chesapeake bay trust

This page provides resources to help you develop a project and write a proposal that will be successful and accomplish your stated goals. For specific criteria for projects the Trust prefers to fund please see the Request for Proposals (RFP) for this grant program. To download a copy of the Environmental Education RFP visit our Grant Forms page.

Project Planning

In order to help you plan your project and ensure it is based on best practices you are encouraged to access the resources listed below.

Environmental Education Program Required Attachments:

Environmental Literacy: Applicants proposing projects within the Mini Grant Program for k-12 Environmental Education Requests are strongly encouraged to align their proposal to meet one or more of Maryland State Department of Education's Environmental Literacy Standards.


Official Environmental Literacy Regulation
Consideration for the Development of Enironmental Literacy Requirements
Environmental Literacy FAQ
Guide to Creating Meaningful Watershed Experiences

Program Evaluation Resources:

My Environmental Education Evalitation Resource Assistant (MEERA)

Evaluation Plan Worksheet

Evaluation of Impact of Meaningful Watershed Experiences

Common Qualities of Excellent Schoolyard Habitat Projects

Guiding Principles for Evaluators: The American Evaluation Association's tool to be used when creating your evaluations and reports.

Environmental Education Providers:
For a full list, please visit the BayBackpack field studies page

• Anacostia Watershed Society: http://www.anacostiaws.org/programs/education Phone: 301-699-6204
  
  
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: www.cbf.org Phone: 800.445.5572
  
  Teacher Trainings: 443.482.2061
  Education: 443.482.2057
  Field Trips: 443.482.2051
  
  
• Living Classrooms Foundation: www.livingclassrooms.org Phone: 410-685-0295
  
  Field Trips: 410.685.9062
  DC Area: Stephanie Blades: 202.488.0627
  
  
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/ Phone: 1-877-620-8367
  
  Maryland Community Forest Council/Local Foresters: Phone: 410-260-8507
  Treemendous Maryland: Phone: 410.260.8531
  Education: Britt Slattery, Phone: 410.260.8715
  Bay Grasses in Classes: Mark Lewandowski, Phone: 410.260.8634
  Restoration: Kevin Smith, Phone: 410.260.8797
  
  
• Outdoor Education Centers by County:
  For a full list, please visit the BayBackpack field studies page
  
  Anne Arundel County: Arlington Echo, 410.222.3822
  Baltimore County:
  Irvine Nature Center, 443-738-9200
  Marshy Point Nature Center, 410-887-2817
  Baltimore City:
  Cylburn Arboretum, 410-396-7839
  National Aquarium in Baltimore, 410-576-3833
  Parks and People, 410-448-5663
  Calvert County:
  ChesPax, 410.535.2960
  Flag Pond Nature Park, 410-535-5327
  Carroll County: Carroll County Outdoor School, 410.857.7932
  Charles County: Nanjemoy Creek, 301.743.3526
  Eastern Shore:
  Pickering Creek Audobon Center, 410.822.4903
  Fair Hill Nature and Environmental Center, 410-398-4909
  Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area, 410.827.7577
  Eastern Shore Horn Point Lab, 410.221.8452
  Frederick County:
  Harford County: Harford Glen, 410.638.3903
  Montgomery County: Lathrop E. Smith Center, 301.924.3123
  Prince George's County: William Schmidt Center, 301.888.1185
  Queen Anne's County: Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, 410.827.6694
  Saint Mary's County: Elms Environmental Education Center, 301-862-3964
  Washington County: Fairview Outdoor School, 301.766.8138
  Western Maryland: Western Maryland 4-H Education Center

Technical Experts:

• Bronwyn Mitchell: MAEOE/Greenschools, Phone: 443.733.1220 ex 114
• Kevin Schabow: NOAA B-WET, Phone: 410.295.3145
• Karen Mullin: Schoolyard Habitats, Phone: 410.573.4510

Web Based Resources:

• *NEW* Community Based Restoration Project Manual
  Growing Greener Schools: www.growinggreenerschools.org
• Maryland Green Schools: http://www.maeoe.org/
• The Bay Backpack: www.baybackpack.com
• The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council: http://www.chesapeakelandscape.org/index.html
• Source for Native Trees: www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/treemendous
• Oyster Gardening: http://www.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=395
• Aquaculture in Action: www.mdsg.umd.edu/Education/AinA
• Green Eggs and Sand: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/are/ges.asp
• Storm Drain Stenciling: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/are/stormdrain.asp
• Potomac River Clean Up: http://www.fergusonfoundation.org/trash_initiative/trash_cleanup.shtml
• Project Clean Stream: www.acb-online.org/project.cfm?vid=220
• Water Quality Monitoring: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/are/big.asp
• Master Gardeners: http://mastergardener.umd.edu/
• Children and Nature Network: http://www.childrenandnature.org/

Scientific Journals:

• "Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning," Lieberman & Hoody
  
  
• DC Schoolyard Greening - DC Environmental Education Consortium
  
  
• Place-Based Education Evaluation Collaborative Research
  
  
• Study of Green Schools & Student Reading Achievement: Clavijo
  
  
• Maine Audubon Environmental Education and Environmental Literacy Research biblography
  
  
• Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions, Hungerford and Volk
  
  
• Changing Learner Behavior through Environmental Education – Hungerford, Volk
  
  
• So you want to teach issues? - Ramsey, Hungerford
  
  
• North American Association for Environmental Education: Resource order form
  

Grant Writing Assistance

Whether you've written many grant applications or if this is your first time, it never hurts to learn more aboutt how to prepare a successful application. Access these resources for grant writing tips and best practices. Click here for general grant writing tips.

Additional Funding Sources

The Trust encourages grantees to seek additional funds for your project. Click here for a list of potential funding opportunities.

Signage

The Trust encourages grantees to include signage to support community based projects. Click here for a list of resources, sample signs, and Trust logos (required for all Trust supported projects).

For technical assistance at the Trust regarding environmental education, please contact Jamie Baxter at 410.974.2941, Ext. 105.