2015-gro-undergrad.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2015/2015_gro_undergrad.html

Extramural Research

Site Navigation

Research Grant Announcements RFA e-mail list Archives

Grantee Research Project Results

Extramural Research Search

Funding Opportunities U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development National Center for Environmental Research Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Program

2015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Environmental Study

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: (See Section I.D. for descriptions)

EPA-F2015U-GRO-P1 Natural and Life Sciences EPA-F2015U-GRO-P2 Environmental Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs EPA-F2015U-GRO-P3 Engineering EPA-F2015U-GRO-P4 Social Sciences EPA-F2015U-GRO-Q1 Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences EPA-F2015U-GRO-Q2 Mathematics and Computer Science

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.513

Solicitation Opening Date: March 30, 2015 Solicitation Closing Date: May 19, 2015, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Table of Contents:

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Synopsis of Program Award Information Eligibility Information Application Materials Agency Contacts

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction B. Background C. Authority and Regulations D. Specific Areas of Interest E. References F. Special Requirements

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing C. Other

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Internet Address to Request Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Dates and Times D. Funding Restrictions E. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Peer Review B. Programmatic Review D. Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Review D. Funding Decisions

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Disputes C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Access GRO Fellowship Application Package and Forms (Forms and Standard Instructions Download Page) For a checklist and simplified instructions, see the fellowships FAQ (Guidance & Frequent Questions)

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Page 1 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

3/30/2015http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2015/2015_gro_undergrad.html

Synopsis of Program:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships program, is offering undergraduate fellowships for bachelor level students in environmental fields of study. The deadline for receipt of applications is May 19, 2015, at 11:59:59 PM ET. Subject to availability of funding and other applicable considerations, the Agency plans to award approximately 34 new fellowships. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer of their junior year. The fellowship provides up to $20,700 per academic year of support and $8,600 of support for a three-month summer internship.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B. Item 6 of this solicitation), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation. Additional information can be found in Section I.A of the full announcement.

Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:

Basic Information about Human Subjects Research Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

Award Information:

Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 34 awards Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $1,700,000 for all awards Potential Funding per Fellowship: Up to a total of $50,000 over a two-year period. Fellows will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for a paid summer internship at an EPA facility between their junior and senior years. Cost sharing is not required.

The earliest anticipated start date for these awards is September 1, 2015.

Eligibility Information (see Section III for complete description):

1. Students must attend a fully accredited four-year U.S. college or university (located in the U.S. or its territories) for their last two years of undergraduate studies during the fellowship period.

2. Students must also be citizens of the U.S. or its territories or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence. Resident aliens must have their green card at the time of application. Do not provide the green card number with your application; however, you may be asked to provide it at a later time to verify eligibility with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service of the Department of Homeland Security.

3. The GRO Undergraduate Fellowship is intended for students entering their last two years of full-time study before obtaining their first bachelor’s degree. Students who have already earned one bachelor’s degree and are pursuing additional degrees are not eligible. The fellowship tenure is for two full academic years (9 months each) with a required paid internship during the summer after the first year. Thus, only students who will be entering their last two years of college will be considered eligible.

4. Students must have at least a “B” average overall at the time of application submittal and during the tenure of the fellowship.

5. In order to receive the fellowship, students must attend a fully accredited four-year U.S. institution of higher education. These schools must be listed as not highly funded for research and development capacity. For the purposes of this solicitation, students attending those institutions receiving more than $35 million in annual federal research and development funding are ineligible to apply under this solicitation. Institutions who exceed this threshold can be identified in the National Science Foundation's publication "Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: FY 2012," Page 37, Table 12, column 2.

These data can be found at Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: FY 2012 (PDF) (260 pp, 4.78 MB, about PDF)

6. At the time of application submittal, students attending two-year institutions or community colleges, as well as students not in attendance at an institution of higher education, may be eligible to apply. However, in order to receive the fellowship, students attending two-year institutions or community colleges or students not in attendance at the time of application will need to show evidence of having received their Associate’s degree, as well as demonstrating that they only have two years left of undergraduate studies for completion of the Bachelor’s degree, and that they have been accepted to attend an accredited eligible four-year institution. This requirement is considered satisfied if the student is transferring to an accredited eligible four-year institution which has an Articulation Agreement with the two-year institution, thus meaning that all credits will transfer towards requirements for the Bachelor’s degree. See Section III.A. Eligible Applicants for further information.

