U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 - 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Contact Information: Colleen O’Reilly, oreilly.colleen@epa.gov

LENEXA, KAN. (JULY 31, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected three organizations pursuing environmental education projects in Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri to receive a total of $280,000 in Environmental Education Grants.

These projects are a part of a national selection of 38 organizations set to receive over $3.6 million through EPA's Environmental Education Grants program.

“Congratulations to this year’s Region 7 Environmental Education Grant selectees!” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “These organizations will connect project participants to information and resources and enable them to make tangible environmental improvements in their communities for years to come.”

EPA Region 7 selectees include:

• Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education in Manhattan, Kansas – KACEE’s “Preparing the Next Generation for Green Careers in Climate Change” project will receive $100,000 to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to come together, dialogue, and take action to address barriers to their involvement and interest in green careers. The project will serve approximately 30 educators and 1,000 middle to high-school students from six underserved communities in Kansas and Missouri.
• Missouri River Bird Observatory in Arrow Rock, Missouri – MRBO’s “Empowering Kansas City Residents to Take Environmental Action” project will receive $80,000 to create more informed, empowered, and environmentally conscious communities that can better protect their interests and the environment. The project will engage community members, business owners, community-based organizations, Title I school parents, and subaward recipients in five underserved communities to create a lasting partnership with environmental stewards who improve individual and community health.
• Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa – The university’s “Learning and Living in a Changing Climate” project will receive $100,000 to educate participants on the impacts of climate change and actions that can be taken to improve air quality and revitalize land through immersive three-day educator workshops and virtual follow-up sessions. The project will engage pre-K to post-secondary teachers and their students, student teachers, and informal environmental educators in Iowa, with the goal of training 88 educators and impacting up to 4,800 students.

EPA anticipates providing funding for these projects, once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.

Background

Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.7 million in Environmental Education (EE) Grant funding each year, totaling over $95 million that supported nearly 4,000 projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, or disseminate EE practices, methods, or techniques. For more information, visit EPA’s EE page.

To learn more about current and past award winners, or to apply for future EE Grant competitions, visit the EPA’s EE Grants page. EPA will update this page as future competitions are announced and additional grants are awarded.

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Learn more about EPA Region 7