United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Limit: 2* // Tickets Available: 1

A. Gerlak (School of Geography, Development & Environment) - Project Area 1: Establish and maintain a regional Center of Excellence.

N. Gupta (Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences) - Sub to  Desert Research Institute (DRI) - Nevada.

*Under this competition, only one application can be submitted per applicant under a Project Area.

The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible entities to establish and maintain regional Centers of Excellence for new and emerging stormwater control infrastructure technologies, with the goal of improving the effectiveness, cost efficiency, and protection of public safety and water quality. The EPA is also soliciting applications from eligible entities to create and maintain a national electronic clearinghouse to centrally collect and distribute the work of the Centers of Excellence. For the purposes of this announcement, “regional” or “geographical region” means consisting of two or more states.

The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants in two Project Areas, as described below. Under this competition, only one application can be submitted per applicant under a Project Area. If an applicant submits an application under Project Area 1, they may then submit a separate application under Project Area 2. That is, an applicant cannot submit an application for Project Area 2 without submitting an application for Project Area 1. Each application submitted under this announcement must address one, and only one, of the Project Areas described below. The cover page of each application package must clearly indicate the Project Area addressed in the application. While the EPA intends to make awards in all Project Areas, the EPA reserves the right to make more than one award in a Project Area and/or make no awards in a Project Area.

Project Areas:

Project Area 1: Establish and maintain a regional Center of Excellence.
The EPA is soliciting applications to establish regional Centers of Excellence that will: i) conduct research on new and emerging stormwater control infrastructure technologies, including stormwater and sewer overflow reduction, other approaches to water resource enhancement, alternative funding approaches, and other environmental, economic, and social benefits; ii) provide technical assistance to state, Tribal, and local governments to assist with the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of stormwater control infrastructure projects that use innovative technologies; and iii) collaborate with regional institutions of higher education and private and public organizations, including community-based public-private partnerships and other stakeholders.

Project Area 2: Create and maintain a national electronic clearinghouse.
If an applicant submits an application under Project Area 1, they may then submit a separate application under Project Area 2. Under Project Area 2, the EPA is soliciting applications to create and maintain a national electronic clearinghouse. Applications should describe how they will develop, operate, and maintain a national electronic clearinghouse that contains information relating to new and emerging stormwater control infrastructure technologies and posts information from the other Centers of Excellence. The national electronic clearinghouse should be populated with research, findings, technical assistance, recommendations, best practices, and outreach (e.g., trainings, webinars, fact sheets) from each Center of Excellence and promoted to other organizations to expand the availability of water technical assistance, including to disadvantaged and underserved communities.

No Applicants  // Limit: 1 proposal per priority area

Applicants may submit multiple applications that uniquely address one or more of these program priority areas. However, applicants may not submit multiple applications addressing the same program priority area. 

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to advance national policy or systems-level change to reduce indoor air risks and yield measurable environmental and public health outcomes. The EPA has identified and characterized significant risks to public health from indoor environmental contaminants that are commonly found in homes, schools, and offices or commercial non-industrial buildings where Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time. Levels of air pollution indoors are often two to five times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Common indoor air contaminants include:
• Radon
• Environmental asthma triggers (e.g., secondhand smoke; cockroaches and other pests; chemical irritants; dust mites; pet dander; nitrogen dioxide; wood smoke; and mold)
• Pathogens transmitted through the air (e.g., SARS-COV-2, Influenza)
• Particulate matter
• Combustion byproducts
• Volatile organic compounds

Estimates of the economic costs in the US associated with adverse health and productivity effects of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) fall between $13 and $32 billion annually. Additionally, the annual sales of IAQ products and services are valued at $18–$30 billion and are associated with approximately 150,000–250,000 current jobs in the US.

The goal of the EPA’s Indoor Environmental Division is to reduce the environmental health risks posed by contaminants in indoor environments. This is achieved by understanding the science of both environmental health risks and effective prevention and control methods. This knowledge then is used to promote appropriate, evidence-based environmental risk reduction activities through voluntary actions by the general public and key stakeholders to improve IAQ.

The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible entities (as described in Section III.A) to conduct demonstration, technical assistance, training, education, and/or outreach projects that seek to reduce exposure to indoor air contaminants by advancing national policy and systems-level initiatives.

Limit: 2 // B. Yang (Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning), D. Austin (Anthropology)

Under this NOFO, Lead Applicants,  may submit a maximum of two applications and may receive up to two awards. The two applications may be two Track I applications, two Track II applications, or one of each. *Application packages will be accepted on a rolling basis, as further explained in the NOFO, until November 21, 2024.

The Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant program (Community Change Grants) – the subject of this NOFO – offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform disadvantaged communities across the United States into healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for their current and future residents. The Community Change Grants will fund community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. The historic levels of support provided by these grants will enable communities and their partners to overcome longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet community needs now and for generations to come.