Application Materials:

To apply under this solicitation, use the application package available at Grants.gov (for further submission information see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). The necessary forms for submitting a GRO application will be found on the National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) web site. If you are not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one week to complete the registration process. See Section IV for further information on application submission procedures.

If you do not have the technical capability to utilize the Grants.gov application submission process for this solicitation, see Section IV.A below for additional guidance and instructions.

The following application materials must be submitted:

Item 1.Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form (SF) 424 Item 2.EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54) Item 3.Front Page Item 4.Personal Statement Item 5.Background Information:

Education & Relevant Experiences Presentations Course Work

Item 6.EPA Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS)

Page 2 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

Item 7.Letters of Recommendation (submitted by reference letter writers)

Applications must identify a single topic and corresponding Funding Opportunity Number (FON), as described in Section I.D. that is appropriately related to the proposed area of inquiry. If your application seems to fit under more than one topic/FON, you still must choose a single topic/FON for purposes of submission. Your application can be submitted to one, and only one, FON. In instances where more than one application is submitted, EPA will contact the applicant to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn.

Agency Contacts:

Program Contact: Georgette Boddie ( boddie.georgette@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-8049 Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson; (josephson.ron@epa.gov) phone: 703-308-0442 Electronic Submissions Contact: Debra M. Jones (jones.debram@epa.gov); phone: 703-347-8081

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites applications for the Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for undergraduate environmentally-related study for bachelor’s level students. The deadline for receipt of applications is May 19, 2015. Subject to availability of funding, the quality of applications received and other applicable considerations, the Agency plans to award approximately 34 new fellowships. The fellowship provides up to $20,700 per year of academic support and $8,600 for internship support for a combined total of up to $50,000 over the life of the fellowship. The GRO program enhances and supports quality environmental education for undergraduates, and thereby encourages them to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level, and pursue careers in environmentally-related fields, such as biology, health, the social sciences, and engineering. The actual amount awarded per year will vary depending on the amount of tuition and fees and the number of months the stipend is required. This fellowship is intended to help defray costs associated with environmentally-oriented study leading to a bachelor’s degree.

EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation’s future well-being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants including, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects). This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D. Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children. Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D). All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.B. Item 6 of this solicitation), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.

Please note that surveys, interviews, and focus groups with individuals may constitute human subjects research.

The additional level of review is conducted by the EPA Human Subjects Research Review Official (HSRRO). In making a determination about conditional and later final approval, the HSRRO will apply both EPA Regulation 40 CFR 26 and EPA Policy Order 1000.17 Change A1, where human exposure research is interpreted as any intervention that manipulates subjects’ environment (i.e., modifies subjects’ exposure).

For more specific information including guidance and training, see:

Basic Information about Human Subjects Research Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

B. Background The GRO Undergraduate Fellowship program is part of the national effort to help ensure that the United States meets its current and projected human resource needs in the environmental science, engineering, mathematics, and technology fields. By enhancing and supporting quality environmental education for undergraduate students, the GRO Undergraduate Fellowship encourages promising students to pursue careers in environmentally-related fields and to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level.

This goal is consistent with the mission of EPA, which is to provide environmental and human health protection. The GRO Fellowship program has benefited the public by consistently providing the nation with well-trained environmental specialists to meet environmental challenges in our society. GRO supported fellows have provided new environmental research in the physical, biological, health, and social sciences as well as in engineering.

The specific Strategic Goal and Objective from the EPA’s Strategic Plan that relates to this solicitation are:

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development, Objective 3.1: Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities.

More information can be found in EPA’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan

C. Authority and Regulations The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in one or more of the following:

the Clean Air Act (CAA), Section 103, 42 U.S.C. 7403; the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 104, 33 U.S.C. 1254; the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Section 1442, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1; the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Section 20, 7 U.S.C. 136r; the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), Section 8001, 42 U.S.C.

6981; and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Section 10, 15 U.S.C. 2609.

For fellowships with an international aspect, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 102(2)(F).

Planned course of study must have a focus that is supported under one of the above mentioned funding authorities. Projects that relate to other funding authorities, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or CERCLA (i.e., Superfund sites and Brownfields) are not eligible for funding under this RFA. In addition, applications dealing with hydraulic fracking will not be funded by EPA through this program.

Page 3 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

Applicable Regulation: 40 CFR Part 46 (Fellowships)

Descriptions of the authorizing statutes are provided below:

CAA: Clean Air Act--Section 103:

Section 103 of the Clean Air Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention and control of air pollution.

CWA: Clean Water Act--Section 104:

Section 104 of the Clean Water Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution.

SDWA: Safe Drinking Water Act--Section 1442:

Section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for research, training, studies, and demonstrations relating to the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of physical and mental diseases and other impairments of man resulting directly or indirectly from contaminants in water, or to the provision of a dependably safe supply of drinking water, including (A) improved methods: (i) to identify and measure the existence of contaminants in drinking water (including methods which may be used by State and local health and water officials), and (ii) to identify the source of such contaminants; (B) improved methods to identify and measure the health effects of contaminants in drinking water; (C) new methods of treating raw water to prepare it for drinking, so as to improve the efficiency of water treatment and to remove contaminants from water; (D) improved methods for providing a dependably safe supply of drinking water, including improvements in water purification and distribution, and methods of assessing the health related hazards of drinking water; and (E) improved methods of protecting underground water sources of public water systems from contamination.

FIFRA: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act--Section 20:

Section 20 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for pesticide-related research, development, monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations, and studies.

SWDA: Solid Waste Disposal Act--Section 8001:

Section 8001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, public education programs and studies relating to: (1) adverse health and welfare effects from solid waste; (2) solid waste management programs; (3) resource recovery and conservation, and hazardous waste management systems; (4) production of usable forms of recovered resources; (5) waste reduction; (6) improved solid waste collection and disposal methods; (7) identification of solid waste components; (8) small scale and low technology solid waste management systems; (9) methods to improve performance of recovered solid waste; (10) improvements in land disposal practices; (11) methods for sound disposal of resources, including sludge and coal slurry; (12) methods of hazardous waste management; and (13) air quality impacts from the burning of solid waste.

TSCA: Toxic Substance Control Act--Section 10:

Section 10 of the Toxic Substance Control Act authorizes the EPA to make grants for research, development, monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations and studies directed toward the development of the fundamental scientific basis of screening and monitoring techniques used to detect toxic chemical substances and quantify the effects of toxic chemical substances and mixtures in the environment.

NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act --Section 102(2)(F):

For fellowships with an international aspect, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 102(2)

(F) which authorizes support to foreign recipients and international work/travel by domestic recipients. (Note: NEPA cannot be the sole supporting statute for a proposed fellowship.)

Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities, specifically, the statute(s) listed above. Generally, a project must address the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of air pollution, water pollution, solid/hazardous waste pollution, toxic substances control, or pesticide control depending on which statue(s) is listed above. These activities should relate to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. Proposals should emphasize this “learning” concept, as opposed to “fixing” an environmental problem via a well-established method. Proposals relating to other topics which are sometimes included within the term “environment” such as recreation, conservation, restoration, protection of wildlife habitats, etc., must describe the relationship of these topics to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control.

D. Specific Areas of Interest This RFA solicits applications from students interested in environmentally-related study and problem solving in a variety of environmentally-related areas which are described below. By providing financial support across disciplines, EPA expects to continue to assist in increasing the nation’s environmental workforce and the ability to produce leading edge research, and in advancing the nation’s research and development enterprise.

Funding Opportunity Numbers (FON) Select a single Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for your application from the list below. You may submit only one application under this fellowship announcement and therefore can apply for only one FON. Failure to select a proper FON could result in an inappropriate review assignment. If your application seems to fit under more than one FON, choose the most appropriate one, or select “Environmental Sciences & Interdisciplinary Programs.” Your application can be submitted to one, and only one, FON. In instances where more than one application is submitted, EPA will contact the applicant to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn.

Note: Your application should describe the relationship of these topic areas to the statutorily required purpose of pollution prevention and/or control.

EPA-F2015U-GRO-P1 Natural and Life Sciences (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Biology, Ecology, Microbiology, Molecular Sciences, etc.)

EPA-F2015U-GRO-P2 Environmental Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Environmental Studies, Urban Sustainability and Land Use Planning, Environmental Health, Environmental Policy, Environmental Education, Native/Tribal Environmental Science, Social Entrepreneurship, etc.)

Page 4 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

EPA-F2015U-GRO-P3 Engineering (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Environmental Engineering, Waste Management, Green Building Engineering, Biotechnology, Environmental Design, Innovative Environmental Technology Development, etc.)

EPA-F2015U-GRO-P4 Social Sciences (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Economics, International Environmental Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Environmental Justice, etc.)

EPA-F2015U-GRO-Q1 Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Atmospheric Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Geography, Biogeochemistry, Water Quality, etc.)

EPA-F2015U-GRO-Q2 Mathematics and Computer Science (Includes pollution prevention and/or control-related study in Environmental Information Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Bioinformatics, etc.)

E. References EPA’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan Fellowships webpage

F. Special Requirements Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage. Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. There are many scientific and ethical considerations that must be addressed in such studies by the study sponsor and research team, including, but not limited to, those related to recruitment, retention, participant compensation, third-party issues, researcher-participant interactions, researcher-community interactions, communications, interventions, and education. All such research must comply with the requirements of 40 CFR Part 26, and any human observational exposure studies must also adhere to the principles set forth in the Scientific and Ethical Approaches for Observational Exposure Studies (SEAOES) (PDF) (133 pp, 1.21 MB, about PDF) (EPA/600/R-08/062) document. SEAOES, which was published by researchers in EPA and which discusses the principles for the ethical conduct of human research studies, serves as a resource for applicants interested in applying under this solicitation.

References to “SEAOES Principles” in this solicitation refers, in general, to the issues of interest in conducting human subjects research studies that maintain the highest scientific and ethical standards and safety during the conduct of these studies. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.B. Item 6 of this solicitation) and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.C and V.D of this solicitation.

The fellowship awards expected to be made under this RFA may involve the collection of "Geospatial Information," which includes information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the Earth or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

It is anticipated that a total of approximately $1,700,000 will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding approximately 34 fellowships under this RFA. The maximum projected award per fellowship is $20,700 per year total costs for up to two years, plus $8,600 for internship support. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $50,000 will not be considered. Further, the duration of the fellowship cannot exceed two years.

The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards or make fewer awards than anticipated under this announcement. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.

The fellowship provides up to $20,700 per year of academic support and $8,600 for internship support for a combined total of up to $50,000 over the life of the fellowship. A more detailed breakout of the funding which covers stipend, tuition, and expenses is provided below:

Stipends: During the nine-month academic year, an $800 stipend will be paid to the Fellow each month, for a total annual stipend of $7,200. Stipends are paid directly to the Fellow. At its discretion, the institution may supplement a Fellow's stipend from institutional funds in accordance with the supplementation policy of the institution.

Tuition and Academic Fees: Up to $11,000 per year will be paid directly to the institution for allowable tuition and fees. For the purposes of this fellowship, health insurance is not considered to be an academic fee even if it is required by the institution. For purposes of this fellowship, health insurance is an expense, not an academic fee.

Expense Allowance: $2,500 per year will be paid directly to the institution to pay for items and activities for the direct benefit of the fellow’s education, such as for health insurance, books, supplies, and travel to technical and scientific meetings. Specific instructions regarding the disbursement and management of the expense allowance will be provided during the award process.

Internship Allowance: During the summer internship, the fellow will receive a total of $8,600 for the three-month period. This amount includes $1,000 for travel to and from the summer internship site, $1,000 getting started fee (relocation and related expenses); $1,000 for travel while at the site, and a stipend of $5,600 for living expenses.

Summer Internship: The fellow will participate for up to 12 weeks at an EPA facility (located in the U.S. or its territories) as a Summer Intern in the EPA GRO Summer Intern Program, during the summer of their first year of EPA fellowship support. Each Intern must complete a summer project that is designed to complement and enhance the training received under the fellowship program. An aspect of the summer project will explore topics in broader societal impacts including but not limited to: furthering environmental awareness, encouraging environmental stewardship, promoting environmental equity and justice, and broadening participation of all citizens. EPA will provide support for temporary relocation and provide a living stipend, as described above, during the Summer Internship. Fellows will be contacted during their first year to arrange for this Internship.

Page 5 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

Annual Conference: Fellows are expected to attend one technical/scientific conference as long as they are members of the GRO undergraduate program. Resources to support this travel are to be taken from the expense allowance.

