Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Training and Special Purpose Activities Relating to Environmental Justice

 

The program's objective is to provide funding in support of surveys, studies and investigations, training (including technical assistance) and special purpose assistance programs as they relate to environmental and/or public health issues, with a particular emphasis on environmental justice. The FY 2022 Appropriations Act authorized the use of Environmental Program & Management (EPM) funds for implementation and training (including technical assistance) grants for the first time, as well as authorization to continue the Environmental Justice (EJ) grants programs. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2023: EPA will prioritize grants for technical assistance, training, and resources/support to community and non-profit organizations, educational institutions including Minority Serving Institutions, governmental entities, and other stakeholders. Assistance awards made under this listing are part of a multifaceted approach to benefit underserved communities facing environmental justice challenges. Awards under this listing will be for the establishment and maintenance of Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ-TCTAC) with a physical location(s) or a virtual/technological presence providing technical assistance, training, and support/resources to underserved communities interested in EPA grant programs, community stakeholders, nonprofits, grassroots organizations, local government entities, and state governmental entities.

Active 66.309 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 In FY 2016, two awards totaling $35,000, were made to support the study and investigation of issues related to Environmental Justice n FY 2016, two awards totaling $35,000, were made to support the study and investigation of issues related to Environmental Justice.
Fiscal Year 2017 Due to the limited availability of funding this program was not be funded in FY 2017.
Fiscal Year 2020 For program accomplishments under this assistance listing and other EPA Environmental Justice Grant Programs, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/learn-about-environmental-justice
Fiscal Year 2023 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the selection of 16 selectees for the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program (EJ TCTACs or Program.) Seventeen organizations and their partners have been selected to receive a total of approximately $177 million to establish a network of technical assistance centers (Centers) across the nation providing direct technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to communities and organizations to advance environmental and energy justice priorities. With this critical investment, the Centers will provide training and other assistance to build capacity of local grassroots nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, and other similar community stakeholders in navigating federal, state, and private grant application systems such as Grants.gov and SAM.gov, writing stronger grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding. In addition, these Centers will provide guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants, thus removing barriers and improving accessibility to resources for communities with environmental justice concerns. Each of the Centers will also create and manage communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information. Final awards are subject to administrative and legal reviews to verify compliance with applicable requirements. EPA and the US Department of Energy (DOE) will cooperatively fund these 16 awards, which will feature 13 Regional Centers and 3 National Centers working collaboratively across the United States supporting communities. These 16 awards will be in the form of incrementally funded cooperative agreements where EPA and DOE staff will have substantial involvement in the oversight and implementation of the Program. The establishment of this Program and Centers is in direct response to feedback from communities and environmental justice leaders who have long called for technical assistance and capacity building support for communities and their partners as they work to access critical federal, state, and private resources and engage in decision-making that impacts them. The 16 Centers will provide comprehensive coverage for the entire United States through a network of over 160 partners including community-based organizations, additional academic institutions, and other stakeholders so more communities can access federal funding opportunities like those made available through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well as funding from states and private foundations. All centers are currently scheduled to operate from June 2023 to June 2028. For more information, visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers. Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10(a), as amended by P.L. 106-74
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), Section 311(c)
Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20(a), as amended by P.L. 106-74
Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3)
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203
Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001(a)
Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442(c)(3)
EPA's Annual Appropriation Acts The term "nonprofit organization" is defined in 2 CFR 200.1. Public and nonprofit private institutions of higher education (including community colleges and similar 2-year institutions) are eligible to apply. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. Eligible nonprofit organizations may, but are not required to be, exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. Workforce Investment Boards and organized Labor Unions that meet these criteria may be eligible nonprofit organizations. For-profit organizations or trade schools are also not eligible to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private nonprofit institutions and the communities they serve. Applicants may be requested to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. EPA may ask applicants or principle investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. Preapplication coordination is required. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Deadline information will be provided in the competitive announcement. From 120 to 180 days. Approximately 180 days. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable. EPA may in appropriate cases incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements for surveys, studies, training (including technical assistance) and investigations. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds. The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement. Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved cooperative agreements plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial). Performance Reports: Performance monitoring is required under this program. Reporting requirements shall be determined at the time of grant award. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200.334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grants and cooperative agreements are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual). Most of awarded grants and cooperative agreements have project periods ranging from one year to three years, longer term projects may be for project periods up to five years, and generally, grants and cooperative agreements are fully funded at the time of award although incremental funding may be provided as appropriate. Grant award fully funded at time of award and recipient will draw down funds on an as needed basis. A list of EPA Environmental Justice Regional Contacts can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-your-community. Jacob Burney, Division Director, Grants Management Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code: 2202A)
Washington, DC 20460 US
Burney.Jacob@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-2907
Fax: 202-501-1107 https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice 68-8145-0-1-304 (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 22$145,000.00; FY 23 est $68,000,000.00; FY 24 est $68,000,000.00; FY 21$145,000.00; FY 20$120,000.00; FY 19$0.00; FY 18$0.00; FY 17$0.00; FY 16$30,000.00; - Approximate amount per individual award not to exceed $15 million. 2 CFR 200 and 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards); 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs); 40 CFR Part 45 (Training Assistance). Fiscal Year 2016 The different types of projects funded include the following: support research on impact of severe weather events related to climate change and it's Impact on costal and low income communities, engaging government agencies, academics and climate professionals to share their knowledge, science, best practices and interventions FY 2016, two awards totaling $35,000, were made to support the study and investigation of issues related to Environmental Justice.
Fiscal Year 2017 Due to the limited availability of funding this program was not be funded in FY 2017.
Fiscal Year 2019 A few examples of the types of projects funded under this assistance listing include: Support of a Healthy Housing summit to engage government agencies, academics and housing professionals to share their knowledge, science, best practices and interventions; Environmental Justice and Environmental Healthy symposiums that served as a forum to exchange ideas among community members; and a project to test local drinking water for contaminates that are in violation of safe drinking water standards and address community concerns about the quality of the drinking water available.
Fiscal Year 2023 Technical Assistance Centers funded under this listing will conduct the following activities: 1) outreach efforts to community stakeholders notifying them about the availability of technical assistance; 2) grant technical assistance, training, support/resources, and engagement to community stakeholders; 3) community collaboration, facilitation, and engagement services; 4) services provided to specific geographic areas; and 5) share results, success stories, and feedback about the execution of the activities of the technical assistance center.