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Addressing complex and urgent environmental problems requires an informed and engaged citizenry. Federal environmental education (EE) programs through the EPA and NOAA have been crucial in funding state and local education initiatives that help students and the general public participate in community-based solutions to environmental issues.

Each year, we ask educators and advocates to join us in asking Congress to include these essential programs in the federal budget. We do this by urging Senators and Representatives to sign on to “Dear Colleague” letters in support of funding levels for the key programs described below. Take action today to help secure the future of environmental education! 

For the fiscal year 2026 Federal Appropriations, we seek to maintain level funding for each of these priority programs.

Take Action Tools

An Advocate's Guide to the FY2026 EE Appropriations Campaign (Updated May 6, 2025)

National Environmental Education Act / EPA Office of Environmental Education

This 30-year-old federal program directs essential grants to EE across the country. It funds innovative programming, facilitates key professional development, enables scholars and practitioners to conduct basic research, and provides vital basic services for the field. The program is central to the work of EE, including a local grant program key for communities all around the U.S. .

• NAAEE Position: This very effective program should be funded at $9.5 million for fiscal year 2026, the same as fiscal year 2025.
• Our Ask: We urge Representatives to sign a letter circulated by Rep. Neguse (CO-2) to appropriators in support of this funding and Senators to sign a similar letter from Sen. Gillibrand (NY) to the Senate subcommittee that focuses on the Interior and other departments, including the EPA program.
• Here is the letter that is currently being circulated in the House and here is the letter circulating in the Senate in support of EPA / NEEA funding. You can reference these letters in your calls and / or forward to Congressional offices. 

Download our fact sheet on funding the National Environmental Education Act via the EPA Office of Environmental Education to share with Congressional offices.

The deadline for Senate offices to endorse the EPA EE letter is Tuesday, May 20th, and for House offices, the deadline is Tuesday, May 13th - MAKING YOUR INITIAL OUTREACH BY Thursday, MAY 1st IS BEST! 

NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training Program (B-WET)

The promotes locally relevant, experiential learning for K–12 students. The competitive, peer-reviewed funding promotes “meaningful watershed educational experiences” in six regions: California, Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Hawai’i, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. Since 2002, NOAA has invested over $100 million to support more than 800 B-WET projects. Funding has been stagnant over the past few years, while the need for this type of education has grown dramatically.

• NAAEE Position: We endorse funding at $12 million for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $3.3 million.
• Our Ask: We urge Members of Congress to sign a combined letter to Appropriators in support of this funding for the B-WET Program (and ELP described below).
• Here is the letter circulating in the Senate in support of NOAA funding for both B-WET and ELP (described below), and here is the letter circulating in the House.  You can reference these letters in your outreach and forward to Congressional offices.  

NOAA Environmental Literacy Program (ELP)

This important program provides the public with science-based environmental education to increase community resilience and efficacy in solving local environmental problems. Funding for the has been level for several years, while demand for the funding has grown. 

• NAAEE Position: We endorse funding at $8 million for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $2 million.
• Our Ask: We urge Members of Congress to sign a combined letter to Appropriators in support of this funding and the ELP program (and B-WET described above).
• Again, here is the letter circulating in the Senate in support of NOAA funding for both programs, and here is the letter circulating in the House.  You can reference these letters in your outreach and forward to Congressional offices.  

Download or link our fact sheet on NOAA B-WET and ELP funding to share with Congressional offices.