HQ FY20-21 WPDG RFA - 2020 October 29 final.pdf

Federal Agency Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds

Funding Opportunity Title: Fiscal Year 2020 and Fiscal Year 2021 National Wetland Program Development Grants

Announcement Type: Request for Applications

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OWOW-20-04

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.462

Dates: All applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov as explained further in Section IV. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 P.M. EDT January 12, 2021. Late applications will not be considered for funding. Questions must be submitted in writing via email and must be received by the Agency Contact identified in Section VII before December 30, 2020. Written responses to questions will be posted on EPA’s website at: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants.

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.

Note to Applicants: Following EPA’s evaluation of applications, all applicants will be notified regarding their status. If you name subawardees/subgrantees and/or contractor(s) in your application to assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in the CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS provision found at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses.

SUMMARY

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for projects that develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs as a whole, or individual components of those programs. Applications for projects submitted under this announcement for Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) must address the National Priority Area identified in Section I.B.

Awards made under this announcement will support progress towards EPA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 – FY 2022 Strategic Plan for the following goal and objective:

• Goal 1 - A Cleaner, Healthier Environment: Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the Agency’s core mission.

o Objective 1.2 - Provide for Clean and Safe Water: Ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence activities.

Information on the EPA Strategic Plan is available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.

Eligible applicants under this announcement are nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations, interstate agencies, and intertribal consortia which are capable of undertaking activities that advance wetland programs. Individual states, tribes, local governments, and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this announcement. Non-profit organizations described in section https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

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 under this announcement.

All projects submitted under this announcement must be nationwide in scope or involve and/or otherwise benefit at least one state/tribe in at least two or more EPA Regions (a map of EPA Regions can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa#pane-4). As discussed in Section I.C of this announcement, the statutory authority for the awards funded under this announcement is Clean Water Act (CWA) section 104(b)(3). Implementation projects are not eligible under this announcement.

The total amount of expected federal funding available under this announcement is approximately $660,000 ($330,000 expected from FY 2020 and $330,000 expected from FY 2021), depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. EPA will fund a maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost (see Section III.B for information on the minimum non-federal 25 percent cost share/match requirement).

It is anticipated that approximately three to six awards will be incrementally funded. The federal portion of the awards for projects selected will range from $75,000 to $220,000, depending on the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the projects. It is anticipated that awards under this announcement will have one- to four-year project periods.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The goals of EPA’s Wetlands Program include increasing the quantity and quality of wetlands in the United States by conserving and restoring wetland acreage and improving wetland condition. Under the WPDGs, EPA seeks to build the capacity of all levels of government to develop or refine effective, comprehensive programs for wetland protection and management. This announcement seeks applications from eligible applicants for projects that develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs as a whole, or individual components of those programs. As discussed in Section I.C, the statutory authority for the awards funded under this announcement is section 104(b)(3) of the CWA.

B. NATIONAL PRIORITY AREA

EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for projects that develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs as a whole, or individual components of those programs.

Comprehensive wetland programs enable state, tribal, or local governments to more effectively protect, restore, and manage their wetland resources. Each application submitted under this announcement must address the National Priority Area described below. Applicants may submit more than one application under this announcement as long as they are for different projects and each one is separately submitted and addresses the requirements of this announcement.

National Priority Area: Core Elements Framework Experience with many state and tribal wetland programs has identified a set of core elements, actions, and activities that together support a comprehensive wetland program. EPA has summarized these common core elements, actions, and activities in the Core Elements of an Effective State and Tribal Wetlands Program Framework, also called the Core Elements Framework (CEF). EPA’s CEF can be found at:

https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/core-elements-effective-state-and-tribal-wetlands-programs.

The CEF describes in greater detail each of the four core elements that support a comprehensive state/tribal wetland program. These four core elements are:

- Monitoring and assessment.

https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa#pane-4 https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/core-elements-effective-state-and-tribal-wetlands-programs

- Voluntary restoration and protection.

- Regulatory approaches, including CWA Section 401 certification.

- Wetland-specific water quality standards.

Under this National Priority Area, EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for projects that are designed to support state, tribal, and/or local government program officials, staff, and/or other interested stakeholders, and address state, tribal, and/or local government wetland program development or refinement. These projects should help state, tribal, and/or local governments determine and examine wetland-related needs (e.g., wetland loss of acreage or function, public perception of the value of wetlands, and management of wetland resources); program development needs; and/or develop solutions to wetland-related challenges by creatively applying the full array of available planning, technical, outreach/education, and financial tools or developing such tools.

Accordingly, applicants must demonstrate in their application how the project will develop or refine a state, tribal, or local government wetland program by indicating which of the four core element(s) ( Monitoring and Assessment; Voluntary Restoration and Protection; Regulatory Approaches; and/or Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards) their application addresses. All projects submitted under this announcement must be nationwide in scope or involve and/or otherwise benefit at least one state/tribe in at least two or more EPA Regions (a map of EPA Regions can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa#pane-4).

Examples of projects which could help develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs under the Monitoring and Assessment Core Element include but are not limited to:

• Projects to conduct studies or provide training on how state and tribal wetlands monitoring methods and condition assessment data can be used to inform wetland management and decision making in support of the other three core elements (i.e., Voluntary Restoration and Protection, Regulatory Approaches, and Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards).

• Projects using assessment data collected in the 2011 and 2016 National Wetland Condition Assessment to develop the capacity of state, tribal, or local governments to statistically analyze wetland monitoring data (e.g., wetland population estimates, indices of wetland condition, biological integrity, floristic quality, etc.).

• Projects that develop the use of Wetland Monitoring and Assessment data to statistically model and predict wetland condition based on geographic factors or remotely-sensed data.

• Projects that develop electronic or online tools that streamline the collection, analysis, presentation, and/or effective communication of state and tribal monitoring and assessment data.

• Projects that develop Wetland Monitoring and Assessment or Wetland/Aquatic Resource Mapping regional work groups, including holding work group meetings or workshops.

• Projects to conduct studies on Wetland Monitoring and Assessment, including projects that provide information on the effects of hazard mitigation/flood/drought on wetland condition.

• Projects that provide training for state, tribal, and/or local governments to map or update maps of wetlands using the Federal Geographic Data Committee Wetlands Mapping Standard or digitize the aquatic resource mapping information.

• Projects to conduct studies, develop tools, or provide training for state, tribal, and/or local governments to assess streamflow duration or surface water flows for various aquatic resources, either in the field or through remote sensing or modeling, including projects to assess the variability of flows over time.

Please note that applicants may propose other projects that are authorized under section 104(b)(3) of the CWA that further the goals of the Monitoring and Assessment Core Element.

Examples of projects which could help develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs under the Voluntary Restoration and Protection Core Element include but are not limited to:

• Projects to protect/restore wetlands through the study of environmental processes to develop methods to identify wetlands that may be affected by hazard mitigation/flood/drought, or areas that are likely to become wetlands due to sea level rise and/or increased storm events.

• Projects to develop work groups, processes or mechanisms to enhance collaboration efforts among stakeholders (including land trust organizations, state wildlife agencies, local governments, agriculture agencies, etc.) to share/integrate differing priorities and missions that will affect wetland voluntary restoration/protection (e.g., watershed plans, nonpoint source management plans, State Wildlife Action Plans).

• Projects to develop or share tools to identify areas with high restoration potential or restoration practices and provide this information through a variety of media.

• Projects that study and develop tools or processes on the effects and benefits of landscape placement of wetlands on watershed or ecological condition.

• Projects that test or improve approaches to reduce shoreline hardening and/or enhance coastal resiliency using nature-based solutions such as coastal marsh restoration or living shorelines.

• Projects that develop tools and procedures to evaluate the ecological effectiveness of different restoration efforts, such as establishment, re-establishment, enhancement, and rehabilitation.

• Projects that develop tools for long-term maintenance and protection of voluntary restoration sites.

• Projects to develop tools or procedures to evaluate the ecological performance of wetland/stream restoration projects.

Please note that applicants may propose other projects that are authorized under section 104(b)(3) of the CWA that further the goals of the Voluntary Restoration and Protection Core Element.

Examples of projects which could help develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs under the Regulatory Approaches Core Element include but are not limited to:

• Projects that develop or enhance permitting programs for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the state or tribe, including projects to facilitate the assumption of the CWA section 404 permitting program by states and tribes.

• Projects that develop new mechanisms for coordinating wetland protection across state, tribal, and/or local regulatory agencies or levels of government (e.g., integrating assessment of wetland presence into municipal building permit approval processes or increasing collaboration between a state’s wetland program and forestry commission on silviculture BMPs for forested wetlands).

• Projects to develop tools or procedures to evaluate the ecological performance of wetland/stream compensatory mitigation projects (e.g., mitigation banks, in-lieu fee projects and permittee-responsible mitigation).

