EPA-I-R4-SFL-2025-01 - Final.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applications Due: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Region 4

2025 South Florida Program

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-I-R4-SFL-2025-01 i

Contents

1. Basic Information

A. Executive Summary:

B. Key Information:

C. Key Dates:

D. Funding Details:

E. Agency Contact Information:

2. Eligibility

A. Eligible Applicants

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

(2) Ineligible Activities

B. Cost Sharing

3. Program Description

A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities

(1) Outputs and Outcomes

(2) Priority Areas

(3) Partnerships

B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Statutory Authority D. Funding Type E. Quality Assurance

4. Application Contents and Format

A. Application Forms B. Applicants Using Contractors C. Release Copies of Applications D. Coalition Coverage E. Other Program Specific Application Information

(1) Formatting Instructions

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Submission Dates and Times B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) C. Submission Instructions D. Technical Issues with Submission E. Intergovernmental Review

6. Application Review Information

A. Responsiveness Review B. Review Criteria C. Review and Selection Process

(1) Other Evaluation Factors ii

D. Risk Review

7. Award Notices

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. Reporting C. Subaward and Executive Compensation Reporting

9. Other Information

A. Additional Provisions for Applicants

(1) Award Information

(2) Disputes

(3) Reporting Requirements

(4) Data Management

(5) Publications

(6) Public Relations

(7) Combining Applications Into One Award

(8) Nonprofit Administrative Capability Clause

(9) Pre-Budget Webinar

APPENDIX A APPLICATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

APPENDIX B APPLICATION COVER PAGE SAMPLE

APPENDIX C Map Illustrating the Boundaries of the South Florida Program

1. Basic Information U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region 4 – Water Division

2025 South Florida Program

South Florida Program

A. Executive Summary:

The EPA South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to south Florida waters central to its economic and ecological wellbeing. This funding opportunity will support experiments, studies, surveys, demonstrations, research, trainings and investigations that provide information specific to management questions and concerns, inform Agency policy, and provide understanding of south Florida aquatic ecosystems. Eligible entities include states, local governments, Indian Tribes, and U.S. territories and possessions (including the District of Columbia); public and private universities and colleges; hospitals; laboratories; public or private nonprofit institutions; and intertribal consortia.

C. Key Dates:

September 24, 2025 10:00am ET South Florida Budget Webinar

October 29, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

December 2025 Anticipated Notification of Selection

September 2026 Anticipated Award Notification

D. Funding Details:

It is anticipated that up to 20 awards will be made under this announcement. The amount of funding is expected to be $250,000 to $750,000, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. Awards funded under this opportunity are expected to have a 3-5 year project period.

E. Agency Contact Information:

Further information, if needed, may be obtained from the EPA contact(s) indicated below.

Technical Contact: Elizabeth Smith; smith.elizabeth@epa.gov

Eligibility Contact: Adekunle Adesiji; adesiji.adekunle@epa.gov

B. Key Information:

Opportunity Number:

EPA-I-R4-SFL-2025-01

Assistance Listing:

66.484

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Available:

$8,000,000

Number of Awards:

https://www.epa.gov/southflorida

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Applicants Only these types of organizations may apply. Organization types are consistent with definitions at 2 CFR 200.1:

• Indian Tribe.

• State & Local Governments.

• U.S. Territories and Possessions.

• Hospitals and Laboratories.

• Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs).

• Nonprofit organizations.

• Intertribal consortia.

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

Applications must meet the following threshold criteria to be considered eligible:

1. Applications must include activities taking place within or directly relevant to the program area, reference map in Appendix C.

2. Applications must address at least 1 program priority area listed in Section 3.A(2).

3. Applications must not request more than the funding capacity identified for the South Florida

Program priority area of the application, listed in Section 3.A(2).

Please see Section 6 for additional threshold criteria.

(2) 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.

B. Cost Sharing There is no cost share requirement under this program as authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act -- Pub. L. 117-58, 135 Stat. 1396-1406.

Cost sharing is not a requirement to be eligible to apply to this funding opportunity. Voluntarily committed cost sharing is cost sharing specifically pledged on a voluntary basis in the proposal's budget on the part of the non-Federal entity that becomes a binding requirement of the Federal award.

