National Environmental Education Training Program

Posted by on April 26, 2010

EPA Accepting Applications to Operate Five-Year National Environmental Education Training Program

Funding Opportunity – Applications Due By July 26, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for the National Environmental Education Training Program.  EPA will award one cooperative agreement for approximately $2 million per year for this five year national program which is expected to operate from October 1, 2010 – September 30, 2015, subject to appropriations.  Applications will be accepted until July 26, 2010.

Purpose of National Training Program

The purpose of the National Training Program is to deliver environmental education training and long-term support to teachers and other education professionals across the U.S. to enable them to teach effectively about environmental issues.  U.S. institutions of higher education and 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations are eligible to apply or to be partners in a consortium.  EPA encourages institutions to form broad-based consortia when applying for this program.  The National Training Program must include opportunities for education professionals who reach historically under-served audiences such as communities of color and economically distressed communities.  In addition, training that involves colleges and universities should include efforts to reach out to Minority Academic Institutions.

The National Training Program must deliver training and long-term support to a wide range of education professionals that reach diverse demographic populations in all geographic regions of the U.S., including
K-12 teachers, faculty at colleges and universities, and non-formal educators.  The National Training Program must also build on existing national environmental education resources and programs to leverage resources, encourage partnerships, and reduce duplication of effort.

History of National Training Program

The National Training Program, authorized under Section 5 of the National Environmental Education Act, receives 25% of the Office of Environmental Education’s annual appropriations from Congress (approximately $2 million per year).  EPA has awarded four previous cooperative agreements to operate this multi-year program since 1992.

The current program is called the “Environmental Education and Training Partnership” (EETAP) which is operated by a consortium of institutions led by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  This program began October 1, 2005 and will operate through September 30, 2010.  For more information about the current program, go to: http://www.epa.gov/education/eetap.html or http://www.eetap.org.

Additional Information and Other Sources of Funding

Under this program, EPA awards only one cooperative agreement to a consortium of institutions to operate a five-year national educator training program.  This program does not provide grants for smaller scale educator training or other types of environmental education projects.  Entities that are seeking funds for these types of local, state or regional projects should consider other sources funding from EPA, other federal agencies and/or the private sector.

For more information about the National Environmental Education Training Program solicitation notice and other sources of funding for environmental education, go to: http://www.epa.gov/education/educate/solicitation.html.