Cooperative Agreement 02J63801

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO PHILANTHROPY NORTHWEST (PNW) AS A REGIONAL GRANTMAKER. THE RECIPIENT, ALONG WITH PARTNERS, WILL USE THE INITIAL AWARD TO ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT THE ACCESSIBILITY AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THRIVING COMMUNITIES RESOURCES TO HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING THROUGH A PASS-THROUGH SUBGRANT PROGRAM. WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE IS A DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL PROCESS TO CENTER COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN DECISION-MAKING. DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD, PNW'S PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE APPROACH WILL CONVENE THREE GROUPS: THE ADVISORY GROUP, THE TASK FORCE AND PEER REVIEW GROUP, COMPRISED OF PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THESE GROUPS WILL GUIDE OVERALL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, HELP DESIGN APPLICATIONS AND SCORING RUBRICS, ESTABLISH METRICS FOR PROJECT OUTCOMES, AND EVALUATE APPLICATIONS. PNW WILL UNDERTAKE STRATEGIC, TARGETED, AND INTENTIONAL OUTREACH TO ENSURE POTENTIAL APPLICANTS THROUGHOUT REGION 10 ARE AWARE OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY AND ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. THE OUTREACH STRATEGY WILL INCLUDE IN-PERSON EVENTS, WEBINARS, A PARTNER OUTREACH TOOLKIT, PAID DIGITAL ADVERTISING, AND REGIONAL-SPECIFIC MESSAGING. ADDITIONALLY, FOUR MAIN SYSTEMS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE GRANT AWARD, DISBURSEMENT, TRACKING, ADJUSTMENT, AND FULL EXPENDITURE: AN EASY-TO-USE GRANT APPLICATION PLATFORM, A CUSTOMIZED PROJECT AND GRANTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. PNW'S PLAN FOR EPA'S ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THRIVING COMMUNITIES GRANTMAKING PROGRAM IS ANCHORED IN PNW'S CORE GOAL TO DISBURSE PROGRAM FUNDS EXPEDITIOUSLY AND EQUITABLY THROUGH THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SIMPLIFIED GRANTMAKING PROCESS THAT: CENTERS COMMUNITY VOICE AND PARTICIPATORY GRANTMAKING; LEVERAGES THE KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIPS OF OUR PARTNERS; AND ADDRESSES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES FOR COMMUNITIES MOST IN NEED.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES IN THE INITIAL AWARD PHASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: RECRUIT MEMBERS AND CONVENE MEETINGS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD, TASK FORCE, AND PEER REVIEW GROUP; CO-DESIGN THE GRANTMAKING PROGRAM INCLUDING THE APPLICATION, EVALUATION CRITERIA, AND METRICS; DEVELOP OUTREACH STRATEGY; LAUNCH PROJECT WEBSITE; IMPLEMENT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS IN-PERSON EVENTS, WEBINARS, MESSAGING TOOLKIT, AND MEDIA PLACEMENTS; ESTABLISH PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS INCLUDING APPLICATION PORTAL, GRANTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT MANAGEMENT WITH EPA REGIONAL OFFICE; DEVELOP AND OFFER TRAININGS FOR REVIEWERS AND SUBGRANTEES; PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO APPLICANTS AND SUBGRANTEES. SUBRECIPIENT:THIS AWARD WILL INCLUDE SUBAWARDS TO THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. THE SUBAWARDS WILL SUPPORT THE DESIGN OF THE GRANTMAKING PROGRAM, EXPERTISE ON DATA SOVEREIGNTY FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS TO TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND OTHER PARTNERS ABOUT THE PROGRAM, APPLICATION REVIEW, ACCESS TO A APPLICATION PLATFORM, APPLICATION REVIEWER SCORING TOOL, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION, GRANTS MANAGEMENT INCLUDING THE REVIEW PROCESS, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH GRANTEES. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE ESTABLISHED ADVISORY BOARD, TASK FORCE, AND PEER REVIEW GROUP COMPRISED OF PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS; PROJECT WEBSITE; AN OUTREACH TOOLKIT; SIMPLIFIED GRANT APPLICATION; CUSTOMIZED GRANTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; ESTABLISHED FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; DEVELOPED FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND DATA REPORTING TRAINING FOR SUBGRANTEES. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE A GRANTMAKING PROCESS ESTABLISHED WITH PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE AND AN ACCESSIBLE GRANTMAKING PROCESS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN REGION 10 WHICH INCLUDES ALASKA, IDAHO, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND 271 TRIBAL NA