FY2026 EE Appropriations

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 local education initiatives that help students and the general public participate in community decisions about 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 (Updated “Take Action Tools” coming soon!), we seek to maintain funding for each of these priority programs.

Take Action Tools

An Advocate's Guide to the FY2025 EE Appropriations Campaign (Updated April 29, 2024)

Record of past Congressional support for EE

NAAEE's Guide to Advocacy Basics

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. Environmental Education Grant Descriptions | US EPA.

• NAAEE Position: This very effective program should be funded at $14 million for fiscal year 2026.
• Our Ask: We urge Senators to sign a similar letter from Sen. Gillibrand (NY) to the Senate subcommittee focusing on the Interior and other departments, including the EPA program.
• FYI, here is the Senate letter being circulated this year (to be updated soon for FY26), which you can refer to and/or forward to Congressional offices.

Download our fact sheet on funding the National Environmental Education Act (to be updated soon for FY26) via the EPA Office of Environmental Education to share with Congressional offices.

The deadline for Senate offices to endorse the EPA EE letter is Thursday, May 9th - MAKING YOUR INITIAL OUTREACH BY Wednesday, MAY 1st IS BEST! (2025 dates/timeline coming soon!)

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

The NOAA B-WET program 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 increased funding to $12 million for fiscal year 2026.
• Our Ask: We urge Members of Congress to sign a combined letter to Appropriators in support of this funding and for the ELP Grant Program.

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 ELP program has been level for several years, while demand for the funding has grown. 

• NAAEE Position: We endorse increased funding to $8 million for fiscal year 2026.
• Our Ask: We urge Members of Congress to sign a combined letter to Appropriators in support of this funding and the B-WET program.

Download or link our fact sheet on NOAA B-WET and ELP funding (to be updated soon for FY26) to share with Congressional offices.

NOAA Education has a new story map that offers vivid examples of funding impacts across the agency’s suite of programs.