Applicants who propose to voluntarily cost share must include the costs/contributions on the SF-424, SF- 424A Budget Information form, and Budget Detail.

If an applicant proposed voluntary cost share the following apply:

1. A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations (2 CFR 200.306).

2. A voluntary cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

3. The recipient may not use other sources of federal funds to meet a voluntary cost share unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Indian%20Tribe) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(State) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Local%20government) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Institution%20of%20Higher%20Education%20(IHE)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Nonprofit%20organization) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.306

4. The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget because the grant agreement includes the voluntary cost share.

3. Program Description A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities The South Florida Program supports experiments, studies, surveys, demonstrations, research, trainings and investigations that provide information specific to local and regional concerns, inform Agency decision making and provide understanding of south Florida aquatic ecosystems. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supporting monitoring, research or innovative restoration efforts for key species (e.g. coral, seagrass, sponges, mangroves, herbivores, etc);

• Research, investigation, and demonstration projects to mitigate harmful algal blooms;

• Near-shore and upstream pollution reduction demonstration projects;

• Innovative stormwater pollution reduction demonstration projects;

• Water quality and benthic habitat monitoring improvements;

• Research and management strategies to address contaminants of emerging concern;

• Identifying and understanding cause-effect relationships of pollutants in the environment;

• Applying innovative approaches, methods, or techniques to prevent, treat, and manage pollution from entering waterbodies;

• Investigating regional water quality impacts from pollution sources and as a result of storms or flooding; and

• Sourcing, monitoring, or addressing pathogens in near shore waters.

A demonstration project must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches where the results of the project will be disseminated for public knowledge and use. 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.

(1) Outputs and Outcomes

Applicants are required to describe how funding will help EPA achieve outputs and outcomes in their responses to the criteria in Section 6. Outputs and outcomes specific to each project will be identified as deliverables in the negotiated workplan if the application is selected for award. Recipients will be expected to report progress toward the attainment of expected project outputs and outcomes during the project performance period. Outputs and outcomes are defined as follows:

Outputs are an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or provided over time or by a specified date.

Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during the project period. The expected outputs for the grants awarded under these guidelines may include but are not limited to:

• Evaluation of the effectiveness of efforts to reduce or eliminate sources of pollution and to evaluate progress toward achieving and maintaining water quality and protecting and restoring coral reef habitat and other living resources.

• Characterization of sources and causes of water quality impairment within a watershed that will allow the development of management/action/restoration plan(s).

• Developing quantifiable metrics to evaluate progress towards restoring waters and aquatic habitat.

• Preparation and timely delivery of annual and final performance reports that document results of the special study project.

• Preparation and timely delivery and sharing of research findings through presentations and publications to benefit the scientific community and public.

Annual performance reports and a final performance report will also be a required output, as specified in Section 9.A(3) of this announcement, “Reporting Requirements.”

Outcomes are the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out the activities under the grant. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic; must be qualitative or quantitative; and may not necessarily be achievable during the project period. The EPA anticipates the outcomes from the projects awarded under this announcement may be an increase in the capacity to:

• Increase knowledge of managers and elected officials concerning negative impacts of pollutants on water quality and living biological resources, which should lead to the development and implementation of action plans that will reduce pollutant loading and result in the conservation of natural resources.

• Improve water quality.

• Restore seagrass, sponge, oyster, or mangroves habitats.

• Restore and recover Florida’s Coral Reef.

• Restore water quality in Florida’s Everglades

• Reduce pollutant loading to waters in the project area.

(2) Priority Areas

Applications must address one or more of the priority areas listed below and describe how the project will contribute to protecting and restoring south Florida aquatic ecosystems. Priority areas were requested by and developed with input from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee. The Steering Committee was established by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Act (Public Law 102 – 587) to address water quality in south Florida.

Committee members include federal, state, county, and municipal government staff and knowledgeable citizen representatives from across the Florida Keys and beyond. Together, this committee pursues goals of identifying and correcting water quality problems in south Florida’s highly sensitive and valuable aquatic ecosystems. A tool showing projects that have been funded under these priority areas in prior years is available at the South Florida Program website. These Priority Areas are derived from the statutory language (see C. Statutory Authority section below).

