2021 EE Local Grants RFA Region 5 Final.pdf

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) Office of

Environmental Education

TITLE: Environmental Education Local Grants Program for Region 5 -- Solicitation

Notice for 2021

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA) FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-

EE-21-05

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 66.951

Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of application submissions is December 6, 2021, 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET).

Summary: The purpose of the Environmental Education Local Grants Program in Region 5 is to support locally-focused environmental education projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental 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 estimated funding for this competitive opportunity in U.S. EPA

Region 5 is up to $300,000. The Region expects to award three or four grants for no less than

$50,000, and no more than $100,000 each. Region 5 covers the states of Illinois (IL), Indiana

(IN), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Ohio (OH), and Wisconsin (WI).

This RFA is one of 10 being issued nationally, one in each of EPA’s ten Regions, for a total funding of approximately $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 2021 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 applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Contracts, Subawards and “Partnerships”: Prior to naming a contractor (including consultants) or subrecipient as a “partner” or otherwise in your applications, please carefully review the “Contracts and subawards” solicitation provision available at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses. Refer to EPA’s Best Practice Guide for

Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements and Subaward

Policy and supplemental Frequent Questions for additional guidance.

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: Applications should plan for projects to start no earlier than July 1, 2022.

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

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients

COVID-19 UPDATE: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by

COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

Contents Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background

B. Minority Serving Institutions

C. Goals and Definitions

D. Educational and Environmental Priorities

E. Partnerships

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

G. Required Subawards and Matching Funds

H. Statutory Authority

Section II: Award Information

A. Funding Type

B. Number and Amount of Awards

C. Start Date and Length of Project Period

D. Funding and Partial Funding Provisions

E. Multiple Awards

Section III: Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Matching Funds

C. Threshold Eligibility

D. Ineligible Activities

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

B. Submission Instructions

C. Technical Issues with Submission

D. Format of Application Submission

E. Contents of Submission

F. Pre-Proposal/Proposal Assistance and Communications

G. Contracts and Subawards

H. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

Section V: Application Review Information

A. Evaluation and Scoring

B. Review and Final Selections

C. Additional Provisions Incorporated by Reference

Section VI: Award Administration Information

A. Notification to Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

C. Reporting Requirements

D. Disputes

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Section VII: Agency Contacts

A. Internet

B. Regional Contact for Submission and Exception Procedures

C. For Further Information

Appendix A: Federal Forms and Instructions

Supplementary Instructions for the SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance

Supplementary Instructions for the SF-424A – Budget

Appendix B: Detailed Budget

Instructions for the Detailed Budget

Detailed Budget Table – Example and Template

Appendix C: Timeline Example and Template

Appendix D: Logic Model Components, Example Entries, and Template

Appendix E: Identifying Underserved Communities

Instructions

Community Description Template

Appendix F: Environmental Education Grant Application Checklist

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background Under this solicitation EPA is seeking grant applications from eligible applicants to support locally-focused environmental education projects that promote environmental 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 5. (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.)

EPA interprets the National Environmental Education Act (the Act) to require that exactly 25% of all funds obligated under Section 6 of the Environmental Education Grant Program in a fiscal year be for “subgrant” subawards of not more than $5,000. Accordingly, each recipient (i.e., the

“prime” recipient, which is a “pass-through entity” for the purposes of 2 CFR Part 200) 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 subrecipients in the form of subawards 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.

Successful applicants may, but are not required to, use fixed amount subawards to meet all or part of their obligation to use 25% of the grant funds for subawards. As provided in 2 CFR 200.1

Fixed amount awards are a type of subaward:

[U]nder which . . . a pass-through entity provides a specific level of support without regard to actual costs incurred under the [subaward]. This type of [subaward] reduces some of the administrative burden and record-keeping requirements for both the

[subrecipient] . . . [and] pass-through entity. Accountability is based primarily on performance and results.

Additional information on fixed amount awards is available in 2 CFR 200.201(b). Pursuant to 2

CFR 200.333, pass-through entities must have prior EPA approval to make fixed amount subawards. Section 9.0 of EPA’s Subaward Policy describes types of fixed amount subawards that EPA will approve. For example, EPA may approve fixed amount awards for training or curriculum development on a milestone completion or unit price basis. Procedures for obtaining

EPA approval for fixed amount subawards are described in section E of EPA’s Subaward

Frequent Questions. EPA Project Officers will work with successful applicants to facilitate approval for fixed amount subawards.

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

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 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=a39fdc0a72cdd370a5f89a619fd74d1d&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1201&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=f07ca25f39421197e4215c741fce2d08&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1333&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=f07ca25f39421197e4215c741fce2d08&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1333&rgn=div8 https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/gpi-16-01-subaward-policy.pdf https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-subaward-frequent-questions https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-subaward-frequent-questions compared to the pool of previously funded projects. In addition, applicants must demonstrate that their application is for a project for which they (the applicant) have not been previously awarded a grant by EPA’s Environmental Education (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 Environmental Education Grants page to see the list and descriptions of projects previously funded by this program.

B. Minority Serving Institutions EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity. For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered

MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20

U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and

Universities

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20

U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian

Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C.

§ 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions;

(AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-

Serving Institutions; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black

Institutions

C. Goals 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 solicitation. EPA will provide financial support for projects that promote environmental 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 https://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-grant-descriptions https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.5864458618728%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.5864458618728%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 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 information and outreach may be important elements of EE projects, but these activities by themselves are not EE. By itself, environmental information only addresses awareness and knowledge, usually about a particular environmental 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 topics. EE is a continuum (see photo below) that covers the range of steps and activities from awareness to action with an ultimate goal of environmental stewardship.

EE increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental 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 and for purposes of this solicitation.

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

b) “Environmental 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.

c) “Environmental Stewardship” is voluntary commitment, behavior, and action that results in environmental protection or improvement. Stewardship refers to an acceptance of personal responsibility for actions to improve environmental quality and to achieve sustainable 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 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.

d) For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “Underserved

Communities” refers to one or more of the following:

1. People/communities of color, tribal and indigenous populations that may be disproportionately impacted by environmental harms and risks

2. High-Poverty Areas1

3. Persistent Poverty Counties2

4. Title 1 Schools

Note: Appendix E contains additional information related to identifying underserved communities.

D. Educational and Environmental Priorities In order to be eligible, all applications 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. Applications may address more than one priority in each category, but if more than one priority is addressed, then it is important that the application 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

1High-poverty areas are defined as any census tract or county with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent as measured by the 2014-2018 or 2015–2019 5-year data series available from the American Community Survey of the Census

Bureau.

2Persistent poverty counties are defined as a county that has had 20 percent or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the most recent Small

Area Income and Poverty estimates.

variety of geographic areas and audiences in both educational and environmental priority categories.

In addition, these priorities focus on environmental 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 applications to 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 issues than other communities.

EPA’s Educational Priorities:

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

1. Community Projects: Increasing public understanding of the benefits of and participation in environmental stewardship through community collaboration on issues including, but not limited to climate change, water and soil quality, food waste management, management of ecosystem health and/or local fire or flood prevention.

Projects can take place in rural, suburban, and urban settings, in a 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).

2. 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 issues, solutions and stewardship for the purpose of encouraging interest in gratifying careers in environmental fields. These fields include, but are not limited to conservation, natural resources, climate change, water infrastructure, and water and air quality management.

3. Environmental Education Capacity Building: Building the capacity of agencies and organizations to develop, deliver, and sustain comprehensive environmental education programs statewide. Capacity building proposals may focus on one state, multiple states, or a region of the country.

4. Environmental Justice: For purposes of this solicitation, Environmental Justice refers to activities increasing public awareness and knowledge that disproportionate and adverse environmental, human health, climate-related and other cumulative impacts are more likely to affect or have affected underserved communities. By learning about environmental justice and local environmental issues, program participants will enhance their ability to be meaningfully involved in future discussions, on these subjects, that affect their local environments.

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 https://www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-guidelines

Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, is intended to guide other projects that address EE teaching skills.

EPA’s Environmental Priorities:

Consistent with Section 6 of the National Environmental Education Act, applications must address at least one of the Administrator’s Environmental Priorities to be considered eligible. From the list below, select at least one numbered priority. Then specify a topic under the priority that the application will address. Note that for illustrative purposes only, sample topics are listed under each priority. You may choose one of the sample topics or propose another topic relevant to your local area and consistent with the Administrator’s priorities and the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

1. Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality: These efforts help protect the health of all Americans and the ecosystems we depend on by preventing pollution, increasing energy efficiency, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, reducing industrial air pollution and pollution from vehicles and engines, protecting the stratospheric ozone layer, reducing acid rain, and addressing climate change.

