Cooperative Agreement 00A01452

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL BUILD CAPACITY IN NEW ENGLAND (EPA REGION 1) UNDERSERVED AND RURAL/REMOTE COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY JUSTICE CONCERNS, SERVING AS A RESOURCE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE HUB. THE NEW ENGLAND EJ TCTAC WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES, EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND HEALTH, ENERGY JUSTICE, CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AND CIVIC JUSTICE. IT WILL FEATURE A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM, WITH URBAN, RURAL AND TRIBAL OUTREACH COMPONENTS. THE PROPOSED EJ TCTAC REGION 1 IS CENTERED AROUND TWO OBJECTIVES: - TO SUPPORT ANY ELIGIBLE ENTITY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT ENGAGES WITH THE EJ TCTAC TO PURSUE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL, ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHALLENGES; AND, - TO PURSUE DEEP ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS), INCREASE CAPACITY AND FACILITATE COOPERATION WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AS WELL CREATE INTER-CBO COOPERATIVE NETWORKS TO PRIORITIZE, PLAN AND PURSUE FUNDING TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL, ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHALLENGES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY JUSTICE GRANTS, INCLUDING PLANNING, GRANT WRITING TRAINING, IDENTIFICATION OF FUNDING SOURCES, CONSULTATION ON DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, GRANT APPLICATION REVIEWS AND POST-AWARD MANAGEMENT TRAINING. SUPPORT WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS RELATED TO EJ PROJECTS WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED. THESE RESOURCES WILL BE INITIATED THROUGH TARGETED OUTREACH AND TRAINING FOR CBOS THAT WILL BE STRUCTURED PROGRAMS TARGETING UNDERSERVED RURAL, URBAN, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION.SUBRECIPIENT:COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBO) WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A SUBAWARD THAT WILL SUPPORT THEIR STAFF PARTICIPATION IN A YEARLONG PROGRAM TO ASSESS COMMUNITY NEEDS, PLAN EJ-FOCUSED PROJECTS BASED ON THE ASSESSMENTS, BUILD COALITIONS TO PURSUE RELEVANT FUNDING, AND PREPARE AND SUBMIT ONE OR MULTIPLE GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT. IT IS ENVISIONED THAT THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND COALITION BUILDING WILL HELP BUILD LONG-TERM CAPACITY FOR THE CBOS TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PARTNERS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THIRTY-ONE CBOS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM OVER THE FIVE YEARS.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE MATERIALS DEVELOPED FOR ALL WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS AND WEBINAR RECORDINGS; COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, STAKEHOLDER ANALYSES, PROJECT AND GRANT PLANNING DOCUMENTS, AND QUARTERLY FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE SUBAWARDS PROVIDED TO THE CBOS, INCLUDING THE ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF THE PARTICIPATING EJ CHANGE AGENTS (COMMUNITY MEETING MINUTES, TRAINING MATERIALS). ADDITIONAL OUTPUTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL REPORTING TO EPA - INTERNAL DASHBOARD FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT - SLACK CHANNELS FOR STAKEHOLDER INTERACTION - PRESENTATIONS AT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES - DEVELOPMENT/MAINTENANCE OF THE WEBSITE INCLUDING EXTERNAL TRACKING DASHBOARD, EJTASK PRINTED MATERIALS, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS - FUNDING ROADMAP PLATFORM - ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: - IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF STAKEHOLDERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY ISSUES AND AVAILABLE FUNDING PROGRAMS - INCREASED NUMBER OF GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO FEDERAL, STATE AND PRIVATE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS - INCREASED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS - INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF GRANT APPLICATION AND MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS - INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY OF GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO FEDERAL, STATE AND PRIVATE FOUNDATION PROGRAMS - INCREASED MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION OF UNDERSERVED/OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES IN DECISION-MAKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL