Through federal funding opportunities of up to $5,000, NOAA Planet Stewards supports formal and informal educators in carrying out hands-on stewardship projects with elementary through college-age students, as well as the general public. Stewardship projects must make a substantive and quantitatively measurable impact on an environmental issue related to the educator’s community. Projects should focus on the conservation, restoration, and/or protection of human communities and/or natural resources from environmental issues in one of the following four focus areas:

1. Marine debris
2. Habitat conservation and restoration
3. Carbon footprint reduction
4. Carbon sequestration

NOAA Planet Stewards has developed the following Web pages and documents to help you plan your project and answer the application questions on the application. We advise you carefully review and use these documents in the development of your proposal.

• Application Landing Page
• Project Development Guide
• Previously Funded Projects
• Examples of Funded Project Proposals:
  • Marine Debris: Clean Up Crew: Empowering Future Changemakers
  • Habitat Restoration & Conservation: Young Stewards Promoting Border Resiliency
  • Carbon Footprint Reduction: Runaway Carbon Cycle - Reducing Carbon Emissions
  • Carbon Sequestration: The Tiny Forest Project
• Application Walkthrough
• Evaluation Rubric
• Progress Report Template

Educators requesting funding from NOAA Planet Stewards must submit an application and supporting documents by midnight (Pacific Time) June 4, 2023.

Applicants will be contacted regarding the status of their submission no later than July 31, 2022.

If approved, funds will be made available for educators to carry out their project during the 2023/2024 academic year.

Educators receiving stewardship project funds will be required to send a detailed progress report every six months until the project is completed. For projects taking place during the 2023/2024 academic year, the first progress report is due by midnight (Pacific Time), January 28, 2024. A final report must be submitted within one month of completing the project, but no later than July 28, 2024.