​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Environmental Education Grants

Each year, Pennsylvania invests in its schools, colleges and universities, county conservation districts, nonprofit organizations and businesses to improve environmental literacy among youth and adults.

Administered through DEP, the Environmental Education Grants Program provides funds to support a wide range of environmental education projects including meaningful, hands-on programs for students, teacher training workshops, and community conservation projects for adults.

Wildlands Conservancy's "Climate Change in Our Watershed" middle school program, funded with an Environmental Education Grant

Environmental Education Grant Awards

The Environmental Education Grants Program, established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, mandates that five percent of all pollution fines and penalties collected annually by the Department of Environmental Protection be set aside for environmental education. Since its inception the Environmental Education Grants Program has provided more than $14 million to support environmental education throughout Pennsylvania.

Learn More

EE Grants Program Fact Sheet

Printable version: EE Grants Program Fact Sheet (PDF)

2024 EE Grant Awards

2023 EE Grant Awards

2022 EE Grant Awards

2021 EE Grant Awards

2025 Environmental Education Grant Round:
Opens August 9, 2024

DEP’s Environmental Education Grants Program welcomes applications for the development of innovative formal and non-formal environmental education projects that: 1) Address grant program priorities; 2) Provide opportunities to expand the public’s understanding of Pennsylvania’s environmental issues; and 3) Develop skills required to make informed decisions and take responsible action on behalf of the environment.

Grant funding is provided on a reimbursement basis.

2025 Project Period: July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026

Application Round Opens: August 9, 2024

Application Deadline: November 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Incomplete applications and/or those submitted prior to the opening date or after the deadline will not be considered.

Apply​

Applications, including a written proposal and required documents, must be submitted electronically through the Keystone Login. (First-time users will need to register.)

• Application Instructions (HTML)
• Application Instruc​tions​ (PDF)
  

Required Application Documents

Please refer to the 2025 EE Grants Manual for guidance​.

Applications must include the following: 1) Project Proposal; 2) Scope of Work; 3) Detailed Budget Sheet; and 4) Letter(s) of Commitment. Applications that fail to provide all required documents will be considered incomplete and ineligible for EE Grant Program funding.

​​Project Proposal

A written proposal describing key project elements including the EE Grant Program Priorities, intended audience(s), anticipated project outcome(s), project assessment and a plan to sustain the project after grant funds expire.

Scope of Work

A form reflecting the project benchmarks (major tasks to be completed), submitted in a sequential timeline, by anticipated target date of completion.

Scope of Work Instructions

Printable version: Scope of Work Ins​tructions (PDF)

Scope of Work form

Detailed Budget

A form reflecting eligible grant expenses, needed to complete the Scope of Work benchmarks, including People, Travel, Resource and Other costs and Match (Cash or In-Kind). General Grants require a 20% Match. Mini-Grants require​​​ Match in any amount; 20% Match is encouraged.

Grant Detailed Budget Sheet (Excel)

Letters of Commitment

Signed Letters of Commitment are required from the applying organization and/or Partner(s) substantiating project Match. General Grants require Project Partners.

Letter of Commitment Instructions

Printable version: Letter of Commitment Instructions (PDF)

General questions about the Environmental Education Grants Program may be directed to: RA-epEEgrants@pa.gov

Environmental Education Grant Program Priorities

Projects must address one or more program priorities: Water, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice.

Water

Education programs promoting effective ways to reduce non-point source and source water pollution to improve water quality.

Climate Change

Education projects that promote practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the negative impacts of climate change including floods, changes to groundwater, pests, disease, agricultural disruptions, and potential threats to human health.

Environmental Justice

Education programs designed to engage audiences (youth and/or adults) living and/or working within Environmental Justice (EJ) areas. Use the DEP PennEnviroScreen to verify an audience is located within an Environmental Justice area.​

Grant Award Amounts

Funding is available for Non-formal education (projects outside of the formal, PreK-12 school/higher education setting) or Formal education (projects integrated into the formal, PreK-12 school/higher education curriculums). Two types of awards are available:

Mini Grants of up to $5,000 may be awarded for local (school, county, municipality or other defined area) environmental education projects. Mini-grants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to form project partnerships and include a project match (Cash or In-Kind).

General Grants: - General grants are offered at two funding levels:

General Grants (Level I): From $5,001 up to $30,000 may be awarded for implementation of large-scale, regional and/or statewide environmental education projects.

General Grants (Level II): From $30,001 to $65,000 may be awarded for non-formal environmental education programs designed to widely* engage teachers and youth at the county, state and national levels. (*Teachers and students from at least 60 Pennsylvania counties must directly participate in the project). Additionally, the project must demonstrate that at least 30% of program participants are community members of an Environmental Justice Area.

Reporting Forms for current EE Grant Recipients

• 2024 EE Grants Program Manual
• EE Grants Management
• Midterm Progress Report Form
• Final Report Form
• Reimbursement Instructions
• Reimbursement Request Form
• Reimbursement Invoice
• Scope of Work Form
• Detailed Budget Form

Additional EE Grant Opportunities

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Grants

Chesapeake B-WET is a competitive grant program that supports existing, high-quality environmental education programs and fosters the growth of new, innovative programs. It encourages capacity building and partnership development for environmental education programs throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training grant program—known as Chesapeake B-WET—supports hands-on watershed education to students and teachers to foster stewardship of the Bay.