Minnesota Sea Grant Educator Mini-Grant Program

Minnesota Sea Grant Educator Mini-Grant Program is sponsored by Minnesota Sea Grant (supported by the Center for Great Lakes Literacy through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative). This program funds projects benefiting educators and students that advance Great Lakes stewardship and align with Minnesota Sea Grant's strategic plan for Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development.

Minnesota Sea Grant Educator Mini-Grant Program | Minnesota Sea Grant A Program of the University of Minnesota Minnesota Sea Grant Educator Mini-Grant Program The Minnesota Sea Grant (MNSG) Educator Mini-Grant Program, supported by the Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL), launched in the 2024-2025 cycle.

This program seeks to fund projects benefitting educators and students that: Advance the Center for Great Lakes Literacy’s commitment to support experience-based learning opportunities for youth to promote Great Lakes stewardship, and The Educator Mini-Grant Program has two tracks for projects: Providing experiential learning for K-12 students or Professional development opportunities for educators.

Projects and professional development opportunities should be based in Minnesota and provide opportunities for K-12 students/educators to engage in stewardship and place-based learning, increase K-12 student/educator Great Lakes literacy, and demonstrate change in learner behavior and knowledge.

Current Mini-Grant Projects Boulder Lake Aquatic Ecosystems Field Trip Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) STEM Project Select a tab to learn about each of the 2025-2026 mini-grant projects. Boulder Lake Aquatic Ecosystems Field Trip Harbor City students will be diving into field science at Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center.

Biology and science elective students will master professional field methods, including water quality monitoring and biodiversity assessments. From navigating the water by canoe to surveying for birds, reptiles, and amphibians, students will explore the vital connections between large aquatic ecosystems and vernal pools.

Data collected during these expeditions will be contributed to iNaturalist, allowing students to participate directly in global community science. Piping Plover Habitat Restoration Washington Elementary School 2nd graders will be moving from research to real-world action to restore Piping Plover habitat. Based on the Great Lakes Literacy Principles, students are investigating the survival challenges facing the endangered bird.

This project combines classroom research with hands-on service, including planting American beach grass, installing nest fencing, and testing water quality. By visiting Park Point, students will see the direct impact of their work, helping to ensure a safe habitat for one of Lake Superior's most vulnerable species.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) STEM Project Washington Elementary School 5th-grade s tudents will explore the world of marine technology with ROV kits. This project takes students through the entire engineering design process, starting with the basics of hydraulics and simple machines and culminating in the construction of fully functional underwater robots.

By building their own mini-ROVs, students gain hands-on experience in electronics, buoyancy, and structural design. The project concludes with a culmination of their ROV learning, where teams must navigate their ROVs to retrieve objects and perform precision maneuvers underwater. Kindergarten students from Stowe Elementary School will dive deep into the study of local environments and water science.

This project moves from the classroom to the field, exploring how plants, animals, and humans interact with the world around them. Through a visit to the Great Lakes Aquarium and a field expedition to Sargent's Creek, students will gain first-hand experience in benthic macroinvertebrate sampling and habitat protection.

By the end of the year, these students won’t just know about environments, they will have become active participants in protecting them through a student-led service learning project. What to know about this project What to know about this project What is Great Lakes literacy? Great Lakes literacy is an understanding of the Great Lakes’ influences on people and people's influence on the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Literacy Principles were developed in 2010 by Sea Grant's Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) to address the demand for a place-based, aquatic literacy framework to serve as guidance for research, education, informed decision making, and improved citizens’ lifestyles in the region (Fortner and Manzo, 2011).

A Great Lakes-literate person understands essential principles and fundamental concepts about the characteristics, functioning, and value of the Great Lakes; can communicate accurately about the Great Lakes’ influence on systems and people in and beyond their watershed; and is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the Great Lakes and the resources of their watershed.

Those eligible for the Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) mini-grant include educators working with K-12 youth in Minnesota, whether inside or outside a traditional classroom setting, including but not limited to: Environmental learning centers Priority consideration will be given to: Applicants that have previously participated in Center for Great Lakes Literacy programming.

Projects that benefit K-12 students/educators in underserved communities. Applicants who have never worked with Minnesota Sea Grant or Center for Great Lakes Literacy before are encouraged to apply. Minnesota Sea Grant (MNSG) anticipates providing $3,000 to fund up to five projects at a maximum of $600 per project.

Only one proposal per school year, per educator will be funded. Funding may be issued directly to the applicant as a stipend, depending upon the project and project track. The grant program has two tracks: providing experiential learning for K-12 students (track 1) and professional development opportunities for educators (track 2).

