Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Department of Conservation and Recreation
Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 21, 2025
Contact: Emi Endo, Senior Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 804-786-8442, emi.endo@dcr.virginia.gov
2025 Chesapeake Bay watershed education grants open
Regional K-12 program supports Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences
(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences cultivate environmental literacy for K-12 students.)
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is now accepting applications for Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience grants through March 5. A total of $250,000 in funding is anticipated.
The annual state program is administered by DCR’s Office of Environmental Education. In 2024, $382,421 was awarded to 14 recipients, serving more than 15,400 students and 425 educators.
The projects, known as MWEEs, are intended to encourage K-12 students to think critically about Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed and cultivate environmental literacy. They are learner-centered experiences, such as field investigations and action projects, that are aligned with grade-level standards and focus on local environmental issues.
There is no minimum funding request amount; the maximum request is $45,000. The awards are for the 2025-26 school year.
Eligible applicants include:
Visit this page for the application and instructions: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/environmental-education/funding-opportunities. Applications are due via email no later than March 5 at 5 p.m.
As a signatory to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement, Virginia is committed to increasing “understanding of the watershed through participation in teacher-supported, meaningful watershed educational experiences and rigorous, inquiry-based instruction.”
For more information, email EnvironmentalEducation@dcr.virginia.gov.
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