The Community Change Grants are the final and most comprehensive piece of EPA’s implementation of ECJP IRA funding. The Community Change Grants will complement grant programs that EPA launched in 2022 and 2023, including those for the Collaborative Problem-Solving, Government-to-Government, and Thriving Communities Grantmaker programs. Collectively, these programs will empower communities and their partners to design, develop, and implement multi-faceted community-driven projects. These programs will address the diverse and unique needs of disadvantaged communities by:

1. Reducing and preventing pollution;
2. Building resilience to climate change and mitigating current and future climate risks;
3. Enhancing meaningful involvement in government processes related to environmental and climate justice;
4. Expanding access to high-quality jobs and economic opportunity through workforce development; and
5. Bolstering community strength by ensuring that local residents receive the benefits of investments and have the opportunity to build on them for current and future generations.

 EPA will consider applications under two separate tracks:
• Track I applications – Community-Driven Investments for Change will focus on multi-faceted applications with Climate Action and Pollution Reduction Strategies to meaningfully improve the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities. Awards under Track I are expected to be $10-20 million each and cannot exceed $20 million. EPA expects to award approximately $1.96 billion for approximately 150 Track I awards, including those under the Target Investment Areas described in Section II.B.
• Track II applications – Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance will facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes to advance environmental and climate justice. Awards under Track II are expected to be $1-3 million each and cannot exceed $3 million. EPA will award approximately $40 million for approximately 20 Track II awards.

Areas of interest: 
1. community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions1 and other air pollutants;
2. mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events;
3. climate resiliency and adaptation;
4. reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or
5. facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.

No Applicants // Limit: 3 // Tickets Available: 3 

This NOFO announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to develop projects for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) reclamation and innovative destruction technologies. Section 60109 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided the EPA with $15 million for competitive grants for “reclaim and innovative destruction technologies” consistent with subsections (a) through (i) and subsection (k) of section 103 division S of Public Law 116-260 (42 U.S.C. 7675) (also known as the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act). Enacted in 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act authorizes the EPA to address climate-damaging greenhouse gases (GHGs) called HFCs by: phasing down their production and consumption, maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases from equipment, and facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions on HFCs. HFCs are potent GHGs commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, as well as foams and many other applications. A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100. There are hundreds of possible HFC compounds. The 18 HFCs listed as regulated substances by the AIM Act are some of the most commonly used HFCs and have high impacts as measured by the quantity emitted multiplied by their respective global warming potentials (GWPs). For more information on the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, please visit https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction.

Areas of Interest

The objectives of the HFC Reclaim and Innovative Destruction Grants, as described under Assistance Listing 66.047, are to support and contribute to addressing HFCs under the AIM Act by funding the following three project areas (listed order below does not indicate preference):
(1) Reclaim Technologies – pilot projects for new/better technologies to increase the reclamation of HFCs by expanding access to reclamation and improving the reclamation process;
(2) Reclaim Market Dynamics – programs or pilot projects for innovative strategies that address market dynamics to increase HFC reclamation by lowering barriers; or
(3) Innovative Destruction Technologies – pilot projects for innovative technologies or innovative deployment of technologies to destroy unusable and/or unwanted HFCs

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

Only one application per institution is allowed.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was amended by the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act in 2002 to include Section 104(k), which provides federal financial assistance authorities for brownfields revitalization, including grants for assessment, cleanup, and revolving loan funds. The Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (Public Law 115- 141) enacted in 2018 reauthorized EPA’s Brownfields Program and made additional amendments to CERCLA that affect EPA’s brownfield grant authorities, and ownership and liability provisions. (Note: References to CERCLA in this solicitation refer to CERCLA as amended by the 2002 Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act and the 2018 BUILD Act.) EPA’s Brownfields Program provides funds to empower states, Tribal Nations, communities, and nonprofit organizations to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfield sites. This guidance provides information on applying for Multipurpose Grants.

A Multipurpose (MP) Grant is appropriate for communities that have identified, through community engagement efforts, a discrete area (such as a neighborhood, a number of neighboring towns, a district, a corridor, a shared planning area or a census tract) with one or more brownfield sites. The target area may not include communities that are located in distinctly different geographic areas. 

Multipurpose Grant funds provide funding for communities to carry out a range of eligible assessment and cleanup activities, including planning and additional community engagement activities. The performance period for these grants is up to five years.

An applicant can apply for up to $1,000,000 and should demonstrate how grant funds will result in at least:

• one Phase II environmental site assessment;
• one brownfield site cleanup; and
• an overall plan for revitalization that includes a feasible reuse strategy for one or more brownfield sites, if there is not already a plan in place.

