Training and Technical Assistance for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems for Clean Water Act Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution

Background
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications to provide training and technical assistance to rural, small, and tribal municipalities, publicly owned wastewater treatment works, and decentralized wastewater treatment systems for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution. The total estimated amount of federal funding potentially available under this announcement is $18,000,000. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides an additional $11.7 billion in funding to the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, with 49% of those funds available as grants and principal forgiveness loans to communities that meet the state’s affordability criteria or certain project types, consistent with the Clean Water Act.

Grant Details
The U.S. EPA is seeking applications from organizations that serve a range of geographic service areas with project budgets appropriate to the number of rural, small, and tribal entities to be supported. The RFA funds are intended to be used by the grant recipients to help communities access CW SRF funds, including IIJA funds.

The Agency is prioritizing projects that maximize the potential for these new funds to provide significant benefit to rural, small, or tribal municipalities, publicly owned treatment works, and decentralized systems. EPA’s current priorities include working to advance equity, address climate change, and responsibly support and implement the IIJA.

Eligibility Requirements
EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

Eligible activities include training and technical assistance only. Applicants must address one of the five Priority Areas listed in Section I.D.

Period of Performance
The project period for each agreement may be up to three (3) years.

Grant Value
$18,000,000 is the total estimated amount of federal funding potentially available under this announcement.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic scope of proposed work can be regional, state-wide, multi-state or national as appropriate.