Sample Topics

a. Educate students and community members about the impacts of climate change and explore local adaptation strategies that reduce vulnerability to the harmful impacts of climate change in schools, homes, and underserved communities.

b. Educate students and community members about the impacts of climate change and explore local mitigation strategies that reduce the flow of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, especially in underserved communities where the adverse impacts of climate change are often disproportionately felt.

c. Address gaps between scientific and popular understanding of climate change and climate risk at the local level by exploring local environmental impacts of climate change, such as shifts in weather patterns, the spread of invasive species, changes in water quality or quantity, and sea-level rise.

d. Increase climate literacy through interactive lessons or action plans designed to engage adults and children of all ages.

2. Ensuring Clean and Safe Water: These efforts ensure that drinking water is safe, and restores and maintains oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitats for fish, plants, and wildlife.

Sample Topics

a. Prevent future water quality and human health issues through appropriate communications about the risks of poor water quality in local area(s), especially in communities with existing water quality issues.

b. Participate in the conservation of quality water resources; e.g., educating school-age children, their parents, and the community about water conservation through the establishment and maintenance of school or community gardens or the removal of invasive plant species and/or planting of native gardens.

c. Manage nutrients in water systems by reducing the use of non-biodegradable products, pesticides and/or nutrient runoff from soil, while maintaining both quality agricultural yields and minimal environmental harm.

d. Prevent future water quality and human health issues through appropriate management for flood and hurricane preparedness.

3. Cleaning Up our Communities by Revitalizing Land and Preventing

Contamination: These efforts provide guidelines for safe and environmentally friendly practices in waste management and support the redevelopment and reuse of potentially contaminated sites.

Sample Topics

a. Work to manage food waste for environmental benefits (e.g., the benefits of composting, reduction of waste going to landfills, etc.).

b. Increase plastic recycling and other efforts to reduce plastic disposal in landfills.

c. Educate individuals about human health and environmental risks associated with improper management of waste and the benefits associated with reducing trash, non-biodegradable products, and contaminants in waterways.

d. Engage individuals in exploring their local communities to identify previously contaminated sites and develop solutions and actions plans to revitalize the land, making the community safer and greener in the process.

E. 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-profit organizations, 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 increase the 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. However, any acquisitions of services from for-profit companies using EPA funding must comply with regulatory requirements for competition in procurement. Refer to EPA’s Best Practice Guide for Procuring

Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements and Subaward Policy and supplemental Frequent Questions for additional guidance.

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

1) Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic

Plan. Awards made under this solicitation will support Goal 2.2, to increase transparency and public participation by listening to and collaborating with https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan impacted stakeholders and providing effective platforms for public participation and meaningful engagement of the EPA Strategic Plan. 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 objectives of Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air

Quality, Ensuring Clean and Safe Water, and/or Cleaning Up our Communities by

Revitalizing Land and Preventing Contamination, as outlined in Section I (D) of this solicitation. Applicants must explain in their application how their project will further these current goals and objectives.

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). Applicants must include specific statements describing the educational and 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)

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental and/or educational goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Examples of outputs under the awards expected to be made include, but are not limited to:

• Number of individuals recruited for projects that educate teachers, students, parents, and the public about environmental issues

• Number and variety of classroom activities, workshops, or field trips conducted

• Number and variety of training sessions conducted for educators

• Number and kind of educational materials and websites developed

• New methods designed to measure knowledge acquired or benefits to the environment

• Number and kind of actions taken to benefit the environment and natural resources

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental education program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, educational, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Additionally, outcomes should be organized by expected time period

(short-term, medium-term, and long-term). Short-term outcomes are expected to occur during the project period and may include changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation, as well as immediate benefits to the environment. Medium-term outcomes refer to changes in behavior and actions due to the knowledge acquired and are usually measured within 12-24 months. Long-term outcomes refer to changes in conditions and 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 are typically measured 2+ years after the launch of a project. Short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes are related and build on one another. Examples of outcomes from the projects to be funded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

Short-Term

• Increase in awareness and knowledge of local environmental issues

• Develop critical thinking skills for effectively addressing local environmental issues

• Greater feeling of connection to nature

• Increased interest in environmental careers

Medium-Term

• Increase in time spent on EE in the classroom and outdoors in nature

• Adopting pro-environmental behavior such as changing lifestyle habits, participating in restoration activities, and taking other actions aligned with environmental protection and improvement

• Increase in number of schools with EE

• Increase number of environmental stewards

Long-Term

• Increase in the number programs honoring diversity in outdoor spaces

• Improved biodiversity

• Improved educator access to training on environmental topics and EE methods and materials

• Ecosystems become more resilient through their restoration and overall improvement through the implementation of successful managements plans

During the evaluation process for applications, EPA will determine if each work plan contains well-defined EE 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. Applications that address one or more of the

Short-, Medium-, and Long-term outcomes listed above may receive a higher score in

Section V. See Appendix D for more detailed information on expected outputs and outcomes from EE grants.

G. Required Subawards 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 subrecipients in the form of subawards of $5,000 or less. This means that if the total dollar amount proposed to be awarded to subawards in an application is either below or above exactly 25% of EPA funds requested, the application may be deemed ineligible. Note that awarding a contract will not fulfill this requirement. All subawards must be in the form of a grant. Applicants may, but are not required to, indicate that they intend to use fixed amount subawards to meet this requirement. (EPA approval for fixed amount subawards, if appropriate, will be provided after selection or award depending on when the pass-through entity requests approval). EPA Subaward Policy has detailed information available for differentiating between contractors and subrecipients.

There is also a cost sharing (match) requirement that all applicants must meet, which must be for a minimum of 25% of the total project amount. An application 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 subaward requirements can be found in Sections III and

IV. Please note that the EE Grant Calculator can be used as a tool to confirm your subaward and cost share (match) calculations.

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 It is anticipated that grants will be funded under this solicitation.

B. Number and Amount of Awards EPA Region 5 anticipates funding three or four grants in Fiscal Year 2021 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 applications received, and other applicable considerations.

C. Start Date and Length of Project Period Applicants should plan for their projects to begin no earlier than July 1, 2022. Applicants should plan for a flexible start date since the date awards are made depends on a variety of factors. EPA will accept applications 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 application 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 applications and make no awards under this announcement or make fewer awards than expected.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, 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 applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/education/grants application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

E. Multiple Awards 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 RFA 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 may submit an application. Applicant organizations must be located in the

United States or territories, and the majority (i.e., greater than 50%) 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 subrecipients. “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, nonprofit 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)(6)(b) under Detailed Budget Table and Narrative and Matching Funds

Explanation.

In order to be eligible for funding consideration, applications 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 (E) 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 Applications 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 application will result in disqualification of the application for funding consideration. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified by email within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1) Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this solicitation or else they will be rejected.

However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2) In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section

IV of this solicitation (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 solicitation. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this solicitation to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

3) 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. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with Megan Gavin

(gavin.megan@epa.gov) as soon as possible after the submission deadline— failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

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

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

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

7) Applications 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 subawards of $5,000

(on a cost reimbursement or fixed amount basis) or less to eligible subrecipients. Note:

This means that if the total dollar amount proposed to be awarded to subawards of $5,000 or less is either below or above exactly 25% of the EPA funds requested, the application may 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 subawards of $5,000 or less. Applicants can use the EE Grant Calculator (located on right side of the webpage) as a tool to help determine their subaward calculations.

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

9) The application must address at least one of the educational priorities listed in Section I

(D).

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:gavin.megan@epa.gov

10) The application must address at least one of the EPA’s environmental priorities listed in

Section I (D), along with a specific topic related to that priority that is consistent with the

Administrator’s priorities and the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

11) Applicants must demonstrate that their application is for a project for which they (the applicant) have not been previously awarded a grant by EPA’s EE grant program by including a statement to this effect 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 application under this solicitation so long as each one is for a different project and is separately submitted.

13) Project activities must be located in one or more of the following states in Region 5: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI.

D. Ineligible Activities If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application 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 (C)(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: Application and Submission Information

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception

Procedures Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods. Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only are addressed in section C. Technical Issues with Submission below.

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 grants.gov, go to 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://www.grants.gov/

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. Registration on Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE. Please see RAIN-2021-G01 for information about EPA's implementation of the upcoming Government-wide transition from DUNS to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose DUNS is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application.

Additionally, the DUNS 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 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 and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-EE-21-05, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.951), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Please Note: All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov using 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…