International Activities: The Fellow's proposed research may be conducted outside the U.S. However, EPA allows only $2,500/year for all expenses, including travel. See "Expense Allowance" for details. If it becomes necessary to travel outside the U.S. or its territories, you must notify your Project Officer at least six (6) months in advance. You will also be required to obtain local permits in other countries to conduct research there. Your Project Officer will obtain the necessary EPA and State Department approvals before the fellowship funds can be used to conduct these activities. Fellows who travel overseas using federal funds will be required to comply with the provisions of the Fly America Act.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants Applicants must attend a fully accredited four-year U.S. college or university (located in the U.S. or its territories) for the fellowship period. Individuals must be citizens of the U.S. or its territories or possessions, or be lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence. You must have your green card at the time of application to be eligible for this Fellowship opportunity. Do not provide the green card number with your application; however, you may be asked to provide it at a later time to verify eligibility with the U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service of the Department of Homeland Security.

The GRO Undergraduate Fellowship is intended for students entering their last two years of full time study before obtaining their first bachelor’s degree. Students who have already earned one bachelor’s degree and are pursuing additional degrees are not eligible. The fellowship tenure is for 2 full academic years (9 months each) with a required paid summer internship after their first year. Thus, only students who will be entering their last two years of college will be considered eligible.

In order to receive the fellowship, the student must attend a fully accredited four-year U.S. institution of higher education. This school must be among those that are not highly funded for research and development capacity. For the purposes of this solicitation, students attending those institutions receiving more than $35 million in annual federal research and development funding are ineligible to apply under this solicitation. Institutions who exceed this threshold can be identified in the National Science Foundation's publication "Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: FY 2012," Page 37, Table 12, column 2. These data can be found at Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions: FY 2012 (PDF) (260 pp, 4.78 MB, about PDF)

Students attending those institutions either not listed, or listed as having received $35 million or less as designated in column 2 of Table 12 are eligible to apply.

Students attending two-year institutions, community colleges, and those not in attendance at an institution of higher education at the time of application submittal may be eligible to apply. However, in order to be eligible to receive the fellowship, students attending two-year institutions, community colleges, or those not in attendance at the time of application will need to show evidence of having received their Associate’s degree, demonstrate that they only have two years left of undergraduate studies for completion of their Bachelor’s degree, and will also need to demonstrate that they have been accepted to attend an accredited eligible four-year institution. This requirement is considered satisfied if the student is transferring to an accredited eligible four-year institution which has an Articulation Agreement with the two-year institution, thus meaning that all credits will transfer towards requirements for the Bachelor’s degree. An Articulation Agreement is a signed contract between a community or technical college and a four-year college or university that guarantees that a student who earns an associate’s degree at a participating two-year institution can transfer all of the general education core credits to the four-year institution toward the completion of baccalaureate degree requirements. More information can usually be obtained directly from the institution’s Registrar. Alternately, a student with an Associate’s degree may provide a letter from the Registrar of the accredited eligible four-year institution verifying that upon matriculation, the student will only have two remaining years of undergraduate study to complete the first Bachelor’s degree.

Students must be pursuing a bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related field, such as biology, health, the social sciences, or engineering. Students must have two (2) years remaining from the start of the Fall semester (Fall 2015) before receiving their initial bachelor's degree. Students must have at least a “B” average overall at the time of application submittal and during the tenure of the fellowship.

Applicants who currently have another federal fellowship are not eligible. However, acceptance of a fellowship under this solicitation does not necessarily preclude acceptance of another private, state, regional, local, or non-profit scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, research assistantship, teaching assistantship, or grant aid.

Employees of the U.S. government may apply, but must be able to prove separation from Federal service before accepting this fellowship.

Applications must be submitted by the student. Applications submitted by the institution on behalf of the student will be rejected without review.

The exact term (start and end dates) of the undergraduate fellowship is negotiated with the student and covers a period of nine months for each fellowship year. Students seeking a bachelor’s degree may be supported for a maximum of two academic years.

Diversity: EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation’s future well-being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply.

B. Cost-Sharing Cost sharing is not required.

C. Other Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or they will be rejected without review. In addition, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to parts of the application, pages in excess of the limitation will not be reviewed. In addition, applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement (see Section IV.E. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for further information) to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. All applicants must also follow the instructions for verifying that their application was

Page 6 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

received by NCER or their application may not be accepted for review. Also, applications exceeding the funding limits described in Section II will be rejected without review.

Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal Agency) will not be funded.

Applicants may submit only one application for this announcement. Applications must identify a single topic and corresponding Funding Opportunity Number (FON), as described in Section I.D. that is appropriately related to the proposed area of inquiry. If your application seems to fit under more than one topic/FON, you still must choose a single topic/FON for purposes of submission. Your application can be submitted to one, and only one, FON. In instances where more than one application is submitted, EPA will contact the applicant to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn.

Applications deemed ineligible for funding consideration will be notified within fifteen calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Ron Josephson; (josephson.ron@epa.gov) in NCER, phone: 703-308-0442.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Internet Address to Request Application Package Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins USEPA Headquarters William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51267 Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Applicant Name Applicant’s Contact Information (email address and phone number) Explanation of how you lack the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through Grants.gov.

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding proposal content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2015, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2015). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2015 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2016, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2016.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see "Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements"). Instructions for completing these forms follow.

An email will be sent by NCER to the applicant to acknowledge receipt of the application and to transmit other important information. The email will be sent from receipt.application@epa.gov; any email sent to this address will not be accepted. Please be aware that this notification is separate from the one you will receive from Grants.gov. NCER does not notify you of receipt of your Letters of Recommendation.

Due to the volume of applications received, the emailed acknowledgement from receipt.application@epa.gov may take several weeks. Thus, our staff will not respond to queries regarding applications received before June 18, 2015. Please make a notation on your calendar to contact the program at 2015FellowshipsRFA@epa.gov from June 18, 2015 to no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on July 9, 2015 for information if you have not received the notification from receipt.application@epa.gov by that time. Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application being rejected without review. See "Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements" for

Page 7 of 172015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for Undergraduate Enviro...

additional information regarding acknowledgment of receipt of electronically submitted applications. Check your email spam folder and/or check your spam filter settings to ensure emails from EPA are delivered to your email inbox.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission The application is made by submitting the materials described below. Applications must contain all information requested and be submitted in the formats described. It is essential that all contact information be that of the applicant unless specifically requested otherwise.

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Summary of Application Materials

Mandatory documents:

Item 1.Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form (SF) 424 Item 2.EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54) Item 3.Front Page Item 4.Personal Statement Item 5.Background Information:

Education & Relevant Experiences Presentations Course Work

Item 6.EPA Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Item 7.Letters of Recommendation (sent by letter writers)

The application is made by submitting the materials described below. For Items 3-6 prepare these using standard 8.5" x 11" page size, 12-point, Times New Roman font, 1" margins on all sides, and single spacing. While these guidelines establish the minimum type size requirements, applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the proposal.

Do not exceed the page limits indicated. Excess pages will not be reviewed. References in the end notes do not count towards the page limits. Images may be included; however they will be reproduced only in black and white. All images, in-text citations, and footnotes are included in the page limits.

The applicant submits Items 1-6 as part of the Grants.gov application (See “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). The Letters of Recommendation (Item 7) are submitted directly to EPA by those individuals writing the letters (see "Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”).

Item 1. Standard Form 424 The student, that is the individual applying for funding, must complete Standard Form 424 for electronic submissions via Grants.gov. This form will be the first page of the application. Use the Standard Form 424 in the electronic application package (see "Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements").

Instructions for Standard Form 424

Follow the instructions detailed below for items that may cause difficulty. Only the yellow highlighted fields of the form need to be completed.

1. Check “Pre-application.”

8.a. The applicant is the student submitting the application (not an Institution).

8.b. Enter “00-0000000” (see 8.a.).

8.f. The contact person is the student (see 8.a.).

9. Enter "P: individual"

15. Enter the title of your chosen FON. You do not need to provide a description.

16.a. For help finding the appropriate Congressional District, see Legislative Resources at U.S. House of Representatives (upper right hand corner where it says “Find Your Representative.”) For U.S. territories (e.g., Puerto Rico), please enter 00.

16.b. Enter "00".

17.a. Enter a start date of 09/01/2015.

17.b. Enter an End Date up to two (2) academic years for bachelor's degree support. If necessary, these dates can be modified if you receive a fellowship.

18.a. Enter the amount of funding you are requesting (up to $50,000 total for the tenure of the fellowship leading up to the bachelor’s degree).

18.b.-f. Enter "0"

19. Enter "c" Program is not covered.

The Authorized Representative is the student (see 8.a.). You may enter "student" as the title. “Close Form” will save and close the form.

Item 2. EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54) The applicant must complete the "Key Contacts" form as the second page of the application as directed below. Use the EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54) in the electronic application package (see "Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements"). Please make certain that all contact information is accurate.

Key Contacts Form Instructions:

Authorized Representative: Enter the applicant's name and current address information.

Payee: Enter the applicant's permanent address information.