Aquatic Habitat Restoration in South Florida [up to $750,000 per project]

• Demonstrate proof of concept or develop innovative approaches to habitat restoration to reestablish, rehabilitate, or enhance coral reef (including Diadema and other benthic/herbivorous species), oyster reef, seagrass (submerged aquatic vegetation), sponge, mangrove, wetlands, or other aquatic ecosystems.

https://www.epa.gov/southflorida/south-florida-program-sfp-funding-funded-projects

• Enhance monitoring networks to assess and quantify environmental impacts from land-based and upstream pollution; assess ecological condition and function; evaluate effectiveness of management activities; identify critical habitats threatened by water quality; evaluate potential sources of habitat degradation; and develop restoration methods and strategies.

• Identify and map habitat areas of particular concern for protection, restoration, and management required to support fisheries/marine mammal potentially including restoration plans.

• Develop innovative approaches to coral reef restoration activities (such as structure, coral species diversity, invertebrates, and other reef associated species) including consideration of culture, genetics, diversity, and scaling up such approaches.

Addressing Severe Weather Events and Water Resource Issues [up to $750,000 per project]

• Proposals that investigate, prepare, and adjust to current and projected severe weather and sunny day flooding impacts. Activities may include, but are not limited to, developing vulnerability plans; identifying potential impacts from loss of natural barriers; assessing vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems; advancing nature-based solutions; identifying adaptive measures such as natural infrastructure; and identifying means to restore and maintain ecosystem function while providing storm attenuation and flood deterrence benefits.

• Investigate opportunities to improve wastewater systems beyond advanced treatment standards and repurpose purified wastewater for beneficial use in south Florida for making them more robust to environmental disturbances.

Water Quality Monitoring and Modeling [up to $400,000 per project

• Develop new or apply currently accepted models or conduct alternative analysis to investigate the connectivity between inland waters and the loading of associated pollutants to Florida’s coasts (e.g., stormwater, sewage overflows, river inputs.).

• Consider incorporating other monitoring tools, such as satellite imagery or forecast modeling, to provide additional information about regional trends.

• Conduct nutrient loading analyses and evaluations to assess the relative contribution of local sources of nitrogen and phosphorus (wastewater, stormwater, vessels, legacy septic systems, upwelling, rainwater, etc.) to nearshore waters; include analysis of changes in anthropogenic nutrient loading over time compared to former nutrient loading estimates conducted before wastewater upgrades and other corrective actions were implemented.

• Identify the transport and movement of contaminants or their indicators to and between groundwater systems and their outflows. Assess the amount, fate, and transport of pollutants as they disperse into groundwater, surface water, or water supply systems.

Support Local Community-Based Projects to Protect Waterways and Aquatic Habitat [up to $400,000 per project]

• Design and implement education and outreach projects that inspire individual action or improve environmental literacy to protect and restore water quality.

• Investigate locally relevant methods to identify sources of fecal indicators that result in “poor” near shore and beach water quality. Based on the identified origin of those indicators, recommend additional corrective actions, best management practices, or other improvements to nearshore water quality.

Florida’s Coral Reef Health [up to $500,000 per project]

• Develop innovative techniques to evaluate coral reef health and treat or mitigate the effects of disturbances impacting Florida’s Coral Reef. Projects may include developing innovative approaches to monitoring, identifying stressors or species of particular interest and propagating coral reef species that contribute to the health of the reef.

• Investigating and proposing an approach, akin to mitigation banks, for restoration of coral reefs and the associated reef species.

Reduction of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) [up to $500,000 per project]

• Support research and development of tools and control technologies that help promote progress towards preventing, mitigating, and reducing HABs such as red tide, microcystins/cyanobacteria, or sargassum using current and new scientific approaches or technologies.

Stormwater/Nutrient Pollutant Reduction Projects [Up to $600,000 per project]

• Investigate stormwater and extreme weather impacts from roads, bridges, and impermeable surfaces that contribute to degraded water quality and ecological impacts and/or identify and develop innovative best management practices or innovative infrastructure approaches for the protection of near-shore resources from runoff associated impacts.

• Demonstrate activities to improve water quality in canals that may include master planning;

restoration demonstration projects and design; pilot projects proving or testing feasibility or efficacy of innovative technologies; education and outreach program for canal homeowners and marinas; collecting bathymetric data for restoration; and monitoring to evaluate effectiveness of canal restoration techniques.

• Research technologies and methods for underground injection or aquifer recharge to support ecological flows, including baseflow and direct discharges of recovered water, with a focus on cost effective treatment of water prior to recharge / underground injection to protect the quality of aquifers and knock-on effects to impacts to surface waters.

• Evaluate the presence of and potential impacts from 6PPD-quinone (also known as 6PPDQ) on south Florida species/ecosystems.

(3) Partnerships

The EPA strongly encourages applicants to identify all partnerships within their scope of work that support the priority or priorities addressed in their application. Please see Section 6 of this announcement for the evaluation criterion that addresses partnerships. As part of the application evaluation, the EPA will consider the mutual interests of each partner(s), how partnering with these entities will achieve the goals of the project, any relationship that aids in disseminating the outputs of the project, and whether partners are contributing monetary and/or in-kind effort for the project.

FKNMS Projects: For projects selected within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), there will be substantial involvement between the EPA Region 4, the FKNMS Water Quality Protection Program https://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/mitigation-banks-under-cwa-section-404

(WQPP), and the recipient during performance of the activity with coordination and collaboration to achieve the goals under the WQPP program. The successful applicant will be expected to participate and present project updates at the FKNMS Water Quality Protection Program meetings. If necessary, include and identify travel funds in the budget to attend these meetings which are typically in Marathon, FL.

B. Program Goals and Objectives The activities to be funded under this funding announcement support Pillars 1 and 3: Clean water for Every American and Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross-Agency Partnership of EPA’s “Powering the Great American Comeback” initiative.

The goal of the EPA’s South Florida Program is to protect and restore the unique south Florida aquatic ecosystem of fisheries, Florida’s Coral Reef, beaches, Everglades, mangroves, wetlands, shellfish, wildlife, and economically valuable recreational activities by successfully implementing EPA programs to reduce pollution and restore water quality, hydrology, and the ecology of south Florida.

C. Statutory Authority

(1) The statutory authority for the South Florida Program is the Sanctuaries Act of 1990. The statute authorizes the following related to water quality in south Florida:

• Corrective actions: Addressing identified pollution sources.

• Monitoring: Tracking water quality parameters over time.

• Research and special studies: Understanding the processes driving changes in the ecosystem.

• Education and outreach: Raising public awareness about water quality issues and their impact.

(2) This action is administered in compliance with Clean Water Act Section 104(b)(3), which authorizes the award of assistance agreements for Water Quality and Watershed Management: Experiments, Studies, Surveys, Demonstrations, Research, Trainings, and Investigations.

(3) The South Florida Program competitive grants are additionally supported by the Congressional Explanatory Statement to the EPA’s FY2024 funding appropriation which provides the following:

The Committees recommend at least $2,000,000 to monitor coral health in South Florida; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Lake Okeechobee discharges and harmful algal blooms; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Everglades Restoration projects and harmful algal blooms; and $1,000,000 for the expansion of the water quality and ecosystem health monitoring and prediction network which will use vetted, modern procedures for long-term monitoring of Florida waters, including Molecular, Algal, Ocean Floor, and Seagrasses.

(4) If funds are available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), they may also be used by the South Florida Program in support of these same objectives.

D. Funding Type It is anticipated that cooperative agreements will be funded under this funding opportunity.

Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project and Technical Officers and the selected applicant(s) in the performance of the work supported. Although the EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these projects may include:

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-administrator-lee-zeldin-announces-epas-powering-great-american-comeback https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-administrator-lee-zeldin-announces-epas-powering-great-american-comeback

• close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

• collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

• in accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

• approving qualifications of key personnel (the EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient);

• review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient); and

• requests to present in local scientific conferences.

The EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

E. Quality Assurance Authority: Quality Assurance applies to all assistance agreements involving environmental information as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 1500.12 Quality Assurance. The recipient shall ensure that subawards involving environmental information issued under this agreement include appropriate quality requirements for the work. The recipient shall ensure sub-award recipients develop and implement the Quality Assurance (QA) planning documents in accordance with this term and condition; and/or ensure sub-award recipients implement all applicable approved QA planning documents.

All work funded by EPA that involves the collection, generation, evaluation or use of environmental information and/or the design, construction, operation, or application of environmental technology shall be implemented in accordance with an approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). The QAPP will be developed using a systematic planning process based on the graded approach. No work covered by this requirement shall be implemented without an approved QAPP available prior to the start of the work except under circumstances requiring immediate action to protect human health and the environment or operations conducted under police powers.

Quality Assurance Project Plan / Quality Management Plan (QAPP/QMP)

1. Prior to beginning environmental information operations, the recipient must:

a. Develop a QAPP/QMP utilizing the QAPP/QMP checklist provided by Region 4 Project

Officer (PO) and Technical Officer (TO),

b. Prepare QAPP in accordance with the most current version of the EPA QMP Standard

(CIO 2105-S-01) and the EPA QAPP Standard (CIO 2105-S-02),

c. Submit the document to EPA Project Officer or Technical Officer for review assignment and,

d. Obtain EPA Quality Assurance Manager or Designated Approving official (DAO) approval.

2. The recipient must submit the QAPP/QMP no more than 90 days after grant award.

3. The recipient shall notify the PO or TO when substantive changes are needed to the QAPP/QMP.

Substantive changes require the QAPP be revised and resubmitted to EPA for review and approval.

4. The recipient must review their approved QAPP at least annually and document the review. The recipient must provide written notification to the PO/TO that the annual review has been completed and state whether or not revisions are required.

5. EPA-approved QAPPs shall be valid for no more than five years or shorter duration as may be defined in the extramural agreement, after 5 years, the QAPP must be revised, reissued, or closed out.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.317 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.318

For Reference:

EPA 2023 Quality Management Plan (QMP) Standard and EPA 2023 QAPP Standard; contain quality specifications for EPA and non-EPA organizations and definitions applicable to these terms and conditions.

EPA QA/G-5: Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans, Appendix C provides a QAPP Checklist.

EPA’s Quality Program website has a list of QA managers, and Quality Specifications for non-EPA Organizations to do business with EPA.

The Office of Grants and Debarment Quality Assurance Requirements.

4. Application Contents and Format A. Application Forms The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

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

3. EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

4. EPA Form 4700-4 Preaward Compliance Review Report

5. Project Narrative Attachment Form: use this to submit your Project Narrative

Optional Documents:

6. Other Attachments Form: Use this to submit other attachments, if applicable

a. Biographies and letters of support, if applicable

b. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable

c. Lobbying Form, if applicable

7. Budget Narrative Attachment Form

B. Applicants Using Contractors Applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 2 CFR Part 200.

Do not name a procurement contractor (including a consultant) as a “partner” or otherwise in your application unless the contractor has been selected in compliance with competitive procurement requirements. If an applicant selected for award has named a specific subrecipient, contractor, or consultant in the application, it does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with subaward and/or competitive procurement requirements.

The EPA will not consider the qualifications, experience, and expertise of named subrecipients and/or named contractor(s) during the application evaluation process unless the applicant provides documentation that it has complied with these requirements.

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-03/quality_management_plan_standard.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/quality_assurance_project_plan_standard.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-06/documents/g5-final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/quality https://www.epa.gov/grants/implementation-quality-assurance-requirements-organizations-receiving-epa-financial https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subject-group-ECFR45ddd4419ad436d

For additional guidance, applicants should review EPA’s Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements, EPA’s Subaward Policy, and EPA’s Subaward Policy Frequent Questions. The EPA expects recipients of funding to comply with competitive procurement contracting requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 as well as the EPA’s rule on Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in EPA Programs in 40 CFR Part 33.

C. Release Copies of Applications Copies of applications submitted under this NOFO are not going to be posted publicly. General information about grantee, amount, and title will be shared on the South Florida Program website, once awarded.

