The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant will be providing funding for two Maryland nonprofits to enhance environmental education in the state. The Accokeek Foundation and the Alice Ferguson Foundation will each receive grants to improve their existing programs and expand their environmental education initiatives.
The Accokeek Foundation will use its grant to revise its “Wild Rice and the Changing Landscape of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed” program, which provides seventh-grade students with a meaningful watershed educational experience by engaging them in the growth, maintenance, data collection, and restoration of wild rice while incorporating indigenous knowledge. The program aims to increase students’ knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay through hands-on field experiences.
The Alice Ferguson Foundation will also receive funding to expand its Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience curriculum program in partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools. They will be working with middle and high school teachers and administrators to pilot the environmental education program with approximately 240 students. This partnership aims to further enhance environmental education for students in the region.
Organizations and nonprofits interested in applying for funding to support outdoor science and watershed education programs in Maryland can do so starting in July through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ online Grants Gateway.