• Projects to provide technical assistance and training to non-federal stakeholders on the CWA section 404 permitting process.

• Projects to develop tools and procedures to help state, tribal, and/or local government programs to complement federal regulation of aquatic resources on the basis of their own priorities with regard to CWA section 404 dredged and fill and “waters of the United States.”

• Projects to conduct studies or provide training on how wetland monitoring methods can be used to answer large scale (i.e., regional or national) questions about the performance of wetlands created, restored, or protected through the compensatory mitigation process and provide this information through a variety of media.

• Projects to develop tools and/or guides to incorporate wetland issues into broader watershed or Integrated Water Resource Management planning and watershed management goals, reflecting the contribution and role of rare types of water resources for mitigating flood or drought effects on the broader aquatic ecosystem.

• Projects that will develop and support a sustained discussion forum on the use of state or tribal CWA section 401 authority.

• Projects to develop tools or systems to track impacts from dredged or fill activities.

• Projects to develop tools or procedures to evaluate if aquatic resources within a state or a reservation meet the definition of “waters of the United States” and to transmit such geospatial data to EPA.

Please note that applicants may propose other projects that are authorized under section 104(b)(3) of the CWA that further the goals of the Regulatory Approaches Core Element.

Examples of projects which could help develop or refine state, tribal, or local government wetland programs under the Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards Core Element include but are not limited to:

• Projects to describe and broadly communicate the state of the science for establishing water quality standards for wetlands including workshops and conferences.

• Projects to conduct studies and provide training on model approaches for selecting wetland-specific designated uses and supporting criteria.

• Projects to identify ways that states and tribes with limited resources can approach the development of water quality standards for wetlands and provide this information through a variety of media.

• Projects that will develop and support a sustained discussion forum for studying differing aspects of developing and promulgating wetland water quality standards among a variety of interested non-federal stakeholders.

• Projects to demonstrate or develop tools that show how monitoring and assessment data can be used in the development of state wetland water quality standards.

• Projects that demonstrate or develop tools and training on the use of the Narrative Templates for Wetland Water Quality Standards as a basis for developing new state/tribal wetland water quality standards.

Please note that applicants may propose other projects that are authorized under section 104(b)(3) of the CWA that further the goals of the Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards Core Element.

Funds awarded under this announcement for training sessions, work group meetings, or workshops may be used by recipients to promote participation and to support the travel expenses of non-federal personnel.

Assistance funds awarded under this announcement may be used by the successful applicant to defray transportation and subsistence expenses for non-federal attendees at training sessions, work group meetings, or workshops. The applicant will select meeting locations, secure meeting facilities (e.g., meeting rooms, accommodations, audio-visual equipment), develop meeting agendas and materials, and select the speakers. If EPA co-sponsors one or more of these events, EPA will do so in accordance with a co-sponsorship agreement developed between EPA and the recipient. EPA will support these events as a co-sponsor by providing technical assistance, promotion of the events, review of agendas, and printed materials. The successful applicant will be responsible for determining any registration fees and for establishing and managing a waiver process of any fees for specific individuals (e.g., speakers, tribal officials). The successful applicant will use its logos on any materials it provides; EPA will use it logos on any materials it provides. The applicant is solely responsible for determining a methodology for selecting and funding reimbursement requests and providing a report on how participating non-federal attendees benefited from the training sessions, meetings, or workshops. EPA will not participate in the selection or approval of individuals who receive travel assistance.

In their applications, applicants should describe the technical approach to addressing the National Priority Area described above. The application should include a description of the roles and responsibilities of the applicant in carrying out the project elements. The application should also include a description of the applicant’s plan for active transfer of project results, methods, and/or effective strategies to state, tribal, and/or local governmental agencies, and/or other interested stakeholders so that the others can better build their wetland programs. Examples of ways to transfer results include:

i. Share results on a website and share the website address with relevant organizations.

ii. Present results at forums typically attended by representatives from state, tribal, and/or local government wetland programs.

iii. Document how you intend to share results with relevant state, tribal, and/or local government wetland programs.

iv. Conduct a webinar or other outreach to state/tribes/local governments at relevant conferences.

Effective partnerships are important for the success of projects under this announcement. In their applications, applicants should identify appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project. If you choose not to partner, applications will be evaluated based on how the applicant demonstrates how project outputs and outcomes will be accomplished successfully without partners.

Applicants should also include a clear description of the roles of specific partners in the project’s components/tasks. If the applicant chooses to identify any partner entities who will receive subawards or procurement contracts (including consultants), please pay careful attention to the information to the CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS provision found at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses before doing so as EPA will not consider their qualifications unless the applicant selects them in compliance with applicable regulations and provisions. Partnerships between organizations can greatly benefit from one another’s experience and expertise.

C. STATUTORY AUTHORITY

The statutory authority for the assistance agreements to be awarded under this announcement is section 104(b)(3) of the CWA. Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA restricts the use of these assistance agreements to improving wetland programs by conducting or promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution.

EPA interprets this statutory authority to mean that demonstration projects must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches where the results of demonstration projects will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained from the demonstration projects. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project.

Implementation projects are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

Funds received under this announcement cannot be used for the purchase of land or conservation easements. Application tasks that are or might be required by a previous or pending permit (e.g., CWA section 404 permit, CWA section 402 permit, CWA section 401 certification) or federal, state, tribal, or local government regulatory requirement(s) are not eligible for funding because they are implementation tasks. Implementation of individual mitigation projects, mitigation banks, or in-lieu-fee mitigation programs are not eligible for funding. Wetland restoration training projects cannot include wetlands constructed only for the purposes of treating wastewater or stormwater. Funds cannot be used to fund payment of taxes for landowners who have a wetland on their property. Purchase of vehicles (including boats, motor homes, etc.) and office furniture are not eligible for funding under this program. The lease of vehicles may be eligible for funding but is contingent on justification of need in the application narrative.

Funds cannot be used for activities to implement a wetlands program, for fundraising, or for gifts.

Projects must be performed entirely within the 50 United States, Tribal Lands, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories (i.e., Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa). Proposed projects must comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance.

Wetland mapping as part of a project to develop a state, tribal, or local government program to conduct or promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution is eligible for funding. Funds used for mapping wetlands must use the “Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Wetlands Mapping Standard” and cannot be used for mapping of wetlands that do not use this standard. Applicants can propose to form “Wetland Mapping Coalitions” to fund regional (two or more states and/or tribes) mapping efforts.

D. ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS AND LINKAGE TO STRATEGIC PLAN

The activities to be funded under this announcement support progress toward EPA’s FY 2018 – FY 2022 Strategic Plan1 for the following goal and objective:

• Goal 1 - A Cleaner, Healthier Environment: Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the Agency’s core mission.

o Objective 1.2 - Provide for Clean and Safe Water: Ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence activities.

All proposed projects must demonstrate a linkage to the Strategic Plan priorities and 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 overall goal of restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

Environmental results are a way to gauge a project’s performance and are described in terms of outputs and outcomes. Expected environmental outputs (or deliverables) refer to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or 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 anticipated outputs from the assistance agreements to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

• Criteria for assessing the condition of wetlands (qualitative – may be measured as whether criteria have been developed).

• Tools and/or guides to help state, tribal, and/or local government decision makers integrate wetland protection into broader watershed or Integrated Water Resource Management planning (quantitative

– may be measured as number of tools developed or number of organizations receiving materials).

• Organization and administration of workshops to educate and train partners (e.g., workshops for local governments on ordinances to protect wetlands) (qualitative – may be measured by attendee comments or evaluations, or quantitative – number of attendees).

• Methods and/or criteria protocols to assess the success of a compensatory mitigation site (qualitative

– may be measured by whether methods have been developed).

1 Information on the FY 2018 – FY 2022 Strategic Plan is available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.

https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/wetlands-mapping/2009-08%20FGDC%20Wetlands%20Mapping%20Standard_final.pdf https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/wetlands-mapping/2009-08%20FGDC%20Wetlands%20Mapping%20Standard_final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

• Methods to develop wetland water quality standards (qualitative – may be measured by whether methods have been developed).

• Smartphone or tablet apps to facilitate wetland monitoring data collection and sharing (qualitative – may be measured by whether methods have been developed).

• Protocols and/or guides to assess, prioritize, and/or track (report on) voluntary wetland restoration sites (qualitative – may be measured by whether tracking system has been developed).

Environmental outcomes are the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective, and are used as a way to gauge a project’s performance and take the form of output measures and outcome measures. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature. Outcomes must be quantitative and may not necessarily be achieved within an assistance agreement funding period. Outcomes may be short term (changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, skills), intermediate (changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), or long-term (changes in condition of the natural resource).

Examples of anticipated outcomes from the assistance agreements to be awarded under his announcement include, but are not limited to:

• Increase in knowledge (may be measured by pre- and post-training assessments).