Applicants should:

• clearly indicate which portion(s) of the application are confidential, privileged, or sensitive information, or

• state ‘n/a’ or ‘not applicable’ if the application does not have confidential, privileged, or sensitive information;

• not include trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is confidential or privileged, or sensitive information that would invade another individual’s personal privacy (e.g., an individual’s salary, personal email addresses, etc.);

• be aware that if such information is included, it will be treated in accordance with 40 CFR § 2.203.

D. Coalition Coverage A coalition is formed when two or more eligible applicants coordinate to submit a single application.

Coalitions must identify which single eligible organization will be the recipient of the grant and which eligible organization(s) will receive subawards from the recipient (the “pass-through entity”). The pass-through entity that administers the grant and subawards will be accountable to the EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting and will be the point of contact for the coalition. Subawards must be consistent with the definition of that term in 2 CFR 200.1 and comply with the EPA’s Subaward Policy.

For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards under this grant program but may receive procurement contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR Part 200 and/or 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable. The regulations at 2 CFR 1500.10 contain limitations on the extent to which EPA funds may be used to compensate individual consultants. Refer to the Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements for guidance on competitive procurement requirements and consultant compensation. Do not name a procurement contractor (including a consultant) as a “partner” or otherwise in your application unless the contractor has been selected in compliance with competitive procurement requirements.

E. Project Narrative Application Information

To simplify the review process, obtain the maximum degree of comparison, and provide a fair and equitable evaluation of applications, reviewers will rely on the content of the entire application for 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/system/files/documents/2023-04/epa_subaward_policy_frequent_questions.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/epa_subaward_policy_frequent_questions.pdf https://www.epa.gov/southflorida https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Subaward) 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/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf evaluation purposes. Therefore, it is important that all applications are complete and substantially comply with the standard format as described in detail in this Section. For completeness of your grant application, please refer to the Application Submission Checklist (Appendix A). In addition to the forms listed in Section 4.A, each application must consist of the following components below:

1. Application Cover Page (see Appendix B for a sample)

2. A one-page project application summary (single spaced)

3. Application Proposal (16-page maximum double spaced)

4. Attachments (14-page maximum)

(1) Formatting Instructions

Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

The application proposal should be readable in PDF or MS Word and consolidated into a single file. In addition to addressing the components listed below, applicants should ensure their application also addresses the evaluation criteria listed in Section 6.B of this solicitation.

The application proposal must be no more than sixteen (16) double-spaced 8.5 x 11-inch pages (a page is one side of paper). The page limit does not include documents specifically excluded from the page limit as noted below. Pages should be consecutively numbered for ease of reading. It is recommended that applicants use a standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins. Additional pages beyond the 16-page limit will not be reviewed. If a single-spaced application is submitted, it will only be reviewed up to the equivalent of the 16-page double-spaced page limit for applications [eight (8) single-spaced pages are the equivalent of the 16-page double-spaced application page limit]. Any excess pages, whether single or double spaced, will not be reviewed. Attachments may not exceed 14 pages, please reference Section 4.E(1).12 “Attachments,” for more details.

Application proposals that do not substantially comply with the requirements above may be deemed ineligible.

It is recommended that applications follow the format as described below:

1. Application Proposal

a. Situation, Need, and Previous Efforts - Discuss notable gaps in knowledge or capabilities, why the proposed project should be performed, review significant work by yourself or by others in the proposed area of interest (include reference citations). Describe how this project relates to long term management strategy.

b. Objective(s) - State what is to be studied, measured, observed, or developed, and the anticipated results. State hypotheses, as relevant, that the proposed special study is designed to test.

c. Applications, Benefits, and Importance - Describe how the anticipated results, will contribute to expected benefits and their utility to the priority action items and/or resource managers.

2. Methods and Approach

a. Description of Major Tasks – Clearly describe tasks that must be performed to accomplish the objective(s) and describe each task. State the tasks in the same order as the hypotheses they are designed to test. Experimental design must be described with statistical tests, if applicable, for hypotheses proposed. All projects collecting data will be required to submit a Quality Assurance Project Plan, or QAPP, to the EPA for approval prior to collection of data.

b. Environmental Impact - State and explain any potential short-term impacts that your project will have on the environment, including the type and duration such as water quality and sample collection impacts.

