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Ocean Guardian School Program is sponsored by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Funds projects focused on current issues affecting local watersheds and/or the ocean while promoting best environmental practices. Schools work to make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds, ocean, and/or special ocean areas like national marine sanctuaries.
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Ocean Guardian School Application | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Applications for the 2026 - 2027 school year are now available for download. The deadline for 2026 - 2027 applications is July 1, 2026. Download the application now to get started .
Before downloading an application form, please be sure to read the " Grant Application Guidelines " below as well as the Program Guidelines and Requirements . Grant Applications and Guidelines The Ocean Guardian School program funds projects focused on a current issue(s) affecting local watersheds and/or the ocean while promoting best environmental practices.
Through a school- or community-based project, schools work to make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds, ocean and/or special ocean areas like national marine sanctuaries. Participation Without Funding: Any school (PreK-12) in the United States may apply to participate in the Ocean Guardian School program without funding.
Participation With Funding : Any school (preK-12) located in California in the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Solano, San Francisco, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Monterey, San Benito, Merced, Madera, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Kings, Tulare, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Any school (preK-12) located in Washington in the following counties: Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor and Pacific Any school (preK-12) located in Oregon in the following counties: Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Coos and Curry Any school (preK-12) located in Hawai'i Grants are awarded up to $4,000 per school depending on the level of the project and funding year.
A school may re-apply for funding for the same project for up to five (5) successive years. Maximum funding amounts are: Years 1-3 = $4,000; Year 4 = $2,500; Year 5 = $1,000. Schools are welcome to apply to participate in the program without funding.
Schools must submit a new application for each successive year of funding and/or participation in the grant program. Continuing projects in years 4 and 5 must demonstrate how the project is being integrated within the school, with the goal of the project becoming a sustainable part of the school Activities/culture/policies . To that end, it is reasonable to request zero funding in your 4th or 5th year.
A school may apply to the Ocean Guardian School program without request for funding. In this case, the school must submit an application by the official deadline and fulfill all program requirements to be evaluated for official Ocean Guardian School recognition. How to Complete and Submit Your Application Step 1: Download and save the application form to your computer.
Step 2: Complete (and save) the application form. Step 3: EMAIL your completed application to the appropriate address below. Washington & Oregon schools: christine.
vandeen@noaa. gov katherine. cornelius@noaa.
gov mahealani. bambico@noaa. gov Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands schools: mahealani.
bambico@noaa. gov California & all other schools: alyssa. leadingham@noaa.
gov ALL grant applications are due by July 1 (for projects to begin at the start of the following academic year). Funding decisions will be made by early July. A proposed project period must run for the full academic year.
Application Review Criteria (weighted equally) A specific school- or community-based project that addresses a current issue(s) affecting local watersheds and/or the ocean. The number of classes and grades directly involved in the project. How the project will make a difference in the school and/or local community.
The outreach plan for communicating the project to both the school and local community. Before completing the application form, please review the program guidelines and requirements . Note: A school is not an Ocean Guardian School until the end of the project year after all program requirements have been completed.
If all the program requirements have been successfully fulfilled, a school will be officially recognized as a NOAA Ocean Guardian School, and will receive the official Ocean Guardian School banner. A school will receive a different banner for each year they are recognized as an Ocean Guardian School. For more information or general support, please contact Alyssa Leadingham .
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: PreK-12 schools from specific locations within California, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii can apply for funding. Any PreK-12 school in the United States may apply to participate in the program without funding. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Up to $4,000 (Years 1-3), $2,500 (Year 4), $1,000 (Year 5) Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is July 1, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
Patagonia Corporate Grant Program is sponsored by Patagonia. Patagonia supports innovative work that addresses the root causes of the environmental crisis and seeks to protect both the environment and affected communities. The program focuses on local battles to protect specific natural areas, indigenous wild species, or communities from environmental exploitation. It encourages work that brings underrepresented communities to the forefront of the environmental movement and defends communities whose health and livelihoods are threatened by environmental exploitation. The funding is for grassroots activist organizations with direct-action agendas and campaigns for environmental protection over the long term.
EPA is seeking insightful, expert, and cost-effective applications from eligible applicants to provide the Chesapeake Bay Program’s non-federal partners with technical analysis and programmatic evaluation support related to water quality modeling and monitoring and spatial systems to manage, analyze, and map environmental data. The project assists the partners in meeting their restoration and protection goals and in increasing the transfer of scientific understanding to the Chesapeake Bay Program modeling, monitoring, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) activities. The recipient will support modeling, monitoring, and GIS programs needed to explain and communicate the health of and changes in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R3-CBP-23-18. Assistance Listing: 66.466. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ENV. Award Amount: Up to $5.3M per award.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I is sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA SBIR Phase I Solicitation invites small businesses to submit proposals for projects addressing critical environmental challenges. Awards are for six months to demonstrate proof of concept. Key focus areas include Clean and Safe Water, Air Quality and Climate, Homeland Security, Circular Economy/Sustainable Materials, and Safer Chemicals.