No applicants // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2 

Institutions may submit up to two applications under this Funding Opportunity so long as each one describes working with a distinct beneficiary community. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking applications for cooperative agreements to support the data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity of program beneficiaries, which include, recipients of grant funding from EPA as direct recipients of EPA funding and subrecipients who can participate in the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water programs, particularly for those representing small, underserved, and/or tribal communities that are applying for or receiving EPA grant funding, including but not limited to funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Public Law 117-58 [also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)] funding and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Public Law 117-169.

Applicants should describe how they would collaborate with other EPA funded technical assistance providers (e.g., Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers, EPA Environmental Finance Centers and Technical Assistance for Brownfields recipients) to avoid duplication of effort and share best practices. Additionally, as provided in EPA’s General Terms and Conditions “Copyrighted Material and Data” (a link to which can be found in Section VI.w of EPA Solicitation Clauses), EPA may authorize the successful applicant to use copyrighted works or other data developed with Agency funds by other Federally funded technical assistance providers, or to require that the successful applicant allow other Federally funded technical assistance providers to use works or data developed with EPA funds, when such use promotes efficient and effective use of Federal grant funds.

EPA expects to make between 4 to 8 incrementally funded awards with periods of performance of up to three years with total funding of approximately up to $500,000 per award depending on funding availability, the quality of applications, satisfactory progress, and other applicable considerations. The specific number of awards and the amounts may vary from these estimates. The awards for selected projects will be in the form of cooperative agreements as it is expected that there will be substantial involvement and interaction between the applicant and EPA. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $4 million.

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

Only one application can be submitted per institution. Each application submitted under this announcement must address one, and only one, of the Project Areas.

Through this grant program, EPA is soliciting applications to assist in the development and utilization of innovative activities relating to workforce development and career opportunities in the water utility sector, which may include:
(A) expanding the use and availability of activities and resources that relate to the recruitment, including the promotion of diversity within that recruitment, of individuals to careers in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector, including stormwater;
(B) expanding the availability of training opportunities for (i) individuals entering the water and wastewater utility sector; and (ii) individuals seeking to advance careers within the water and wastewater utility sector;
(C) expanding the use and availability of activities and strategies, including the development of innovative activities and strategies, that relate to the maintenance and retention of a sustainable workforce in the water and wastewater utility sector; and
(D) expanding the availability of workforce development and training that enables drinking water and wastewater utility workers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other air pollutants to benefit disadvantaged communities. 

Project areas:

• Project Area 1: Targeted internship, apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and post-secondary bridge programs for skilled water utility trades.
• Project Area 2: Education programs designed for elementary, secondary, and higher education students.
• Project Area 3: Regional industry and workforce development collaborations to address water utility employment needs and coordinate candidate development, particularly in areas of high unemployment or for water utilities with a high proportion of retirement eligible employees.
• Project Area 4: Leadership development, occupational training, mentoring, or cross-training programs that ensure incumbent drinking water and wastewater utility workers are prepared for higher level supervisory or management-level positions.
• Project Area 5: Education and training programs, including internship or apprenticeship programs, designed for decentralized water workers (i.e., private well and/or septic system service professionals) to support public health outcomes for communities that rely on private wells for drinking water or decentralized systems for adequate treatment and disposal of wastewater.

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

Multiple Applications: Applicants can submit up to two applications under this RFA so long as each application is separately submitted and is for a different geographic area(s) (e.g., an applicant cannot submit two applications for geographic area 1). 

EPA is issuing this solicitation to request applications for the design and management of a new Environmental Justice (EJ) competitive pass-through program where EPA will competitively select multiple pass-through entities to provide grant funds via subawards to community-based nonprofit organizations and other eligible subrecipient groups representing underserved and disadvantaged communities. The definition of the term Pass-through entity in 2 CFR 200.1 provides that a pass-through entity is a non-Federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a federal program. The EPA provides extensive guidance to pass-through entities in the EPA Subaward Policy and related materials available on the EPA internet website.

EPA plans to award cooperative agreement(s) to pass-through entities (referred to as Grantmakers by the program) who will collaborate with EPA to design and build their own processes to receive and evaluate competitive community project applications from communities for EJ Thriving Communities Subgrant activities. These activities consist of assessment, planning, and/or project development activities addressing local environmental and/or public health issues. Grantmakers will provide EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants (i.e., subawards) to Eligible Subrecipients.

Consistent with EPA’s mission and Administration priorities, including those set forth in Executive Orders 13985 and 14008, and using funding available for environmental justice, and other potential funding as available and appropriate, EPA is seeking applications from eligible entities as described in Section III to become an Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker. EPA is making available up to approximately $550 million total for the EJ TCGM program. EPA expects to make up to 11 awards for the Grantmakers.

EJ Thriving Communities Subgrants will be available for three distinct phases:

• Phase I = Assessment projects for up to $150,000 for a one-year project period
• Phase II = Planning projects for up to $250,000 for a 1-2 year project period, and
• Phase III = Project Development projects for up to $350,000 for a two-year project period.