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Ohio Environmental Education Fund

OEEF Background Information

The OEEF was created by the General Assembly in 1990 to enhance Ohio citizens' awareness and understanding of environmental issues. It is administered by the Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) and provides approximately $1 million annually in grants to support environmental education efforts within the state of Ohio.

The OEEF derives its monies from one-half of the civil penalties collected from violations of Ohio's air and water pollution control regulations. The OEEF funds education projects that target three audiences: (1) the general public; (2) the regulated community; and (3) pre-school through university students and teachers. General grants are available for $5,000 to $50,000, and mini grants for projects costing between $500 and $5,000.

Application guidelines spell out application requirements, current funding priorities, the application review process, and preferred characteristics for projects targeting the respective audiences. OEEF grant coordinators are also available to assist in preparing grant proposals prior to the deadline dates, and to advise applicants on the eligibility of possible projects. OEEF grant-writing workshops are also offered around the state several times yearly.

OEEF supports innovative projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues, and provide the skills to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. Environmental education is based on objective and scientifically sound information, and does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. It teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking, and it enhances their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

A list of past grant recipients illustrates the variety of projects that have been funded. Descriptions of OEEF Outstanding Project Award Winners showcase successful environmental education efforts that we encourage grant applicants to emulate.

Application Guidelines and Resources 

NEW - The next application cycle is now open, with Letters of Intent to apply due to be entered within OEEF’s grant management system no later than Jan. 10, 2023, and complete applications due no later than Jan. 17, 2023, both by 5 p.m on each deadline date.

OEEF 2023 General Grant Guidelines

OEEF 2023 Mini Grant Guidelines

OEEF Grant Preferred Characteristics

OEEF Application Review Process

Grant Administration Reference Document (GARD)

The document contains reporting guidelines for your general and mini grants. However, we encourage grantees to contact OEEF if a particular circumstance arises that may not be covered in your GARD and we will be glad to assist you.

"Resources for Grant Seekers?" and "Resources to Help You Evaluate Your Grant Program?" are links (to be updated periodically) that will provide additional  information to help with your funding search and proposal preparation.

General Grants

Mini Grants

Resources for Grant Seekers:

Talk to a reference librarian in your public library!

* Although Ohio EPA cannot endorse, sanction or guarantee the accuracy of information found on external Web sites, we think you might find outside resources useful. When you select a link to an external Web site, you are leaving Ohio EPA's Web site and are subject to the privacy, security and accessibility policies of the owners/sponsors of the external site.

Resources to Help You Evaluate Your Grant Program:

Past Grant Recipients

Grant Award Summary Archives by State Fiscal Year

Mini Grants by Fiscal Year

General Grants by Fiscal Year

Outstanding Projects

Featured Environmental Education Projects

Periodically, the OEEF contracts with the Environmental Education Council of Ohio to conduct an independent review of completed grant projects, in order to select OEEF Outstanding Project award winners. OEEF highlights these projects as examples of effective environmental education. Because of the great variety in OEEF-funded projects, EECO and the OEEF developed a set of holistic instruments for use in reviewing these completed grant projects, Rubrics Cubed: What One Grant Maker Looks for in EE Projects [PDF].  These are the instruments that we use:

For K-12 education projects:

For general public/adult education projects:

For regulated community projects:

OEEF also uses a tool for website evaluation for both K-12 and general public projects that contain a website component.

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