaining high quality, meaningful environmental education related to water and watersheds.  The program will complement the Virginia Classroom Grants program designed for teachers.

Criteria:  

1. Educational program must include or be connected to Chesapeake Bay education and meet the criteria of “meaningful” as defined by the Chesapeake Bay program www.chesapeakebay.net.
2. Funding, up to $1,000 - $5,000, will be given on a one- tim e basis as seed money.  The average award will be around $2,500 to support 100 or more youth. 
3. Funding is to be used for equipment and non-consumable supplies such as nets, water quality testing, clipboards, aquarium tanks, maps, boots, magnifiers, etc.  Materials to be housed where they can be used and accessed for programs.
4. Funding can not be used for consumable, one- tim e use items or give-aways such as T-shirts, tote bags, food, admission fees, or tuition. 
5. No more than 10% or $200 of the budget can be used for transportation (which ever is higher).
6. Funds can be used to compensate an educator to train organization’s staff and/or volunteers to increase their knowledge and skill for delivering environmental education.

Preference will be given to local educational programs, areas of Virginia not currently being served by other programs, programs that provide students with sustained outdoor experiences, and/or to groups actively working on a long term basis to immerse youth in MWEE in Virginia.

This grant is provided in partnership with the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, which has provided a total of $42,000 to support Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences throughout Virginia.