News Releases from Region 06
EPA Selects National Wildlife Federation’s Resilience Education Program in Houston for Environmental Education Grant
Program is among 37 nationwide to receive funding
DALLAS – (Oct. 25, 2018) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected the National Wildlife Federation’s Resilience Ambassadors Program in Houston as one of 37 organizations to receive funding under the 2018 Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program. EPA anticipates providing funding for projects across the nation, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
“Students in Houston know how flooding affects their communities,” said Regional Administrator Anne Idsal. “The National Wildlife Federation’s project will help them look for solutions to improve their city’s resilience to extreme weather events.”
The National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Resilience Ambassadors Program received $75,000 to engage students in the Houston Independent School District on flooding and other resilience issues facing their community. Recent storm events such as Hurricane Harvey highlight the Houston area’s challenges in dealing with and recovering from extreme weather. Through NWF’s Eco-Schools’ WOW (Wetlands, Oceans, Watersheds) curriculum, students will think critically about and investigate the storm resilience problems Houston faces, determine the impact of those issues on water quality, and create practical solutions that can help mitigate flooding.
Funding for other recipients will range from $50,000 to $100,000, to organizations that provide environmental education activities and programs. The awards are going to organizations in 29 states, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
This year’s education projects include:
• Using a converted RV to serve as a mobile earth and environmental science lab in Appalachia.
• Providing training for beginning farmers on sustainable agriculture production and farm management.
• Raising public awareness through hands-on participation in prairie restoration and promoting environmental literacy and conservation stewardship.
• Managing native and invasive vegetation ecosystems for healthy forests and waterways.
• Conducting land revitalization activities to support a new rail line conversion project.
• Fostering community food security by teaching communities to grow and care for their own orchards.
• Engaging middle and high school teachers and students in air and water quality monitoring and remediation.
• Drafting a prototype EE curriculum focused on water quality in the arid Mountain West.
• Increasing public awareness about outdoor water conservation and providing resources for homeowners to create water-efficient landscapes.
• Introducing urban youth to environmental science, conservation, and careers in natural resources, through activities such as urban agriculture and forestry.
• Teaching indoor gardening and encouraging school waste management projects.
• Increasing public awareness and action on recycling.
To learn more prior grant winners, or to apply for future EE grant competitions, visit: https://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-grants
The following organizations have been selected to receive 2018 EE Grants:
• Alliance for the Chesapeake
• Appalachian State University
• University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
• EdAdvance
• Groundwork Rhode Island
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• New York University
• University of the Virgin Islands
• Aleli Environmental Inc.
• West Virginia University Research Corp.
• Engaged Community Offshoots (ECO), Inc.
• University of North Georgia
• The Trust for Public Land
• Neighborhood House of Milwaukee
• Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
• Friends of the Chicago River
• The Recycling Partnership
• National Wildlife Federation
• National Center for Appropriate Technology
• Insights El Paso Science Center, Inc.
• EcoRise Youth Innovations
• Kansas City Community Gardens, Inc.
• The University of Northern Iowa
• Upper Iowa University
• Wichita State University
• Arizona Board of Regents-Arizona State University
• National Wildlife Federation
• Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
• National Audubon Society
• Purple Mai’a Foundation
• Education Outside
• Malama Learning Center
• Sequoia Riverlands Trust
• Children’s Forest of Central Oregon
• Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
• Eastern Washington University
• University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.5 million in EE grant funding per year, for a total of over $75 million supporting more than 3,700 grant projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques. More information visit: https://www.epa.gov/education
Connect with EPA Region 6:
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On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6
Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm
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