3. Project Management

a. Administration - Describe the administrative responsibilities and authority of the Principal Investigator.

b. Roles and Responsibilities - Describe the team composition (including names and affiliations of key individuals) and the assignments of team members to major tasks.

Provide specific estimates of the time each member will work on the project.

4. Support Requirements and Conditions

a. Permit or Cooperation Required - 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. If a permit(s) or clearances from any government agency or organization is required for execution of the project please provide the name of the agency, the method of obtaining the clearance or permit, and the time required or state "none".

b. Data or Facility Access - If access is required to data or facilities held by another organization, please identify the data or facility, the nature and type of access required, the methods of obtaining such access, and the effect of being denied access or state “none”.

5. Project Schedule

a. Milestone and Deliverable Schedule - Provide a project schedule to include all milestones and deliverables for each task listed in the “Description of Major Tasks” Section. Describe what items of data are to be delivered. State the format in which data will be presented. Provide a monthly or quarterly schedule for all deliverables.

b. Each project requires two types of reports from the principal investigator, an Annual Performance Report and a Final Performance Report to include accomplishments and deliverables as outlined in the approved scope of work. Applicants should include these reports in their proposed project deliverables, as described below.

c. The principal investigator shall provide Annual Performance Reports to the Project Officer and Technical Officer by December 31st of each year. These reports will consist of updates on progress toward work objectives, justification, approach, results to date, any problems encountered, actions taken to resolve problems, discussion of remaining tasks, and expenditures to date. Principal investigators shall prepare a draft final report summarizing the objectives, methods, approach, results, and significance of the study.

The draft final report will be reviewed by the Technical Officer, Elizabeth Smith, and returned with comments. The principal investigator will address the comments and submit to Mr. Ade Adesiji at adesiji.adekunle@epa.gov and Elizabeth Smith at smith.elizabeth@epa.gov.

6. Environmental Results – Outputs, Outcomes, and Results (see Section 3.A(1))

a. Outputs (project products) - List the outputs expected to be produced through the completion of the proposed project;

b. Outcomes (project objectives) - List the outcomes of the project to be accomplished as a result of the project outputs;

c. Tracking Outputs and Outcomes - Describe your approach for measuring and tracking your progress toward achieving the expected project outputs and outcomes.

7. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Submit a list of federally funded assistance agreements, such as Federal grants and cooperative agreements (not Federal contracts), that your organization performed within the last three years (no more than 5 agreements, and preferably EPA agreements) and describe:

a. whether, and how, you were able to successfully complete and manage those agreements; and

b. your history of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including whether you adequately and timely reported on your progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes of those agreements (and if not, explain why not) and whether you submitted acceptable final technical reports under the agreements; and

c. your organizational experience and plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the proposed project, and your staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

In evaluating applicants under these factors, the EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant).

If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or past reporting information, please indicate this in the application and you will receive a neutral score for these factors (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of 0 for these factors.

8. Budget Summary

This section of the application must provide a detailed narrative and itemization, by cost category, of the proposed budget including total federal funds and leveraging, cost share or match contributions. This section must include a detailed and itemized list and description of how the funds will be used.

Applicants must itemize costs related to personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, subawards, contractual costs, other direct costs, indirect costs, and total costs as part of the proposal narrative and detailed budget table as part of the Appendices.

mailto:adesiji.adekunle@epa.gov mailto:smith.elizabeth@epa.gov

If the project budget includes leveraging, cost-share, or match the Budget Summary and table within the narrative must include a detailed description. If the EPA accepts an offer for a voluntary cost-share, applicants must meet their sharing commitment as a legal condition of receiving the EPA funding. If the proposed cost-share is to be provided by a third-party, a letter of commitment is required. Any form of cost-share or match included in the Budget Detail must also be included on the SF424 and SF-424A forms. Please see Section 2.B of this NOFO for more detailed information.

For more guidance on preparing a budget, applicants should refer to the Interim General Budget Development Guidance for Applicants and Recipients of EPA Financial Assistance, as described in RAIN- 2019-G02.

