02F5550A

Description: This agreement provides an initial funding of $4,917,247 to Texas Southern University under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Texas Southern University will act as the Regional Grantmaker (RGM), in collaboration with Achieving Community Tasks Successfully (ACTS), for grantmaking activities.

The total funding for Texas Southern University will be $50,000,000, split into two awards of an initial and subsequent grant. Both awards will be derived from the same funding source and will have separate yet overlapping timelines. The initial grant funds will allow the Regional Grantmaker to establish and carry out the proposed participatory governance, outreach, and system mobilization efforts.

The aim is to establish the collection, review, selection, and distribution of the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities subgrants. The technical support will be customized to each assistance request, developing robust and transparent structures. Texas Southern University will assist community-based organizations (CBOs) and community leaders in establishing structures to ensure that incoming financial resources are distributed with equity and transparency. The proposed governance and accountability measures will be shared among the stakeholders to ensure transparency in the distribution of funds.

Activities: The project activities during the initial award phase include the establishment of hubs with two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that will serve as a central point for community access to the grant-making program. A new advisory committee will be developed to oversee the grant-making program's design and operation. Guidelines and protocols will be established for reviewing subrecipient applications, providing technical support before and after funding awards, and collecting reports from subrecipients.

Experienced vendors will be contracted to create a user-friendly process for submitting grants, managing the distribution of funding awards, and collecting reporting submissions. Furthermore, a consultant with extensive experience in program evaluation will be hired to develop and implement a process and outcome evaluation plan focused on overall efficacy and a plan for soliciting feedback from funded and potential applicants. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure the effective and efficient management of the grant-making program.

Subrecipient: Texas Southern University will work with Achieving Community Tasks Successfully (ACTS) to establish an advisory committee for overseeing the grant-making program's design and operation. They will create guidelines and protocols for reviewing subrecipient applications, offering technical support before and after funding awards, and collecting reports from subrecipients. Achieving Community Tasks Successfully (ACTS) will use its experience in developing impactful community-led environmental justice projects to engage, educate, and empower through citizen science, community inclusion, and initiatives that promote community resiliency and environmental justice.

Furthermore, Achieving Community Tasks Successfully (ACTS) will provide training and resources to enhance critical thinking and boost residents' ability to advocate for their community and drive transformative change.

Outcomes: The project anticipated deliverables include a multilingual website/landing page, and quarterly bilingual emails (in English and Spanish) which will be sent quarterly to the networks of Texas Southern University. Paid contractors/experts will use their methodology to distribute emails and hard copy materials throughout tribal nations. A webinar will also be hosted on a virtual platform that provides translation into multiple languages to advertise the availability of the funding opportunities. Additionally, in-person presentations and printed materials about the subaward opportunities will be incorporated at conferences, events at tribal nations, and communi

Texas Southern University

5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 3 - RULE OF LAW AND PROCESS 3.3 - PRIORITIZE ROBUST SCIENCE S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 5.2 - PROTECT AND RESTORE WATERBODIES AND WATERSHEDS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.2 - EMBED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS INTO EPA’S PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND ACTIVITIES

66.615 - Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM)

EPA Region 6: Dallas [EPA - RO]

Houston, Texas United States

City-Wide

Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM) (EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-03)

Termination This cooperative agreement was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 07/14/27 to 04/24/25.