The Splash! school grant program provides up to $3,000 per teacher to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources issues. Public and charter school teachers of grades K through 12 are eligible to apply.
Completing Your Grant Application
Before completing a grant application, be prepared with the following:
Grant Topic: Review the grant topics and select one or more to plan your activities.
Grant Summary: Provide a brief overview of the grant, including the overall goal, main grant components and how this grant will benefit your students. Splash! grants must focus on fresh water or estuarian studies. Grant funds will not be approved for non-water related activities.
Freshwater Resource Concepts: Provide a more detailed explanation of how your grant relates to freshwater or estuarian studies and will enhance student knowledge on these topics.
Activities – In the Classroom: All grant types are required to incorporate classroom activities to reinforce fresh water resource concepts, even if the main component of your grant is a field trip or outdoor project. Visit WaterMatters.org/Education for ideas.
Activities – Out of the Classroom (not required): If incorporating activities outside of the classroom it should be outlined in your application. Please include the location and educational program selected for field trips or guest presentations. Please reference the list of Previously Approved Field Studies Programs.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Outline the STEM-related teaching strategies that will be employed to actively engage students in water resources education.
Budget: Provide a budget breakdown for anticipated use of grant funds. This should include the quantity, cost and a clear description of how each item will be used for grant activities. If applicable, include shipping in the cost of each item. It is your responsibility to find the lowest cost for each item requested. It is also your responsibility to contact the locations on the pre-approved field trip list for pricing. A list of eligible and non-eligible budget items can be found here:
Expectations For Grant Recipients
Accessing Grant Funds and Reimbursement
The SWFWMD does not provide grant funds directly to grantees. For information on how to make grant-related purchases, please contact the Splash! grant liaison for your school district. Find your school district contact here:
Below are important reminders for reimbursement of grant expenditures.
- The SWFWMD will reimburse only for purchases made after a grant is awarded and before the grant cycle ends on May 8, 2026.
- The SWFWMD will reimburse only for approved budget items.
The SWFWMD will reimburse your school district for your grant only if the Final Report and Documentation is submitted by May 8, 2026 — unless a later deadline is granted by Katherine Squitieri.
- All funded projects must be completed in accordance with SWFWMD and state rules, regulations and procedures.
Making Budget Changes
During the grant period, activity or budget items may need to be modified. If modifications are needed, SWFWMD pre-approval is required. Please email modification requests to the Splash! grant program manager at Katherine.Squitieri@WaterMatters.org. All changes must be requested in writing and should not be made until approval is provided.
Final Report and Documentation
All grant recipients are required to submit a Final Report and Documentation by May 8, 2026. It is strongly recommended to become familiar with report requirements before beginning grant activities.
Required documentation includes:
- A completed final report
- A log of student and teacher participation hours and activities
- A copy or readable photo of the pre-/posttest administered to students and test results. (It is mandatory to give students a pretest before beginning the grant and a posttest at the completion of your grant’s activities. The pretest and posttest should include all the same questions in the same format. Sample tests can be found on the Additional Resources and Links page.)
- Photos or copies of student completed classwork done as part of the grant (Separate from the pre-/posttest)
- Photos of grant activities (See final report for more details)
- Proof of payment for grant expenditures
Spread the Word
The SWFWMD encourages grantees to inform the entire school community about grant activities and include a take-home element to inform families about freshwater resources education.
As a public funding source, the SWFWMD reserves the right to share projects, concepts, artwork, photos, videos and other products of these grants with others who desire to create projects in their own schools or communities. Each grant recipient should maintain school district photo/video release forms for students included grant activities.
Important Dates
- September 5, 2025: Deadline for applications to be submitted.
- October 1, 2025: Grantees will be notified of their acceptance or denial via email.
- October 1, 2025 – May 8, 2026: Project activity period.
May 8, 2026: Final Report and documentation are due. Complete the report and upload it, along with your required documentation.