Funding for Sea Grant Programs
Competitive funding opportunities for Sea Grant programs
Funding from the National Sea Grant Office will support 20 Sea Grant undergraduate summer internship projects in 2024 and 2025. The projects will engage interns in place-based research, education, outreach, and/or communication activities, and wherever appropriate, integrate traditional and ecological knowledge with western ways of doing science. This is an opportunity for more programs to participate in the CEI program and returning programs to expand and enhance their internship offerings. Students selected for this opportunity will participate in a 4 day in-person field experience hosted by North Carolina Sea Grant in which they will travel to North Carolina. (More information about this professional development experience is provided below).
How are projects selected?
Projects are selected competitively by an external CEI advisory board.
How much is each project awarded?
Each award (n=20) will provide $6,000 to support a CEI intern. The expectation is that the $6,000 awards fund 40 hours/week of work for 10 weeks at $15/hour during the summer.
Can students who are not selected for these projects participate in the in-person
experience?
At this time, only the 20 students selected for this competitive funding opportunity will attend the in-person professional development experience. All CEI interns will participate in the virtual professional development series.
Who will distribute the funding?
Awards will be administered by NC Sea Grant and made directly to 20 CEI interns engaged in the selected projects.
What does funding cover?
North Carolina Sea Grant only provides the $6,000 stipend. This does not include liability insurance, transportation, or housing. The expectation is that the host program and site will
work with their students to establish the housing and transportation needed to participate in their internship. NC Sea Grant will cover all travel, lodging, and food for the 4 day trip to North Carolina.
For more information about this funding opportunity contact Dynestie Robinson, Community Engaged Internship Coordinator, NC Sea Grant at DRobin2@ncsu.edu.
Please note that these projects are in addition to the projects that state programs plan to support. In other words, participation in the 2024 CEI program is NOT contingent on receiving this funding award.
Evaluation criteria for internship projects includes the following:
- Will the project engage communities or students traditionally underrepresented/underserved?
- Will the project integrate traditional and/or local knowledge?
- Is the recruitment strategy likely to be successful in securing an applicant pool of undergraduate students from underrepresented and indigenous communities?
- Is the mentorship strategy clearly described and will the on-boarding/engagement plan likely result in a positive internship experience?
- Are the project outcomes measurable and clearly defined?
- Can the outlined work be completed by an intern during the internship period?
North Carolina Sea Grant – CEI In-Person Professional Development Experience
- When: Summer internship is 8 – 10 weeks and generally runs June 1st into August.
- Stipend: Interns will be paid a stipend of $6,000.
The internship field experience aims to expose students to interdisciplinary watershed community issues with the following objectives:
- Increase knowledge of freshwater, coastal, and marine science, policy, and community-led topics
- Create a long-term supportive community via facilitated student peer networking
- Deepen identities as environmental scientists and community leaders
- Observe a diverse ecology and learn from a spectrum of communities addressing complex water management challenges
- Experience all four Sea Grant focus areas: healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries & aquaculture, resilient communities & economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development.
Students will be introduced to these concepts through a range of activities including: state environmental agency visits, hands-on community fieldwork, and scientific presentations to equip them with a comprehensive understanding of freshwater, coastal, and marine water resource management in the southeastern U.S.