Climate Education Professional Development Grant Pilot Program

Learn more about our 2024 Phase 1 Programs:

Saco, Dayton, & Biddeford

In June of 2024, Saco, Dayton, & Biddeford partnered with community-based organization, The Ecology School for a Climate Education Teacher Institute and a series of virtual meetings.

d>

School Union 93

Five schools on the Blue Hill Peninsula in School Union 93 came together to partner with Maine TREE and the Woodlawn Museum for a four-day teacher professional learning week.

North Haven & Vinalhaven School

Partnered with Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership:

"Teaching Resilience: Professional Development for Climate Curricula, was a three-phased program to support teachers from a variety of grade levels and disciplines. It emphasized interdisciplinary, place-based, and project-based curriculum development, bringing teachers together to form a connected cohort of professionals across two island communities."
Check out the full project

Greenville Consolidated School

Partnered with Rural Aspirations Project, Greenville created a program to "offer our rural students an opportunity to play a part in reducing climate change through offering climate educational learning opportunities that promote outdoor learning and a sense of place."
Check out the full project

Fryeburg Academy

Fryeburg Academy created the Climate Action Progress Team lead by their Director of Outdoor Learning and Research Center. The CAPT developed partnerships throughout their area and worked with those partners to explore new content areas for the classroom.
Check out the full project

RSU 12 Sheepscot Valley

RSU 12 partnered with The Friends of Cobbossee Watershed hosted a three-day workshop focused on local ecology and conservation.
Check out the full project

RSU 64 Corinth Central High School

Partnered with Hirundo Wildlife Preserve, RSU 64 brought outdoor training to educators including macrovertebrates and Educational Trip Leader and Wilderness First Aid certifications in order to safely bring students into the outdoors.
 

Overview of the Program:

Maine 130th legislature passed a resolve, sponsored by Representative Blume of York and Senator Breen of Cumberland, to create a pilot program to encourage climate education in Maine's schools.

This pilot program awards grants for high-quality professional development designed and carried out in partnership with community-based nonprofit organizations. Grant awards are designed to be accessible to all local education providers throughout the state for Pre-K through grade 12. The program gives priority to applications that:

1. Serve historically underserved by climate education communities;
2. Are first-time applicants to the program.

Eligible Applicants:

1. A school administrative unit as described in 20-A M.R.S.A §1, 26,
2. A school in an unorganized territory under 20-A M.R.S.A Chapter 119, or
3. A CTE Region school/program established under 20-A M.R.S.A. Chapter 313, Subchapter 4 (Applied Technology Education).
4. A school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education

Community Partners:

Community-based non-profit organization with a focus on community, climate, the environment, outdoors, and/or education in the state of Maine, cannot be the direct recipients of this grant, however they play a crucial role connecting and support the local education provider. Here are some roles community-based organization do and can play in this program:

1. Community Partners will facilitate and provide the professional development.
2. Community Partners can reach out to, encourage, and help local education providers apply for this RFA program (*local education providers must submit the application).
3. Community Partners can establish lasting partnerships with schools that last beyond the program.

Timeline:

Funds and Uses: