2018_ee_local_grants_rfp_region_2_final.pdf

FEDERAL AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) Office of Environmental Education

TITLE: Environmental Education Local Grants Program for Region 2 -- Solicitation Notice for

ACTION: Request for Proposals (RFP)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-EE-18-02

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 66.951

Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is March 15, 2018, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) in order to be considered for funding. Proposal packages must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov website, https://www.grants.gov/. See Section III (C) (2) for more details about the deadline and Section IV (B) for submission instructions.

Summary: The purpose of the Environmental Education Local Grants Program in Region 02 is to support locally-focused environmental education projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental and conservation issues and provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment.

Funding/Awards: The total funding for the competitive opportunity in U.S. EPA Region 2 is up to $300,000. This Region expects to award three or four grants for no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 each. Region 2 covers the states (and, in some regions, territories) of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (NJ, NY ,PR, VI). Please send an application to this Region only if your project will take place in one or more of those states or territories.

This RFP is one of 10 being issued nationally, one in each of EPA’s ten Regions, for a total funding of up to $3,000,000 nationwide. EPA expects to award three or four grants from each of the EPA’s 10 Regional Offices under the Fiscal Year 2018 Environmental Education Local Grants Program, for a total of approximately 30 to 35 grants nationwide. The award amount for each of these grants will be no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 in federal funds. The award amounts and the number of awards are subject to the availability of funds, the quality and quantity of proposals received, and other applicable considerations.

Cost Sharing Requirement: Applicants must demonstrate how they will provide non-federal matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost of the project.

Project Period: Proposals should plan for projects to start no earlier than September 1, 2018.

Project periods should be proposed for one or two years or any time period between one and two years.

https://www.grants.gov/

CONTENTS BY SECTION

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Proposal and Submission Information V. Proposal Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contacts

Appendices A – Federal Forms and Instructions B – Example of Detailed Budget C – Checklist for Proposal D – Expected Outputs and Outcomes and Example of Logic Model

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background Under this solicitation EPA is seeking grant proposals from eligible applicants to support locally-focused environmental education projects that promote environmental and conservation stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens.

This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, as described in this notice, that will serve to increase environmental literacy and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in the local community(ies) in which they are located. Selections and awards will be made in Region 2. (Note that separate solicitations will be issued from each of the 10 EPA Regional Offices, and selections and awards will be made in each respective Region.)

The National Environmental Education Act (Act) requires that exactly 25% of all funds obligated under Section 6, the Environmental Education Grant Program, in a fiscal year be for grant awards of not more than $5,000. Accordingly, each recipient (i.e., the “prime” recipient) of a grant under this solicitation will be required to award exactly 25% (no more and no less) of the funds received from EPA to eligible sub-recipients in the form of sub-grants of $5,000 or less.

Please note that this is different from the requirement in the Act that each recipient provide a cost sharing (match) of 25% or more of the total project amount.

EPA receives a large number of grant proposals under this program and can fund just a small percentage of those proposals received. To ensure that grant proposals are competitive, applicants should carefully read Sections IV and V regarding how to structure a proposal and what criteria will be used to evaluate proposals.

EPA seeks to fund a variety of projects in each competition cycle in order to support a range of educational and environmental priorities, geographic areas, and audiences, especially as compared to the pool of previously funded projects. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that their proposal is for a project for which they (the applicant) have not been previously awarded a grant by EPA’s EE program and a statement to this effect must be included in the Project Summary; or the applicant must demonstrate that they are expanding, building on, enhancing or otherwise modifying a project previously funded by EPA’s EE Grant Program.

Go to the EPA website http://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-grants to see the list and descriptions of projects previously funded by this program.

B. Goal and Definitions

(1) Goal

The goal of this solicitation is to fund locally-focused EE projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, as described in this notice. EPA will provide financial support for projects that promote environmental and conservation stewardship and help develop informed, knowledgeable and responsible citizens in the community(ies) in which the project is located.

(2) Definition of Environmental Education (EE)

EE is defined in the Act as:

“educational activities and training activities involving elementary, secondary, and postsecondary students, as such terms are defined in the State in which they reside, and environmental education personnel, but does not include technical training activities directed toward environmental management professionals or activities primarily directed toward the support of non-educational research and development.” The Act also states that “The Office of Environmental Education shall…support development and the widest possible dissemination of model curricula, educational materials, and training programs for elementary and secondary students and other interested groups, including senior Americans.”

EPA further clarifies that environmental and conservation information and outreach may be important elements of EE projects, but these activities by themselves are not EE. By itself, environmental or conservation information only addresses awareness and knowledge, usually about a particular environmental or conservation issue. Outreach involves information dissemination and requests or suggestions for action on a particular issue (often without the critical thinking, problem solving and decision making steps in between). EE teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills on environmental and conservation topics. EE is a continuum that covers the range of steps and activities from awareness to action with an ultimate goal of environmental and conservation stewardship.

http://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-grants

EE increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental and conservation issues and provides the participants in its programs the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions. EE is based on objective and scientifically-sound information and does not advocate a particular viewpoint or a particular course of action. EE involves lifelong learning; its audiences are of all age groups, from very young children through senior citizens. EE can include both outdoor and in-classroom education, in both formal and non-formal settings.

(3) Definitions of terms used throughout this solicitation.

(a) “Conservation”, as related to EPA’s mission and for purposes of this solicitation, is defined as the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife in order to achieve maximum environmental and human health benefits.

(b) “Environmental or Conservation Information” provides facts or opinions about environmental or conservation issues or problems. Information is essential to any educational effort. However, environmental or conservation information is not by itself EE. Information provides facts or opinions, whereas education teaches people how to think, analyze, and solve problems.

(c) “Environmental or Conservation Outreach” disseminates information and sometimes asks audiences to take specific action, but doesn’t necessarily teach people how to analyze an issue.

Outreach often presents a particular point of view, and often in pursuit of a particular goal.

Examples may include a community meeting to inform residents about a toxic site in their area and where they can go for help, or a campaign to get volunteer participants for restoration of soil health or of a stream’s riparian zone.

(d) “Environmental or Conservation Stewardship” is voluntary commitment, behavior, and action that results in environmental protection or improvement, or conservation of our natural resources. Stewardship refers to an acceptance of personal responsibility for actions to improve environmental quality and to achieve conservation outcomes. Stewardship involves lifestyles and business practices, initiatives and actions that enhance the state of the environment and natural resources. Some examples are: living or conducting business in such a

Environmental Education Continuum

Awareness Knowledge Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Decision Making Action Stewardship

Environmental Information & Outreach

Environmental Education Continuum

Awareness Knowledge Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Decision Making Action Stewardship

Environmental Information & Outreach

Awareness Knowledge Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Decision Making Action Stewardship

Environmental Information & Outreach way as to minimize or eliminate pollution at its source; using natural resources efficiently;

decreasing the use of hazardous chemicals; recycling wastes effectively; and conserving or restoring soil, forests, prairies, wetlands, rivers, and parks. Stewardship can be practiced by individuals, groups, schools, organizations, companies, communities, and state and local governments.

C. Educational and Environmental Priorities In order to be eligible, all proposals must:

(1) address at least one of the EPA educational priorities listed below,

(2) address at least one of the EPA Administrator’s environmental priorities listed below; and,

(3) satisfy the definition of “environmental education” as defined under Section I(B) as discussed above.

The educational and environmental priorities listed below are not in order of importance or preference. Proposals may address more than one priority in each category, but if more than one priority is addressed, then it is important that the proposal is clear which priority in each category (educational and environmental) is the focus of the project and why that focus was chosen for the proposed project. EPA seeks to fund a balance of projects in this competition cycle in order to support as even a distribution of educational priorities as possible, as well as a variety of geographic areas and audiences in both educational and environmental priority categories.

In addition, these priorities focus on environmental and conservation challenges that require a population that is diverse, informed, environmentally literate, as well as willing and able to translate their knowledge and skills into decisions and actions that protect the environment and conserve natural resources in every community, including but not limited to minority, low income, rural, and tribal communities. We encourage proposals that reach out to a variety of communities, especially those that are or more likely to have been affected adversely (e.g., higher rates of medical problems due to environmental factors) by environmental risks or conservation issues than other communities.

EPA’s Educational Priorities:

Proposals must address at least one of these Educational Priorities to be considered eligible.

1. Agricultural Education: Educating students of any age group and/or training their educators or community leaders on how to teach, in formal and non-formal settings, about environmental issues affecting agriculture in urban, suburban and rural communities -- in such areas as integrated pest management, nutrient management, integrated vegetation management, and air, soil and water quality issues-- and how to find creative solutions to such issues.

2. Community Projects: Increasing public understanding of the benefits of and participation in environmental and conservation stewardship through community collaboration on water and soil quality issues, food waste management, increase of locally sourced food in farm to table systems, management of ecosystem health and/or local fire or flood prevention and fire, flood or hurricane preparedness as related to human health and environmental protection. Projects can take place in rural, suburban and urban settings, in a local formal or non-formal educational context, and use outdoor, place-based, experiential, service learning and/or community-focused stewardship activities as the primary teaching tool(s).

3. Career Development: Educating students of any age group and/or training their educators or community leaders on how to teach, in formal and non-formal settings, about environmental and conservation issues, solutions and stewardship for the purpose of encouraging interest in careers in environmental fields, including conservation, natural resources, chemical safety, and water and air quality management fields.

A note on training educators:

EPA has previously funded various projects focused on the skills needed to be an effective environmental educator. A resource developed by one of these projects, Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, is intended to guide other projects that address EE teaching skills. You may download or order a copy of this publication by going to EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-publications.

EPA’s Environmental Priorities:

Proposals must address at least one of the Administrator’s Environmental Priorities, and at least one topic under a priority, to be considered eligible. Therefore, from the list below, select a numbered priority and then a specific topic designated by a letter; e.g., 1. Improving air quality…a. Work collaboratively to prevent future air quality issues by making appropriate preparations for the prevention of wild fires.

1. Improving air quality to ensure Americans are living and working in areas that meet high air quality standards.

a. Work collaboratively to prevent future air quality issues by making appropriate preparations for the prevention of wild fires.

2. Ensuring clean and safe water by supporting clean drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic and subsistence activities.

a. Work collaboratively to prevent future water quality and human health issues through appropriate management for flood and hurricane preparedness.

b. Work collaboratively to participate in the conservation of quality water resources.

c. Work collaboratively to manage nutrients in water systems by reducing the use of pesticides and/or nutrient run-off from soil, while maintaining both quality agricultural yields and minimal environmental harm.

d. Work collaboratively to manage the health of aquatic ecosystems to achieve the maximum in environmental and human health benefits and support recreational, economic, and subsistence activities.

http://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-publications

3. Ensuring the safety of chemicals.

a. Work collaboratively on Integrated Pest Management to achieve the most environmentally effective management of pests in the agricultural setting.

b. Work collaboratively on Integrated Vegetation Management issues for the maximum in environmental benefits; for example, for maintaining native species within public rights-of-way.

4. Increasing transparency, public participation, and collaboration with communities.

a. Work collaboratively to educate school-aged children, their parents, and the community on food issues as related to environmental health issues; e.g., maintaining school gardens to teach about pesticide management and water conservation, or using farmers’ markets and farm to table systems to teach about the environmental benefits of local food supplies.

b. Work collaboratively to manage food waste for environmental benefits; e.g., the benefits of composting, reduction of waste going to landfills, etc.

D. Partnerships Partnerships are not required. However, applicants are encouraged to work with partners to develop, design and implement proposed projects and will be evaluated on their plan to work with partners (or their plan to develop, design and implement the project without partners) under a criterion explained in Section V. Partners can be non-profits, colleges and universities, schools and school districts, tribal entities, state and local government agencies, federal agencies, and for-profit companies. Note, however, that federal agencies and for-profit companies cannot receive any of the grant funds awarded by EPA under this program and federal funds cannot be used as match.

Partnerships can strengthen recruitment plans by increasing potential numbers and diversity of audiences, can increase the variety of and accessibility to expertise needed to conduct a successful project, and can assist in meeting the matching funds requirement. See Section III

(B) for more information about the matching funds requirement. Note too that partnerships with for-profit companies are especially encouraged when they can help the applicant produce environmental results in their grant project that improve the quality of air, water, soil, and natural resources.

E. Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan and Expected Outputs and Outcomes

(1) Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan. EPA’s draft Strategic Plan is available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html.

The activities to be funded under this announcement are intended to further EPA’s current priority to increase transparency and public participation by listening to and collaborating with impacted stakeholders and providing effective platforms for public participation and meaningful engagement. In addition, because environmental education is an important non-regulatory tool the Agency uses to help meet its mission, the activities to be funded under this announcement are intended to further EPA’s current priorities for improving air quality, ensuring clean and safe water, and/or ensuring the safety of chemicals, as outlined in Section https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html

I.C. of this solicitation. Applicants must explain in their proposal how their project will further these current priorities.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order- 57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above.

(2) Expected Outputs and Outcomes (See Appendix D). Recipients of these grants will design, develop and implement locally-focused educational projects that encourage behavior beneficial to the environment and our natural resources through non-regulatory means while raising public awareness of actions that can be taken to promote environmental and conservation stewardship. The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. As such, the proposal should demonstrate how the project will result in both educational and environmental outputs and outcomes.

During the evaluation process for proposals, EPA will determine if each work plan contains well-defined educational and environmental outputs and outcomes, adequately describes the applicant’s plan and approach for tracking and measuring progress towards achieving the outputs and outcomes, and clearly explains how the applicant will achieve the expected outputs and outcomes. Proposed outputs and short-term outcomes must be completed and be reported to EPA within the project period. Progress should at least begin on medium-term or long-term outcomes during the project period. For more detailed information on expected outputs and outcomes from environmental education grants, please see Appendix D.

F. Required Sub-grants and Matching Funds A grantee under this solicitation will be required to award exactly 25% (no more and no less) of the funds received from EPA to eligible sub-recipients in the form of sub-grants of $5,000 or less. This means that if the total dollar amount proposed to be awarded to sub-grants in a proposal is either below or above exactly 25% of EPA funds requested, the proposal will be deemed ineligible.

There is also a cost sharing (match) requirement, which must be for a minimum of 25% of the total project amount. A proposal will be deemed ineligible if funds for less than 25% of the total project amount are proposed as match.

More information about matching funds and sub-grant requirements can be found in Sections III and IV.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

G. Other Funding Opportunities Please note that this is a very competitive grant program. Limited funding is available and not all grant proposals can be funded. If your project is not funded, you may wish to review other available grant funding opportunities on the federal site Grants.gov, https://www.grants.gov/.

H. Statutory Authority Section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-619) authorizes the award of these Environmental Education Grants.

Section II. Award Information

A. Funding Type The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant.

B. Number and Amount of Awards EPA Region 2 anticipates funding three or four grants in Fiscal Year 2018 under this solicitation; each grant will be funded for no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 in federal funds, subject to the availability of funds, the quality and quantity of proposals received, and other applicable considerations.

C. Start Date and Length of Project Period Applicants should plan for their projects to begin no earlier than September 1, 2018.

Applicants should plan for a flexible start date since the date awards are made depends on a variety of factors. EPA will accept proposals for one or 2-year project periods, but the total funding will be the same regardless of the project period (i.e., if a 2-year project is proposed for $100,000, the award amount is $100,000 for the whole 2 years and no additional funding will be issued for the second year.) The proposal must demonstrate clearly how the project will be completed in the time frame proposed.

D. Funding and Partial Funding Provisions EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards under this announcement or make fewer awards than expected.

EPA also reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement consistent with Agency policy and guidance if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete portions or phases of a proposed project. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal or portion thereof was evaluated or selected for award and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

E. Multiple Applications Applicants may submit more than one application under this solicitation so long as each one is for a different project and is separately submitted.

Section III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants The terms for eligibility to apply for a grant under this RFP are defined in Section 3 of the Act and 2 CFR Part 200 and CFDA 66.951.

Any local education agency, college or university, state education or environmental agency, nonprofit organization as described in Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a noncommercial educational broadcasting entity as defined and licensed by Federal Communications Commission may submit a proposal. Applicant organizations must be located in the United States or territories, and the majority of the educational activities must take place in the United States; or in the United States and Canada or Mexico; or in U.S. Territories. A teacher’s school district, a nonprofit organization of which an educator or other individual is a member, or a faculty member’s college or university may apply, but an individual, a teacher or a faculty member may not apply on his/her own. Eligibility requirements apply to both “prime” recipients and sub-grantees. “Tribal education agencies” that are eligible to apply include a school or community college which is controlled by an Indian tribe, band, or nation, which is recognized as eligible for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians and which is not administered by the Bureau of Indian Education. Tribal organizations do not qualify unless they meet those criteria or the non-profit criteria listed above and below.

For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. Additionally, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

B. Matching Funds Non-federal matching funds of at least 25% of the total cost of the grant project are required for awards made under this announcement. The matching requirement is explained in detail in Section IV(E)(3)(b) under Detailed Budget Table and Narrative and Matching Funds Explanation.

In order to be eligible for funding consideration, proposals must demonstrate how the match requirement will be met if selected for an award. Under appropriate circumstances, applicants may use partnerships to assist with matching funds requirements. See Section I (D) above for further information about Partnerships. Applicants must be aware, however, that regardless of whether it is a partner(s) or their own organization that is providing the matching funds, the applicant itself is responsible for ensuring that the cost share requirement is met.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria Proposals must meet the following threshold criteria to be eligible for funding consideration under this solicitation. Failure to meet any of the following criteria in the proposal will result in disqualification of the proposal for funding consideration. Ineligible applicants will be notified by email within 15 calendar days of the determination that they are ineligible based on the threshold criteria.

(1) Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is specified in Section IV for the work plan, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

(2) Proposals must be submitted through the Grants.gov website (https://www.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 proposal submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their proposal is timely submitted.

(3) Proposals 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 the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/) or relevant SAM.gov (https://www.sam.gov/) system issues.

An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal through the Grants.gov website 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. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal with Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov) as soon as possible after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed. Note:

Successful submission and receipt of a proposal does not guarantee its eligibility for review.

(4) The applicant must be an eligible organization as described in Section III (A) above and state in its proposal how it meets that eligibility criterion.

(5) The applicant must demonstrate in its proposal how the non-federal match will be met, as required in Section III (B) above.

(6) Proposals for awards must be for no less than $50,000, and no more than $100,000 in federal funds or the proposal will be rejected.

(7) Proposals must describe how the applicant’s project will result in the award of exactly (no more and no less than) 25% of the amount awarded by EPA as sub-grants of $5,000 or less to https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ mailto:may.jennifer@epa.gov eligible sub-grantees. Note: This means that if the total dollar amount proposed to be awarded to sub-grants of $5,000 or less is either below or above exactly 25% of the EPA funds requested, the proposal will be deemed ineligible. This is different from the match requirement, which can be more than 25% of the total project amount. For example, if EPA awards $100,000 to the prime recipient, then the prime must award exactly $25,000 in sub-grants of $5000 or less.

(8) The proposal must be for a project that satisfies the definition of “environmental education” as defined under Section I (B).

(9) The proposal must address at least one of the educational priorities listed in Section I (C).

(10) The proposal must address at least one of the EPA’s environmental priorities and topics (by number and letter) listed in Section 1(C). No variations from the listed priorities will be deemed acceptable.

(11) Applicants must demonstrate that their proposal is for a project for which they (the applicant) have not been previously awarded a grant by EPA’s EE program and a statement to this effect must be included in the Project Summary; or the applicant must demonstrate that they are expanding, building on, enhancing or otherwise modifying a project previously funded by EPA’s EE Grant Program.

(12) Applicants can submit more than one proposal under this solicitation so long as each one is for a different project and is separately submitted.

D. Ineligible Activities If a proposal is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding. Activities and tasks ineligible for funding in the EE Grants Program include:

(1) Technical training of environmental management professionals;

(2) Environmental “information” and/or “outreach” projects that have no additional educational component, as described in Section I (B)(3);

(3) Advocacy promoting a particular point of view or course of action;

(4) Lobbying or political activities as defined in 2 CFR Part 200.450;

(5) Non-educational research and development; or

(6) Construction projects–EPA will not fund construction activities such as the acquisition of real property (e.g., buildings) or the construction or modification of any building.

Section IV. Proposal and Submission Information

A. Requirement to Submit through the Grants.gov website and Limited Exception Procedures Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through the Grants.gov website (https://www.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 the Grants.gov website (https://www.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 (i.e., by email or hard copy) 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 Jessica Durand USEPA Headquarters William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278 Washington, DC 20004

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

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON) – EPA-EE-18- 02

• Organization Name and DUNS

• Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)

• Explanation of how they 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 the Grants.gov website.

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 https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov 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 is approved on March 1, 2018, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2018). 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 the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/) for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on November 15, 2018 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2019, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2019.

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 Contact(s) 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.

B. Submission Instructions The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through the Grants.gov website, go to https://www.grants.gov/ and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the “Get Registered” link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registrations on the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/), SAM.gov (https://www.sam.gov/), and DUNS number assignment are FREE.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/) and whose DUNS number is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the DUNS number listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization’s SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/) and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then “Apply for Grants” from the dropdown menu and then follow the instructions accordingly. Please note: To apply through Grants.gov, you must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit Adobe Reader Compatibility Information on Grants.gov

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov. Go to Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/) and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA- EE-18-02, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.951), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Please Note: Applications submitted through Grants.gov beginning January 1, 2018 must be submitted through the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the Grants.gov Workspace Overview Page.

Application Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/) no later than 11:59pm Eastern Time on March 15, 2018. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application package and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the Grants.gov website application package that you downloaded using the instructions above. For additional instructions on completing and submitting the electronic application package, click on the “Show Instructions” tab that is accessible within the application package itself.

Application Materials:

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

2. Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

3. Narrative Proposal (Project Narrative Attachment Form) - prepared as described in Section IV(E)(3) below https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically.

If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from the Grants.gov website) within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov). Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

C. Technical Issues with Submission

1. Once the application package has been completed, the “Submit” button should be enabled. If the “Submit” button is not active, please call Grants.gov for assistance at 1- 800-518-4726. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606- 545-5035. Applicants should save the completed application package with two different file names before providing it to the AOR to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced or a revised application needs to be submitted.

2. Submitting the application. The application package must be transferred to the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/) by the applicant’s AOR, who should have registered with Grants.gov before starting the submission of the application. The AOR should close all other software before attempting to submit the application package.

Click the “submit” button of the application package. Your Internet browser will launch and a sign-in page will appear. Note: Minor problems are common with transfers to the Grants.gov website. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is submitted to Grants.gov BEFORE the due date and time identified in this solicitation. The Grants.gov support desk, 1-800-518-4726, or support@grants.gov, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Federal Holidays.

A successful transfer will end with an on-screen acknowledgement. For documentation purposes, print or screen capture this acknowledgement. If a submission problem occurs, reboot the computer – turning the power off may be necessary – and re-attempt the submission.

Once you have submitted, you will receive the following communications:

• Submission Receipt Email: Confirms successful receipt of your application by the

Grants.gov system and indicates application status is "Received." This will include a tracking number, which will have the following format: GRANTxxxxxxxx

• Submission Validation –OR– Rejection with Errors Email: Indicates that your application was either successfully validated or rejected by the Grants.gov system prior to transmission to the grantor agency.

• If your application is rejected with errors, you may resolve these errors and attempt to submit again as long as the submission deadline has not already passed.

• Once your application package has passed validation, it is available for the awarding agency (EPA) to retrieve to perform further review and award determination. (Please note that Grants.gov does not review application content for award determination.)

mailto:may.jennifer@epa.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

After the EPA confirms receipt of your application, Grants.gov will send you a third email to indicate the Received by Agency status.

If you do not receive the above emails, please contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1- 800-518-4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035.

Note: Grants.gov issues a “case number” upon a request for assistance. Save this number in case you encounter additional problems.

3. Transmission Difficulties. If transmission difficulties that result in a late transmission, no transmission, or rejection of the transmitted application are experienced, and following the above instructions does not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov/) by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. The EPA will make a decision concerning acceptance of each late submission on a case-by-case basis. All emails, as described below, are to be sent to Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov) with the Funding Opportunity Number (EPA-EE-18-02) in the subject line. Be aware that EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access. Failure of an applicant to submit by the deadline because they did not properly or timely register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of a late submittal.

a. If you are experiencing problems resulting in an inability to upload the application to the Grants.gov website, it is essential to call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518- 4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Be sure to obtain a case number from the Grants.gov representative. If the problems stem from unforeseen exigent circumstances unrelated to the Grants.gov website, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access, contact Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov) as soon as internet access is available and explain the circumstances.

b. Unsuccessful transfer of the application package. If a successful transfer of the application cannot be accomplished even with assistance from a Grants.gov representative due to electronic submission system issues or unforeseen exigent circumstances, send an email message to Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov) prior to the application deadline. The email message must document the problem and include the Grants.gov case number, as well as the entire application in PDF format as an attachment.

c. Grants.gov rejection of the application package. If a notification is received from Grants.gov stating that the application has been rejected for reasons other than late submittal and it is too late to reapply, promptly send an email to Jennifer May-Reddy (may.jennifer@epa.gov) with the Funding Opportunity Number (EPA-EE-18- 02) in the subject line within one business day of the closing date of this solicitation. The email should include any materials provided by Grants.gov and an attachment of the entire application in PDF format.

Please note that successful submission through the Grants.gov website or via email does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award.

D. Format of Proposal Submission Proposals must include the information described below, and it is highly recommended that proposals follow the format provided. Please follow the instructions and do not submit additional items or forms. Please do not refer to websites or online tools in your proposal as the reviewers will evaluate only the materials provided in the proposal.

The portion of the Narrative Proposal referred to as the Work Plan (which includes the Project Summary, Detailed Project Description, and Project Evaluation) shall not exceed 8 single-spaced pages. Pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. “One page” refers to one side of a single-spaced typed page. The pages must be letter-sized (8 ½ X 11 inches); recommended font size is no smaller than 10 point. The remaining pieces of the Narrative Proposal – the Detailed Budget and the Appendices (i.e., Timeline, Logic Model, Programmatic Capabilities and Past Performance, and Partnership Commitment Letters) - are not included in the page limit.

E. Contents of Submission A complete proposal package must contain all of the information outlined below. Please see the additional instructions provided under “Instructions” below, as well as Appendix C -- Checklist for Proposal.

(1) Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance

(2) SF 424A, Budget Information

(3) Narrative Proposal

(a) Work Plan - not to exceed 8 single spaced pages total:

(i) Project Summary (recommended, one page);

(ii) Detailed Project Description;

(iii) Project Evaluation;

(b) Detailed Budget (no page limit)

(c) Appendices (no page limit):

(i) Timeline;

(ii) Logic Model;

(iii) Programmatic Capability and Past Performance; and

(iv) Partnership Letters of Commitment (only if you have partner organizations making a commitment to the project – please NO letters of endorsement or recommendation)

Instructions:

(1) Standard Form (SF) 424 – Application for Federal Assistance. Complete the form. Refer to Appendix A for additional instructions.

(2) Standard Form (SF) 424A – Budget Information. Complete only Section B with the EPA funds and matching funds…