Blue School Grant Program
2025-2026 School Year
About the grant
The Blue School Grant Program funds hands-on, water-focused STEM curriculum that connects K-12 students with Florida’s water resources.
Teachers and schools may apply individually or as part of a teaching team/grade-level cohort between Aug. 1 and Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m. at sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school.
Individual grants of up to $3,000 per teacher, or per school, are available.
Up to $60,000 in total funding can be distributed in the 2025–26 grant period.
Grant funding may support projects, equipment, supplies, field trips and additional related expenses.
Eligibility requirements
Teachers/schools must:
Work for a public or public charter school within the District’s boundaries, including school locations within:
Alachua, Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, St. Johns, Seminole, Volusia, and parts of Baker, Bradford, Okeechobee and Osceola counties.
Applicants can confirm their school falls within the District's boundaries on the Blue School Grant website at sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school.
Submit a project proposal that outlines educational goals and STEM connections focused both on water education and the goals of the District. The proposal needs to demonstrate how students will explore Florida’s water resources.
Examples of previous projects can be found on the Blue School Grant webpage.
Impact
Since launching in 2016, the Blue School Grant program has:
Funded 115 projects
Supported 85 schools
Reached an estimated 15,550 students
Why water education matters
Water shapes Florida’s landscapes, economy and daily life. Blue School Grant projects help students solve local water challenges, sparking curiosity and lifelong stewardship.
Blue School Grant success stories
At Wekiva High School in Orange County, math teacher Hai-Anh Nguyen expanded her classroom’s aquaponics garden into a saltwater cultivation system. With support from the University of Central Florida’s Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab, students grew red mangroves and conducted weekly water quality tests to explore sustainable ecosystems. Nguyen reported stronger STEM comprehension and deeper student engagement as a result.
Students at Alfred I. duPont Middle School in Duval County investigated water quality in the St. Johns River through hands-on fieldwork and classroom modeling. Their findings became the centerpiece of a schoolwide STEAM Night, where they presented research and interactive displays to families and peers. By integrating water topics across science, technology, engineering, art and math, students transformed their learning into real-world environmental education.
Meanwhile, at Galileo School for Gifted Learning in Seminole County, fourth-grade student Lucas Rivera and his classmates visited Blue Spring State Park to observe manatees and collect water samples. Back in the classroom, they built and tested homemade water filters, using science to better understand human impacts on water quality. Inspired by the experience, Lucas later addressed the District’s Governing Board, sharing his enthusiasm for water conservation.
Contact
Caitlin Butler csbutler@sjrwmd.com 321-473-1340 office
321-266-1246 cell
About the St. Johns River Water Management District
St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the District and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The District encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff also are available to serve the public at service centers in Apopka, Jacksonville and Palm Bay.
Connect with us on Twitter at @SJRWMD, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. For more information about the District, please visit sjrwmd.com.