• Enhanced knowledge of wetland location, extent, type and change via updating of existing wetland maps or creation of new maps (may be measured by number of additional wetland polygons mapped to the FGDC standard (see Section VIII. C. WETLANDS MAPPING STANDARD).

• Improved wetland protection efforts (may be measured in percent of protection sites meeting performance criteria).

• Application of informed, scientifically valid approaches to watershed or Integrated Water Resource Management planning that will protect, prevent, and reduce pollution to wetlands and other aquatic resources (may be measured through the use of decision framework or model analysis).

• Increased understanding of the role of the CWA section 404 regulatory program in supporting the goal of “no net loss” in quality and quantity of wetlands (assessment of wetland function and condition).

As part of the application workplan, applicants are required to describe how the project results will link the outcomes to the Agency’s Strategic Plan. Additional information regarding EPA’s definition of environmental results in terms of outputs and outcomes can be found at:

https://www.epa.gov/grants/linking-assistance-agreements-environmental-results.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AMOUNT OF FUNDING

The total amount of expected federal funding available under this announcement is approximately $660,000 ($330,000 expected from FY 2020 and $330,000 expected from FY 2021), depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. EPA will fund a maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost (see Section III.B for information on the minimum non-federal 25 percent cost share/match requirement).

It is anticipated that approximately three to six awards will be incrementally funded under this announcement. The federal portion of the awards for projects selected will range from $75,000 to $220,000, depending on the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the projects. It is anticipated that awards under this announcement will have one to four year project periods.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/linking-assistance-agreements-environmental-results

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 application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

EPA reserves the right to make no awards under this announcement or make fewer awards than anticipated. In addition, EPA 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 six months after the original selection decisions.

B. TYPE OF FUNDING

It is anticipated that grants and cooperative agreements may be funded under this announcement. When cooperative agreements are awarded, EPA will have substantial involvement with the project workplan and budget. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for projects selected may include:

1. Close monitoring of the recipient’s performance.

2. Collaboration during the performance of the scope of work.

3. In accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart D (§§ 200.317 through 200.326) as appropriate, review of proposed procurements.

4. Review of qualifications of key personnel (EPA does not have authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient).

5. Review and comment on content of tasks/deliverables and reports/publications (printed or electronic) prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants under this announcement are non-profit organizations, 2 non-governmental organizations, interstate agencies, public and private universities and colleges, and intertribal consortia which are capable of undertaking activities that advance wetland programs on a national basis. Individual states, tribes, local governments, and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this announcement. 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 under this announcement. EPA may ask applicants to demonstrate that they are eligible for funding under this announcement including demonstrating that they are capable of undertaking activities that advance wetland programs on a national basis.

2 Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR Part 200, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations. Note that 2 CFR Part 200 specifically excludes the following types of organizations from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation: (i) institutions of higher education; and (ii) state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

The term “interstate agency” is defined in CWA section 502(2) as “an agency of two or more states established by or pursuant to an agreement or compact approved by the Congress, or any other agency of two or more states, having substantial powers or duties pertaining to the control of pollution as determined and approved by the Administrator.” An intertribal consortium is a partnership between two or more tribes that is authorized by the governing bodies of those tribes to apply for and receive assistance (see 40 CFR §35.502). The intertribal consortium is eligible only if the consortium demonstrates that all of its members meet the eligibility requirements and authorize the consortium to apply for and receive assistance in accordance with 40 CFR §35.504 at the time of application submission. An intertribal consortium must submit with its application to EPA adequate documentation of the existence of the partnership and the authorization of the consortium by its members to apply for and receive the grant (see 40 CFR §35.504). Non-profit organizations may be asked to provide documentation that they meet the definition of a non-profit organization in 2 CFR Part 200. Interstate agencies may be asked to provide a citation to the statutory authority, which establishes their status.

B. COST SHARING/MATCH REQUIREMENTS

All applicants must demonstrate in their application submission how they will contribute a minimum non-federal cost share/match of 25 percent of the total project costs (total federal share and applicant cost share/match) in accordance with 40 CFR §§35.385 and 35.615. This means that EPA will fund a maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost.

