66.306: Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

66.306

Active

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Sept. 21, 2022

Sept. 21, 2022

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to support community-based organizations in their efforts to collaborate and partner with local stakeholder groups (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, and academia) as they develop and implement solutions that address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities. For purposes of this listing, the term “underserved community” refers to a community with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations, including people of color, low income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and homeless populations. Eligible projects must demonstrate use of the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model to support their collaborative efforts during the project period. Applying organizations should have a direct connection to the underserved community impacted by the environmental harms and risks detailed in the workplan. The long-term goals of the EJCPS Program are to help build the capacity of communities with environmental justice concerns and to create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2021: 1) Public Education, Training, Emergency Planning, and/or Investigations on Impacts of COVID-19 on Underserved Communities and Vulnerable Populations – (UPDATE 4/19/2021) American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are being made available for projects that address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID–19 pandemic and that identify and address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in minority populations or low-income populations under: Clean Air Act, section 103 (b)(3) and the Safe Drinking Water Act, section 1442(c)(3). Currently understood science around COVID-19 transmission indicates that most transmission is via respiratory droplets, airborne transmission, and/or close contact with an infected person. Transmission from contaminated surfaces, while possible, appears to be less common. Additionally, reducing environmental or public health harms and risks in underserved communities requires a well- trained safe drinking water workforce. See Appendix A - Guidance on American Rescue Plan Funding for examples of which types of projects will be funded with ARP funds and which will be funded with EJ funds. NOTE: EJSG funds cannot be used for Human Health Studies, including taking blood or other medical information from humans. 2) Projects addressing Climate, Disaster Resiliency, and/or Emergency Preparedness – The effects of climate change and extreme weather events tend to adversely impact the most vulnerable communities and populations disproportionately. Therefore, EPA may give special consideration to projects that address the needs of underserved and vulnerable communities that have been adversely impacted or are likely to be adversely impacted by natural disasters, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and future pandemics. 3) New applicants and grantees - High ranking applicants who have never received an EPA EJCPS award may receive additional consideration during the selection process in order to broaden the universe of EJCPS grantees

B - Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)

An eligible applicant must be one of the following: • incorporated non-profit organizations —including, but not limited to, community-based organizations, grassroots organizations, environmental justice networks, faith based organizations and those affiliated with religious institutions;* U.S. Territories • Tribal governments, must be either federally-recognized or state-recognized – including Alaska Native Villages • tribal organizations * • Freely Associated States (FAS) – including local governmental entities and local non-profit organizations in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau. Applicant organizations claiming non-profit status must include documentation that shows the organization is either a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization as designated by the Internal Revenue Service; OR a non-profit organization recognized by the state, territory, commonwealth or tribe in which it is located. For the latter, documentation must be on official state government letterhead. Applicants must be located within the same state, territory, commonwealth, or tribe in which the proposed project is located. This means that an applicant’s registered address of record (i.e. the address designated on their IRS or State-sanctioned documentation) must be in the same state, territory, commonwealth or tribe as the location of the proposed project. The following entities are INELIGIBLE to receive an award, but we encourage applicants to partner with these organizations, as appropriate: • colleges and universities; • hospitals; • for-profit businesses; • state and local governments and their entities; • quasi-governmental entities (e.g., water districts, utilities)*; • national organizations and chapters of the aforementioned organizations**; •International organizations and chapters of the aforementioned organizations • Individuals • non-profit organizations supporting lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995; and*** * Generally, a quasi-governmental entity is one that: (1) has a close association with the government agency, but is not considered a part of the government agency; (2) was created by the government agency, but is exempt from certain legal and administrative requirements imposed on government agencies; or (3) was not created by the government agency but performs a public purpose and is significantly supported financially by the government agency. ** National organizations are defined as comprising of one centralized headquarters or principal place of business that creates and controls the mission, structure and work carried out by its chapters or affiliates. *** Funds awarded under this announcement may not be used to support lobbying activities or any activities related to lobbying or the appearance thereof. Subawards made to nonprofit organizations that lobby are not allowed. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance 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.

Eligible beneficiaries are the Non-Profit Community Groups, tribal governments, US Territories, and Freely Associated States (FAS) as described under Eligibility and the residents of the communities they serve. List selected is not all inclusive.

66.604 - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program

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

https://sam.gov/fal/46db1f130ae144ce8f94a20c0021fe76/view