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OPEN — Chesapeake Bay Trust and NOAA FY2027 Youth Environmental Education Round 2, application deadline January 7, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. EST.
CBT-NOAA-YOUTH-EE-FY2027-R2DelawareChesapeake Bay TrustGovernmental EntityNonprofit OrganizationSchool or School DistrictEnvironmental EducationK-12 Education

Maryland and Chesapeake Watershed — FY2027 Youth Environmental Education Grants Round 2 ($5,000–$10,000; January 7, 2027)

FundingIndividual applicant funding by track: Track 1 community-based outdoor youth investigations up to $10,000; Track 2 outdoor classroom / school-yard habitat / community improvements up to $10,000; Track 3 educator professional development up to $5,000; Track 4 in-school Pre-K–12 Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences up to $5,000. No FY2027 aggregate pool amount published in the controlling RFP.
DeadlineThursday, January 7, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST); current funder page and FY27 RFP cover agree. A later RFP line apparently misprints 2026; current program page controls.
Last verified2026-11-05
Required next actionReview the FY2027 Round 2 RFP and program-specific narrative questions. Confirm project location within Maryland or the Chesapeake Bay watershed portions of DC, DE, PA, VA and WV; choose Track 1, 2, 3, or 4 and follow all match requirements. For Track 4 non-Title I schools with less than 50% free/reduced meals, secure funds for at least half of eligible outdoor field-experience costs. Compile project activities, budget, participating school commitments and landowner/maintenance materials as relevant. Submit online through the Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards Portal by January 7, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. EST. Official page: https://cbtrust.org/grants/youth-environmental-education-grant-program/

Broad Eligibility

Eligible projects are statewide Maryland or within Chesapeake Bay watershed-only portions of DC, DE, PA, VA, WV. Eligible lead applicants include qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits, faith-based or community associations, youth and civic groups, municipal/county/state/federal agencies, soil-water conservation districts, forestry boards, higher education institutions, and eligible schools. For-profits excluded. For school-based projects schools are preferred leads; partner-led proposals require school name, rationale and commitment letters.

Atlas Analysis

November 5, 2026: Official FY27 Round 2 eight-page RFP dated October 16, 2026 and funder OPEN webpage checked. Four applicant grant tracks: outdoor CBO youth investigations up to $10k; outdoor classroom/schoolyard habitat up to $10k; educator training up to $5k; in-school PreK–12 MWEE up to $5k. Program-wide pool is not published. Track 4 partial match required for non-Title I or under-50%-FARMs schools: Trust contributes no more than half of eligible field experience expenses. Schoolwide Title I or >50%-FARMs may apply for full eligible costs; match otherwise encouraged but not universal. Project completed within 12 months. NOAA federal contribution invokes 2 CFR Part 200 and certifications. Current funder program page and RFP summary specify Jan 7 2027, 4 PM EST; a later RFP line mistakenly says Jan 7 2026; disclose discrepancy and rely on current page / written 2027 summary. Genuine applicant-facing educational assistance, not procurement. Applicant portal may require organization-specific access not claimed inspected. Source https://cbtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/Youth-EE-RFP-FY27_Round-2.pdf

FY2027 youth environmental education grants

Chesapeake Bay Trust, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is accepting applications for a new FY2027 Youth Environmental Education Grant Program round. This is financial assistance for schools, community organizations, public agencies and educators undertaking eligible outdoor environmental education and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs), not a procurement contract. The controlling FY27 Round 2 Request for Proposals was released October 16, 2026.

Individual applicant amounts by project track

  • Track 1: Out-of-school outdoor environmental investigations for youth led by community-based organizations. Up to $10,000 per applicant.
  • Track 2: Outdoor classroom, school-yard native habitat or community-based improvements. Up to $10,000 per applicant.
  • Track 3: Professional development for formal, non-formal and community educators. Up to $5,000 per applicant.
  • Track 4: In-school Pre-K–12 Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences. Up to $5,000 per applicant.

The Trust does not publish a separate overall FY2027 program funding pool in the controlling RFP. The amounts above are individual proposal limits, not a statewide allocation.

Where projects and applicants must qualify

Projects may take place anywhere in Maryland and only within Chesapeake Bay watershed portions of the District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Geographic eligibility does not automatically extend to all locations in those five other jurisdictions. Eligible organization types include IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits, community associations, faith-based organizations, youth and civic groups, public agencies, soil and water conservation districts, forestry boards, and public or independent higher education institutions. School applications are welcome. For-profit businesses are not eligible. Schools are preferred as lead applicants for school-based projects; when a different organization applies on a school’s behalf, it must name participating schools, explain its lead-applicant role and include school commitment letters.

Matching funds and restrictions

For Track 4 school projects, a non-Title I school or school with fewer than 50% of students in free and reduced-meal programs may receive Trust funding for no more than half of outdoor field-experience expenses; it must secure the balance from other resources. Schoolwide Title I schools and schools with more than 50% such participation may request full eligible field-trip costs, with match encouraged but not required. The RFP does not impose a universal cash-match percentage across every track. Appropriate costs may include field transportation, program and educator fees, supplies, substitute teachers, training and schoolyard habitat improvements, depending on track. Projects must normally be completed within 12 months after award. Federal cost principles under 2 CFR 200 and applicable indirect-cost, nondiscrimination and eligibility certifications apply; awardees with negotiated indirect rates must provide the rate agreement. Track 2 projects may require landowner permission, site design and long-term maintenance information.

Submission date and required materials

Thursday, January 7, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) is the controlling application deadline published both on the current official program page and in the FY27 RFP’s At a Glance summary. A later deadline line in the RFP appears to contain an outdated 2026 year; applicants should rely on the current funder site and confirm with the Trust if necessary. Submit a new online application in the Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards Portal for the appropriate track and include project plan, youth/educator activities, itemized budget, partner and school commitment documents where applicable. Applicants should contact the Trust well before the deadline for help with eligibility or the application process; incomplete portal drafts are automatically deleted after the deadline.

Current official program page and portal: Youth Environmental Education Grant Program. Controlling FY27 Round 2 RFP: Read the eight-page official solicitation (PDF). Official materials checked November 5, 2026.

Source verificationReferenced source · cbtrust.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-05. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