Please provide information regarding how your indirect costs were derived based on your budget total (which categories used to derive indirect costs). For more information about Indirect Cost please reference IDC Policy/guidance: RAIN-2018-G02-R2.

If your entity proposes to use undergrad, graduate, or doctoral students, and they are not deemed “employees” of your entity and receive a 1099, please ensure you place the costs and details under the OTHER category as Participant Support Costs.

If your entity proposes to use undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students and they are deemed “employees” of your entity and receive a W-2, please ensure you place the costs and details under the PERSONNEL category.

9. Partnership with other entities

Describe your approach for promoting and/or developing partnerships and support from the public and private sectors in performing the project. List the proposed groups that will be involved in the project and any related projects and studies, how their involvement addresses the common goals of South Florida Program priorities, and what each of the groups’ roles will be in the project’s staffing, funding, design, and implementation. Describe the type of partnerships/support proposed, how you will ensure that it will materialize during project performance, and what role it will play in the overall project.

Describe how you will coordinate activities of the project with related or complementary projects and studies.

Letters of support are strongly encouraged and must address the mutual interests and involvement in the project. Partnerships documented with letters of support may receive a more favorable score under the partnership review criterion described in Section 6.B. Please attach your letters of support within the Attachments area. If you are addressing the partnership within the application only, then it must be included as part of the 16-page limit. Applicants that do not plan on partnering with other agencies or groups should demonstrate how they will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such partnerships.

Under this section, the applicant should explain their plans for making subawards, as necessary and appropriate (see Sections 4.B and 4.D) to enhance project effectiveness and/or efficiency. An example would be a proposal by an applicant (a single entity) to use EPA funding to make subawards to one or more identified governmental agency, institute of high education, or nonprofit subrecipients that would work collaboratively with the applicant to implement an overarching plan. Applicants, not EPA, will select their subrecipients and the applicant must demonstrate in its proposal and/or through letters of support that the project partners are willing to accept the subaward and have the capacity to effectively administer and perform the agreement. Selected applicants who propose to make subawards must https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-05/documents/applicant-budget-development-guidance.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-05/documents/applicant-budget-development-guidance.pdf https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-11/documents/epa-guidance-on-participant-support-costs.pdf follow proper procedures in making subawards and will be expected to make the subawards consistent with their proposal. The award will include a term and condition requiring the applicant to make the subawards consistent with their proposal.

10. Information Transfer

Describe the applicant’s plan for active transfer of project results (outputs/outcomes), lessons learned, and/or methods development. Examples include: presentations of results at appropriate forums, conducting webinars or other outreach targeted to relevant audiences, sharing results on a website and sharing the website address with relevant organizations.

11. Literature Cited

References used in the application narrative (not to exceed one page).

12. Attachments (are not included as part of the 16-page application proposal limit)

Not to exceed 14 total pages, attachments may be used to provide biographies and qualifications, technical backup material to the text, details of computation, and other pertinent information.

Techniques or methodologies, if critical to the successful completion of the research, should be discussed in detail within the application text (16-page limit). Do not attach copies of any journal articles or other applications to your submittal.

a. Letters of Support - Attach all letters of support from partners describing the nature of support and any active involvement with the project.

b. Biographies and Qualifications - Provide a brief biography for each team member that highlights education, experience, and publications related to the proposed project.

Curriculum vitae must not exceed one- page single space per person.

NOTE: Applications that do not follow the required format may be deemed ineligible and not reviewed.

13. Leveraging

The EPA will evaluate proposals based on a leveraging criterion as described in Section 6.B.

Leveraging is generally when an applicant proposes to provide additional funds or resources from third party sources to support or complement the project, they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds or resources, and their source, must be identified in the application.

Leveraging should not be included in the budget and the costs need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA assistance agreement. The grant application should include a statement indicating that the applicant is expected to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's application. If applicants propose to provide this form of leveraging, the EPA expects them to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their applications. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then the EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR 200.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Submission Dates and Times October 29, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

October 29, 2025 11:59PM ET Application Submission Deadline (Local Time)

Grants.gov creates a date and time record when it receives the application. If you submit the same application more than once, we will accept the last on-time submission.

B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov. SAM.gov will provide a UEI for your organization, which is required to apply for grants using Grants.gov.