Florida · Federal Grant

NOAA B-WET: Bay Watershed Education and Training (Florida)

NOAA's Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program funds watershed and coastal environmental education for K-12 students in Florida, supporting meaningful watershed educational experiences that connect students to local water systems.

Funding

$50,000–$200,000

Eligibility

Florida nonprofits, schools, and education organizations in coastal/watershed areas

Grade Focus

K-12

Subject

Environmental Science / Marine Science / STEM

Deadline

Annual NOAA solicitation cycle

Type

Federal Grant

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About This Grant

NOAA's B-WET program is designed to fund meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) — learning activities that connect students to real local watersheds through investigation, action, and reflection. Florida, with its vast network of springs, rivers, estuaries, and coastal ecosystems, is one of the most compelling states in the nation for watershed education.

B-WET-funded programs in Florida help students understand how land use, development, and climate affect Florida's waterways — from the springs of north Florida to the Everglades watershed to Tampa Bay and the Indian River Lagoon. Programs that use physical computing and sensor technology to monitor water quality, weather, or ecological data fit well within NOAA's vision of science-based environmental education.

Florida has an active B-WET community. NOAA funds Southeast-region programs through a competitive solicitation, and Florida organizations — especially those working in the Chesapeake, Gulf of Mexico, or Southeast coast regions — have historically received awards. Building relationships with NOAA's regional education staff before the solicitation deadline significantly improves application quality.

View NOAA B-WET: Bay Watershed Education and Training (Florida) →

Eligibility

Florida nonprofits, schools, and government agencies in coastal or watershed areas
Programs delivering Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to K-12 students
Projects must connect students to real local watersheds through investigation and stewardship
Applications should address a NOAA priority theme such as water quality, fisheries, or climate impacts

Allowable Uses

Physical computing hardware (coding kits, micro:bits, robotics)
CS and AI literacy curriculum
Teacher professional development
Water quality monitoring equipment, field investigation tools, and environmental sensors

Forward Education Products for This Grant

Forward Education offers classroom-ready kits that align with Florida CS standards and fit cleanly into grant budgets. All kits include teacher guides and curriculum.

micro:bit Starter Kit — Entry-level physical computing, perfect for introducing coding and computational thinking.
MicroChat AI Literacy Kit — Hands-on AI literacy curriculum covering machine learning concepts for K-12 classrooms.
Coding for Good Kit — Project-based learning kit connecting coding skills to real-world community challenges.
micro:bit Robotics Kit — Advanced robotics and engineering challenges for deeper CS exploration.

Keep in Mind

Your program must deliver a full MWEE — four components: foundational knowledge, field investigation, synthesis/action, and environmental stewardship.
NOAA values programs that connect students to real data about real Florida waterways — water quality sensors, biological monitoring, and weather data collection all fit.
Partner with a local water management district, university, or environmental nonprofit to strengthen your proposal's scientific credibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience?

A MWEE is a structured outdoor education experience that includes foundational knowledge, field investigation, synthesis activities, and an environmental stewardship action. NOAA B-WET requires programs to deliver full MWEEs, not just field trips.

Does B-WET fund programs anywhere in Florida?

B-WET is awarded through regional solicitations. Florida falls under the Southeast or Gulf of Mexico regions depending on NOAA's current program structure. Coastal and inland watershed programs both qualify.

Can technology tools be used in B-WET programs?

Yes. Water quality sensors, microcontrollers for data collection, and mapping tools are all appropriate for B-WET-funded watershed investigations.

How does B-WET differ from Florida Sea Grant?

Florida Sea Grant funds a broader range of marine and coastal research and education. B-WET is specifically focused on watershed education experiences for K-12 students. Both are NOAA programs.

How can Forward Education help?

We provide curriculum alignment documents mapped to Florida CS standards, pricing letters for grant budgets, and letters of support for qualifying applications. Reach out before you apply.