Climate Change Education (CCE) Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) Program, Phase I | Apply Online

NSF Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) Program, Phase I (NSF 10-542) - FAQs

What is the NSF Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP) Program, Phase I?

CCEP Phase I is a discretionary National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity intended to jump-start large, coordinated partnerships that can noticeably improve how climate change science and impacts are taught and learned across the United States. It emphasizes efforts that are catalytic or transformative, going beyond what would typically be achieved through smaller, stand-alone NSF awards.

What is the overall purpose of the Climate Change Education (CCE) effort at NSF?

NSF's broader CCE effort has two overarching goals: (1) preparing the next generation of climate scientists, engineers, and technicians who can develop creative and innovative approaches to understanding climate change and reducing its impacts; and (2) strengthening climate literacy among the general public so U.S. citizens can understand climate change and its implications well enough to support informed, evidence-based responses and solutions.

What is the main idea behind CCEP partnerships?

The program aims to build a national network of regionally or thematically focused partnerships that can drive wider adoption of effective, high-quality climate education resources and programs. Proposals are expected to connect strong climate science with strong educational design and real-world delivery in authentic learning settings.

What makes a proposal a good fit for CCEP Phase I compared to a typical NSF award?

NSF is explicitly looking for projects that are big enough to be catalytic or transformative. The expectation is that the work will be beyond what would normally be accomplished through smaller, stand-alone NSF awards, with an emphasis on coordinated partnerships and network-building.

Who must be represented in a CCEP partnership?

Every CCEP partnership must include meaningful representation from at least three communities: climate scientists, learning sciences experts, and education practitioners working in formal or informal environments.

Why does NSF require representation from climate scientists, learning sciences experts, and education practitioners?

This required combination is intended to ensure the partnership is grounded in current climate science, informed by research on how people learn complex topics, and shaped by practical constraints and opportunities across classrooms, museums, community programs, media, and other learning venues.

How should a partnership be organized: by region or by theme?

Partnerships should be organized either around a geographic region where communities share similar climate impacts or around a major climate impact theme (for example, sea level rise). Applicants are expected to have a clear organizing focus that provides a natural reason for collaboration and a clear set of learner needs.

What is CCEP Phase I intended to support?

CCEP Phase I awards are planning and network-building grants. They provide support for up to two years to help partnerships synthesize what already exists, build durable networks, and create a strategic plan that could lead into a later Phase II proposal.

How long is the Phase I award period?

Phase I grants provide up to two years of support.

What specific activities are Phase I awardees expected to do?

Phase I awardees are expected to: (1) inventory existing climate change education resources and identify gaps, needs, and opportunities relevant to their region or theme; (2) identify and engage key stakeholders and begin building the partnership network; (3) convene workshops and other community-building activities that move the group toward a comprehensive strategic plan for climate change education; and (4) begin functioning as a test bed for developing, adapting, and scaling standards-based instructional materials, professional development models, training approaches, and other activities aligned with partnership goals.

Is Phase I strictly planning, or can it include early implementation work?

Phase I is primarily planning and network-building, but it is also intended to be more than purely theoretical planning. Awardees are expected to begin functioning as a test bed for development, adaptation, and scaling of standards-based materials and related activities aligned with partnership goals.

Is external evaluation required for Phase I projects?

Yes. Phase I requires external evaluation, including formative evaluation (to improve the work while it is underway) and summative evaluation (to assess outcomes and overall progress). Evaluation is described as a core expectation, not an optional add-on.

What is the difference between formative and summative evaluation in this program?

Formative evaluation is intended to help improve the work during implementation, while summative evaluation is intended to assess outcomes and overall progress at key points or at the end of the Phase I effort.

How does Phase I relate to Phase II?

The program is explicitly two-phase. Phase I is meant to set the foundation through planning, networking, and strategic plan development. A later NSF solicitation would invite proposals for Phase II, which is expected to support five years of full-scale implementation based on mature strategic plans.

Who is expected to be eligible for Phase II?

Phase II eligibility is expected to include Phase I awardees as well as equivalent partnerships created through other funding routes, as long as they meet the same strategic planning criteria and objectives described for Phase I.

When was Phase II anticipated to begin?

NSF anticipated that Phase II could begin in FY 2012, contingent on available funding.

Are supplements available for Phase I awardees?

Yes. Phase I awardees can request supplemental funding in FY 2011.

What can Phase I supplemental funding be used for?

Supplements are intended for: (1) supporting early implementation of particularly strong programs or activities identified during planning, and/or (2) expanding the partnership by bringing in additional investigators who want to collaborate with a specific Phase I project.

How many awards did NSF anticipate making under this solicitation?

NSF anticipated making about 15 awards.

What is the expected award size range for Phase I?

Individual award sizes were expected to range from $750,000 (floor) to $1,000,000 (ceiling).

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed for this opportunity.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number and publication reference for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 10-542, and the opportunity is referenced as NSF Publication 10-542.

What category does this funding opportunity fall under?

This opportunity is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

Which NSF CFDA areas are referenced for this opportunity?

The solicitation references multiple NSF CFDA areas, including Geosciences (47.050), Biological Sciences (47.074), Education and Human Resources (47.076), and Polar Programs (47.078), indicating proposals may cut across scientific disciplines and education research and practice.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility notes contained in the full solicitation text.

What are the key deadlines for Phase I proposals?

The letter of intent deadline for Phase I partnership proposals is April 23, 2010. The deadline for Phase I partnership proposals is May 24, 2010.

What is the deadline for Phase I supplement proposals?

The deadline for Phase I supplement proposals is March 15, 2011.

When was this opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on February 24, 2010.

Where should applicants go for Grants.gov access issues?

For access issues, NSF directed applicants to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

What is the expected focus of deliverables in Phase I?

Phase I is expected to produce an inventory of existing resources and identified gaps, an engaged and expanding stakeholder network, workshops and community-building activities, and a comprehensive strategic plan that can support a later Phase II implementation proposal. Phase I also expects early test-bed work related to standards-based materials, professional development, and training approaches aligned with partnership goals.

What learning environments are relevant to this program?

The program explicitly includes education practitioners working in formal or informal environments, and references practical learning venues such as classrooms, museums, community programs, media, and other learning settings.

Does the partnership focus need to be tied to a specific climate impact?

Yes, partnerships are expected to be organized around a geographic region with shared climate impacts or around a major climate impact theme (such as sea level rise), providing a clear organizing focus and a clear set of learner needs.