Cooperative Agreement 84083801

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO PALMETTO FUTURES (PROVIDER/RECIPIENT) TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RELATED SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBO) WITHIN THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR. THE PROVIDER WILL DELIVER DATA COMPETENCY RELATED TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP CBOS DEVELOP EVALUATION AND REPORTING CAPACITY WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. THESE CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES WILL IMPROVE THE CBO'S APPLICATION QUALITY TO EPA GRANTS AND STATE REVOLVING FUNDS, PARTICULARLY FOR APPLICATION SECTIONS RELATED TO DATA COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT, AND REPORTING PLANS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES TRAINING TO IMPROVE THE POST AWARD REPORTING ACCURACY FOR CBOS WHO HAVE RECEIVED AN EPA GRANT BUT MAY LACK THE NECESSARY DATA RELATED COMPETENCY OR EVALUATION CAPACITY TO FULFILL THE REPORTING AND EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS. THIS INCREASED PERFORMANCE RELATING TO DATA COMPETENCY AND REPORTING WILL ENABLE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO BETTER COMMUNICATE HOW AWARDED EPA GRANTS IMPROVED THE OUTCOMES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WORKSHOPS ON PROGRAM EVALUATION AND THE EVIDENCE ACT, TRAINING TAILORED TO THE DATA CAPACITY NEEDS OF THE CBOS, AND 1 ON 1 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON DATA COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION.SUBRECIPIENT:THE ANTICIPATED SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CONDUCTING WORKSHOPS, PERFORMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, GATHERING FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM, AND DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING OUTREACH PLANS THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN THE PROVIDER'S ACTIVITIES, IMPROVED TRAININGS THAT INCORPORATE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND REACHING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT TYPICALLY DON'T APPLY FOR/RECEIVE EPA GRANTS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR (LOCATED WITHIN EPA REGION 4).OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH CBOS, ~15 TRAINING WORKSHOPS HELD WITH ~20 CBOS, NUMEROUS DATABASES DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED FOR EPA GRANT RECIPIENTS, AND SEVERAL DEVELOPED QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT PLANS (QAPP) AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANS (QMP) FOR EPA GRANT APPLICANTS/RECIPIENTS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE IMPROVED DATA REPORTING AND DISSEMINATION, INCREASED COMPLIANCE WITH EPA'S REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND INCREASED DATA FLUENCY/CAPACITY IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE CBOS IN THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR (LOCATED WITHIN EPA REGION 4).