Applicants are only permitted to select one track for their application. Track 1: Providing Experiential Learning for K-12 Students This track is for projects supporting educators as they and their students research topics for possible stewardship projects, develop a plan of action, implement their project, evaluate its effectiveness, and share project results.

This includes the purchase of supplies and/or service required to provide place-based stewardship, monitoring, service learning, or career exploration/workforce development experiences for students.

This includes: Monitoring equipment or supplies Field trips/experiences, including bus transportation, entry/registration fees for students, and any supplies and gear necessary Honoraria for guest speakers Track 2: Professional Development Opportunities for Educators Registration, travel ( IRS standard mileage rate , U.S. General Services Administration per diem and lodging rates ), supply costs and honoraria for guest speakers related to relevant professional development and/or peer mentoring of fellow educators.

This includes: Travel to attend or present at a scientific or marine education conference Travel to attend workshops or training Providing Great Lakes in-service training or hosting a workshop for your colleagues (including honoraria for guest speakers) All applications must be submitted using this application form . Desired Outcome 1. 1.

2: Provide educators with relevant opportunities, peer-reviewed resources, and support leading to the development of actionable science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematical (STEAM) curricula to meet Next Generation Science Standards. Desired Outcome 2. 1.

3 : Middle- and high-school students of all communities throughout Minnesota are aware of water-based industries, job opportunities, and careers in the state and have the resources to pursue those opportunities that interest them. Desired Outcome 2. 1.

4 : Provide career and professional development opportunities in the science and management of water resources to students and lifelong learners. Projects that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and/or traditional local knowledge and stewardship are encouraged. Applicants who have never worked with Minnesota Sea Grant or the Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) before are encouraged to apply.

Priority consideration will be given to applicants who have participated in CGLL programming, including, but not limited to: Educator professional development workshops MNSG's Watershed Game Workshop Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz Grants will be awarded based on scoring in the application review process. Applications will be reviewed by at least two MNSG staff.

Staff will rate the applications on a scale from “does not meet expectations (1/10)” to “adequately meets expectations (5/10)” to “exceeds expectations (10/10)” for each of the criteria in each program track. After reviewing the criteria, grants will be awarded based on applications with the highest scores and available funding for current grant cycle. Applications not funded in this grant cycle are encouraged to reapply.

Criteria for Track 1: Providing Experiential Learning for K-12 Students Alignment with one or more of the Great Lakes Literacy Principles (25%). Potential for the project to provide experiential learning opportunities, resources, and support for youth that promote Great Lakes literacy and stewardship (25%). Applicant’s previous involvement with Center for Great Lakes Literacy Programming (10%).

Project’s impact to K-12 students/educators in underserved communities, including school districts with greater than 50% eligibility for free and reduced price lunch (according to Minnesota Department of Health data ) and/or communities in the 90th percentile or higher demographic index (according to U.S. EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool ) (10%).

Plan for educators and their students to share their projects with other students, educators, and administrators in their districts, and the larger community outside of school (5%). Criteria for Track 2: Professional Development Opportunities for Educators Alignment with one or more of the Great Lakes Literacy Principles (25%).

Potential for the project to increase Great Lakes educators’ content knowledge, access to teaching resources, and confidence to incorporate Great Lakes literacy into their teaching (25%). Applicant’s previous involvement with Center for Great Lakes Literacy Programming (10%).

Project’s impact to K - 12 students/educators in underserved communities, including school districts with greater than 50% eligibility for free and reduced price lunch (according to Minnesota Department of Health data ) and/or communities in the 90th percentile or higher demographic index (according to U.S. EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool ) (10%).

Plan for educators and their students to share their projects with other students, educators, and administrators in their districts, and the larger community outside of school (5%). Projects must take place between January 1, 2026, and August 29, 2026. Monday, December 19, 2025, 11:59 p.

m. CT: Priority application deadline. Monday, January 5, 2026: Notification of award for applications received on or before the priority deadline.

January 21 or 28, 2026: Awardee meet-and-greet. Friday, March 27, 2026, 5:00 p. m.

CT: Interim report due. Friday, September 25, 2026, 5:00 p. m.

CT: Final report due. The Educator Mini-Grant Program is supported by Minnesota Sea Grant using federal funds provided by the Center for Great Lakes Literacy through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Environmental Literacy & Workforce Development Extension Educator A Firm and Flaky Fish Tale A Fish Barn at the Minnesota State Fair?

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