The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is awarding $980,256 in Environmental Education Grants to 56 projects that will promote environmental education and stewardship across Pennsylvania.
According to DEP’s press release, nearly all of the projects will support people in environmental justice communities, defined as communities threatened by climate change, air pollution, and water pollution.
“These projects help connect people to the ways we can protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, and many of them encourage learning at any age whether you’re a kid or an adult,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “Nearly every grant we are awarding will support people in environmental justice communities to improve educational opportunities and people’s connections to their environment.”
Environmental Education grant applicants include schools and colleges, environmental and community-based organizations, county conservation districts, and eligible businesses. Applications for the 2025 Environmental Education Grants Program will likely open in August 2024 with an application deadline of mid-November 2024, DEP officials said.
A list of projects in Montgomery County is listed below:
- Centro De Cultura Arte Trabajo Y Educacion in Norristown was awarded $5,000 for the “Roots of Knowledge: A Community-Driven Environmental Education Initiative” to host interactive workshops to empower the Latinx community with knowledge and skills so they are equipped to implement positive urban forestry action projects.
- Lower Merion Conservancy was awarded $30,000 for “Connecting our Community to a Salty Situation for Better Water Quality and Climate Resilience” to engage students and teachers in nonpoint source water pollution lessons and real-time stream data collection. The program will conduct public workshops to share information and implement planting events.
- Montgomery County Intermediate Unit #23 was awarded $29,982 for “MCIU Empowering Educators: Phenomena-Driven Environmental Education” to conduct a three-day immersive environmental literacy summer institute for teachers emphasizing climate change, habitat management, and invasive species.
- Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne was awarded $29,881 for “Nature Based STEM Community of Practice for MWEEs” to utilize the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) framework and provide support to teachers as they incorporate environmental education lessons and activities that address academic goals across multiple disciplines.
More information about the Environmental Education Grant program is available on DEP’s website.
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