The cost share/match may be provided in cash or can come from in-kind contributions, such as the use of volunteers and/or donated time, equipment, and expertise, subject to the regulations governing matching fund requirements at 2 CFR §200.306 as applicable. In-kind contributions often include salaries or other verifiable costs and this value must be carefully documented. In the case of salaries, applicants may use either minimum wage or fair market value. The cost share/match must be for eligible and allowable project costs. Cost share/matching funds are considered grant funds and are included in the total award amount and must be used for the reasonable and necessary expenses of carrying out the workplan. All grant funds are subject to federal audit and are subject to the regulations governing cost share/matching fund requirements at 2 CFR §200.306. Any restrictions on the use of grant funds (examples of funding restrictions are outlined in Section I.C and III.D of this announcement) also apply to the use of cost share/matching funds. Other federal grants may not be used as cost share/match without specific statutory authority. Applicants that do not demonstrate how they will meet the minimum 25 percent cost share/match requirement in their application submission will not be considered for funding.

The minimum cost share/match is determined by dividing the total project cost by four. EPA will use the following formula:

Total Project Cost ($) = minimum cost share/match ($)

For example, if the total project cost is $100,000 in order to meet the 25 percent cost share/match requirement, the applicant must be able to provide $25,000 in cash or in-kind contributions and would receive a maximum of $75,000 in federal funds from EPA.

OR

Total Federal Funds Requested ($) = minimum cost share/match ($)

For example, if the total federal funds requested are $75,000 the applicant must be able to provide $25,000 in cash or in-kind contributions as cost share/match.

C. THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of the announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar Js of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the project narrative, pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. Section IV.C.5 establishes a 10-page, single-spaced project narrative page limit that includes the cover page. If a double-spaced project narrative is submitted, it will only be reviewed up to the equivalent of the 10 single-spaced (20 page double-spaced) page limit; excess pages will not be reviewed.

2. An applicant must meet the eligibility requirements in Section III.A of this announcement at the time of application submission.

3. An applicant must demonstrate that they can meet the cost share/match requirements in Section III.B of this announcement at the time of application submission.

4. All applications submitted under this announcement must be for projects that address the National Priority Area listed in Section I.B. Applicants may submit more than one application under this announcement as long as each application is for a different project, is separately submitted, and addresses the requirements of this announcement. In addition, applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project will develop or refine a state/tribal local government wetland program by indicating which core element(s) their application addresses (Monitoring and Assessment; Voluntary Restoration and Protection; Regulatory Approaches; and/or Wetland-Specific Water Quality Standards).

5. All projects submitted under this announcement must be nationwide in scope or involve and/or otherwise benefit at least one state/tribe in at least two or more EPA Regions (a map of EPA Regions can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa#pane-4).

6. Applications must be for projects that improve wetland programs by conducting or promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution. Implementation projects are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

Demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained from the demonstration project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not a demonstration project.

7. If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible activities set forth in Section III.D, 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.

8. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as specified in Section IV, APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION, of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

https://grants.gov/

9. 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 and not the applicant. 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 Myra Price at WPDG-RFA@epa.gov within 5 business days after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

D. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Funds cannot be used to fund payment of taxes for landowners who have a wetland on their property.

• Funds cannot be used for the purchase of land or conservation easements.

• Application tasks that are or might be required by a previous or pending permit (e.g., CWA section

404 permit, CWA section 402 permit, CWA section 401 certification) or federal, state, tribal, or local government regulatory requirement(s) are not eligible for funding because they are implementation tasks.

• Funds cannot be used for implementation of individual mitigation projects, mitigation banks, or in-lieu-fee mitigation programs.

• Wetland restoration training projects cannot include wetlands constructed for the purposes of only treating wastewater or stormwater.

• Purchase of any type of equipment (valued at $5,000 or more) including vehicles, boats, motor homes, and office furniture is not eligible for funding.

• Lease of a vehicle(s) may be permitted but is contingent on justification of need in the application narrative.

• Funds cannot be used for activities to implement a wetlands program, for fundraising, or for gifts.

• Projects must be performed entirely within the 50 United States, Tribal Lands, the District of

Columbia, and the U.S. Territories (i.e., Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa).

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures Applicants can download individual grant application forms, including Standard Forms (SF) 424 and SF 424A, from EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment website at: http://www.epa.gov/grants/application-kit-federal-assistance.

B. FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

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

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand mailto:nep-rfa@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/grants/application-kit-federal-assistance http://www.epa.gov/grants/application-kit-federal-assistance https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OMS-ARM-OGDWaivers@epa.gov

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).

• Organization Name and Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., 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 Grants.gov.

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

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 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 Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 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 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.

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 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 Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., 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.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov…