Upper Iowa University

CARES ACT INSTITUTIONAL ALLOCATION.

CARES ACT STUDENT RELIEF FUNDING

PREPARING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STEM TEACHERS FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

STEM-PROS: GROWING MORE STEM PROFESSIONALS IN THE HEARTLAND

APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE SIP GRANT PROGRAM (84.425M) UNDER ED-GRANTS-043020-004.

PROJECT STAND UP - AN EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE TO FIGHT SEXUAL ASSAULT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DATING VIOLENCE AND STALKING AT UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY.

EARMARKS

RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE GRANTS

SUPPORTS PROJECTS TO DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE PRACTICES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING.

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN IOWA. SPECIFICALLY, THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS BY 1) PROVIDING PK-16 TEACHERS WITH CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGH WORKSHOPS, FOLLOW UP SESSIONS, AND SUBAWARDS FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS; 2) EDUCATING ATTENDEES ON ISSUES SURROUNDING CLIMATE CHANGE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRACTICES AT A LOCAL LEVEL, AND STRATEGIES TO INCORPORATE THE THEME INTO THEIR HOME CLASSROOMS; 3) PROVIDING AT LEAST 8 SUBAWARDS FOR LOCAL ACTION PROJECTS (E.G. SCHOOL GARDEN); AND 4) CREATING AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTER TO BROADLY DISSEMINATE MATERIALS AND PROVIDE LIFELONG LEARNERS WITH RESOURCES.ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN IOWA AND PROVIDE PK-16 TEACHERS AND THEIR STUDENTS, STUDENT TEACHERS, AND INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS IN IOWA THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR EDUCATORS THROUGH COLLEGE CREDIT WORKSHOPS AND FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS, SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL PROJECTS AIMED AT ENSURING CLEAN AND SAFE WATER AND THE SAFE USE OF CHEMICALS, AND PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING COURSES AND PARTNERSHIPS.SUBRECIPIENT:IN-SERVICE TEACHER PARTICIPANTS, THROUGH THEIR ELIGIBLE LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES (LEAS), WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR SUBAWARDS TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL ACTION PROJECTS. WHILE ALL TEACHERS WILL CREATE PROJECTS, NOT ALL PROJECTS REQUIRE FUNDING ASSISTANCE. IN MANY CASES, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND/OR PARTNERS WILL PROVIDE WHAT IS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT SMALLER PROJECTS. THIS FUNDING WILL ENABLE SMALLER, OR LOWER INCOME LEAS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS. APPLICANTS WILL SUBMIT APPLICATIONS DESCRIBING THE PROJECT DESIGN, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND OUTCOMES; COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS; BUDGET; AND HOW THE PROJECT WILL HELP ACHIEVE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND OUTCOMES MUST ALIGN WITH THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT. THE EII TEAM WILL REVIEW ALL SUBAWARD APPLICATIONS, SCORE THEM AGAINST A WEIGHTED MATRIX, AND DETERMINE WHICH LEA'S PROJECTS WILL BE AWARDED FUNDS. EACH FUNDED AWARD WILL BE ASSIGNED AN EII STAFF MEMBER AS A MENTOR. AT LEAST EIGHT SUBAWARDS (TWO FOR EACH WORKSHOP) WILL BE AWARDED TWO MONTHS AFTER WORKSHOP COMPLETION. A TOTAL OF $25,000 OF THE $100,000 EPA GRANT REQUEST WILL GO TOWARDS SUBAWARDS.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: 4 WORKSHOPS INCLUSIVE OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FACILITATED, 4 VIRTUAL FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS CONDUCTED, 88 EDUCATORS TRAINED, 4,800 STUDENTS EDUCATED, AND $25,000 IN SUBAWARDS PROVIDED TO 8 - 16 ELIGIBLE ENTITIES TO COMPLETE 50 ACTION PROJECTS AND 8 COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS. ACTION PROJECTS WILL BE PRESENTED ON AT STATE AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES, AND AN ONLINE LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTER WILL BE CREATED. EXPECTED SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND/OR SKILLS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP AMONG EDUCATORS, AN INCREASE IN EDUCATORS USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, AND AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND/OR SKILLS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP AMONG LIFELONG LEARNERS AND PARTNERS. EXPECTED MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF WORKSHOP MATERIALS AND SKILLS, AN INCREASE IN LESSON PLANS USING WORKSHOP STRATEGIES AND CONTENT, AN INCREASE IN STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP, SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SUBAWARD RECIPIENT ACTION PROJECTS, A DESIR

RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GRANTS

SUPPORTS PROJECTS TO DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE PRACTICES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING.

FOUNDATIONS FOR ADVANCING STEM TEACHING IN RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

NUMEROUS LANDSCAPE, CLIMATE, AND INSTREAM PREDICTORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS IMPORTANT DRIVERS OF BIOLOGICAL CONDITION IN STREAMS. DUE TO THE STRONG LINK BETWEEN THE LANDSCAPE AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, CHANGES IN LAND USE CAN INDIRECTLY AFFECT ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS BY ALTERING INSTREAM HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY. THE VOLGA RIVER, WHICH IS A MAJOR TRIBUTARY OF THE TURKEY RIVER, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN IOWA PRIORITY WATERSHED WITH HIGH RECOVERY POTENTIAL BY THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. FURTHERMORE, THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (IDNR) HAS INDICATED THAT KNOWLEDGE OF FISH POPULATIONS AND THE DISTIRBUTION OF COLD-WATER HABITATS THROUGHOUT THE VOLGA RIVER WATERSHED IS LIMITED, WARRANTING FURTHER EVALUATION TO HELP IDENTIFY PRIORITY AREA FOR CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION. THEREFORE, THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED ASSESSMENT IS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH IDNR PERSONNEL TO DOCUMENT THE STATUS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS OF THE SLIMY SCULPIN (COTTUS COGNATUS), MOTTLED SCULPIN (COTTUS BAIRDII), AND BROOK TROUT (SALVELINUS FONTINALIS) AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF COLD-WATER HABITATS. OUR METHODS WILL INCLUDE USING BACKPACK ELECTROFISHING AND HABITAT WATER QUALITY SURVEYS IN WADABLE STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE VOLGA RIVER WATERSHED TO DOCUMENT POPULATION STRONGHOLDS FOR THESE IMPORTANT COLD-WATER SPECIES. IN ADDITION, WE WILL DEPLOY OVER 80 TEMPERATURE LOGGERS AT SITES THROUGHOUT THE VOLGA RIVER WATERSHED TO IDENTIFY COLD-WATER HABITATS FOR STREAM RECLASSIFICATION EFFORTS. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ASSESSMENT IS THAT IT WILL ULTIMATELY AID THE IOWA DNR IN: 1) BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SCULPIN AND TROUT DISTRIBUTIONS AND ECOLOGY, 2) IDENTIFYING THE MOST IMPORTANT LOCAL- AND LANDSCAPE-SCALE DRIVERS REGULATING SCULPIN AND TROUT POPULATIONS, AND 3) COLD-WATER STREAM RECLASSIFICATION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE DRIFTLESS REGION. THIS ASSESSMENT WILL ALSO AID THE DARE PARTNERSHIP MISSION IN PROTECTING AND ENHANCING COLD, COOL, AND WARM-WATER STREAM FISHES AND THEIR HABITATS IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION OF IOWA.