EPA-I-R9-SFBWQIF-24-25.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applications Due: Thursday, April 17, 2025

San Francisco Bay Program Office

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-I-R9-SFBWQIF-24-25 i

Contents

1. Basic Information

2. Eligibility

3. Program Description

4. Application Contents and Format

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

6. Application Review Information

7. Award Notices

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

9. Other Information

Attachment A

Attachment B

1. Basic Information U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region 9, San Francisco Bay Program Office

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-program

A. Executive Summary:

The San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF) is a competitive grant program to restore wetlands and water quality in SF Bay and its watersheds. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)) provides funding for the program for five years from 2022 to 2026. The BIL funds are directed toward improving access to Federal funding and supporting projects that build climate resilience in underserved communities.

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to expand water quality restoration efforts and build regional climate change resilience through funding efforts and partnerships within historically underserved communities (i.e., economically underserved or other populations with disproportionate exposure to environmental harm). Eligible recipients, listed in in Section II.A, can submit applications for projects within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco). Awards will be made under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1330. There is no match requirement.

B. Key Information:

Opportunity Number:

EPA-I-R9-SFBWQIF-24-25

Assistance Listing:

66.126

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Available:

Approximately $14 million

Number of Awards:

Approximately 15-20

C. Key Dates:

April 17, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

April 17, 2025 8:59 pm PT Application Submission Deadline (Local Time)

June 2025 Anticipated Notification of Selection

September 2025 Anticipated Award Notification https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-program

D. Funding Details:

It is anticipated that up to 15 - 20 award(s) will be made under this announcement. Awards are expected to be approximately between $500,000 and $2,000,000, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

E. Agency Contact Information:

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

Technical Contact: Dana Michels; 415-972-3783; michels.dana@epa.gov

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

• State, local government agencies, districts, and councils.

• Regional water pollution control agencies and entities.

• State coastal zone management agencies.

• Federally and non-federally recognized Tribes.

• Public and private universities and colleges.

• Public or private non-governmental, non-profit institutions are eligible to apply, unless restricted by the authorizing statutes. Non-profit organizations must have documentation of non-profit status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or their state of incorporation, except that non-profit organizations as defined in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or superseding legislation are ineligible.

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

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

1. Program Priorities: Applicants must demonstrate that the project(s) provides environmental and/or public health benefits to an underserved community(ies) located within the shaded areas on page 6 (see Figure 1) or must describe how the applicant’s community has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life (for example, marginalization of tribes), and that the application serves such community in one or more of the nine Bay Area counties.

2. EPA Strategic Plan: Applications must demonstrate support of Strategic Plan Goal 1, Goal 2 and/or Goal 5 of EPA’s Strategic Plan.

3. Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) Consistency: Applications must describe how the proposed activities are consistent with San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s (SFEP) CCMP (see Attachment A) and identify relevant CCMP objective(s) and action(s) to be implemented by the project.

4. Project Location: Projects must occur entirely within one or more of the nine Bay Area counties (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco) that drain to San Francisco Bay.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.1 https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

5. Substantial Compliance: All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Sections 2.A. and 6.A. to be considered eligible.

Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within fifteen (15) calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section 5 or they will be rejected. The project narrative must be no longer than fifteen (15) pages in total (8 ½ x 11 inches, single spaced); pages in excess of this page limit will not be reviewed. Applicants must select a legible font type and size to allow for readability.

6. Application Submission: Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section 5 (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed) on or before the application submission deadline. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submitting through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section 5, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

Applications submitted outside of Grants.gov will be deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was due to EPA mishandling or technical problems associated with Grants.gov or SAM.gov. 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 submission outside of Grants.gov.

7. 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. Applications that substantially support environmental education programs in K-12 schools are not eligible for funding.

Please see Section 6.A. Responsiveness Review regarding the application review process for threshold eligibility criteria.

B. Cost Sharing

Cost sharing is not required under this funding opportunity.

There is no cost share/match requirement under this program as authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act -- Pub. L. 117-58, 135 Stat. 1404. Under the IIJA/BIL, Congress granted authority to the EPA Administrator to waive statutory match requirements. The EPA Region 9 Administrator extended the waiver for SFBWQIF projects funded under IIJA/BIL in fiscal years 2023-2026 on February 10, 2023.

3. Program Description A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities

(1) General Purpose

The BIL passed in 2021 and augmented the SFBWQIF for a five-year period. The BIL specifically expands the SFBWQIF to focus on inequities around access to Federal funding and implementation of projects related to climate resilience in underserved communities. It provides additional funding to advance the goal of investing in America’s infrastructure and delivering environmental and public health benefits for communities with environmental justice (EJ) concerns, that is, communities adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health harms or risks.

The EPA is soliciting applications under this NOFO to fund projects that have measurable positive impacts in underserved communities, particularly those facing climate change stressors in the San Francisco Bay and its watersheds. These and other funding priorities, as described in Section III.B., are collectively aimed to improve the health of San Francisco Bay and its underserved communities. A broad range of entities, as described in Section 3.A., are eligible to submit applications for projects within the nine Bay Area counties (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco.) Applications must fully describe the scope of the project, budget, and environmental results.

EPA will use the criteria described in Section 6 to review applications that meet threshold eligibility criteria.

(2) Funding Priorities and Focus Areas

Consistency with CCMP: All applications must be consistent with SFEP’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) and must indicate the CCMP objective(s) and action(s) to be implemented under the project. Attachment A identifies a list of the CCMP objectives and actions that address program priorities and should be used as a basis to provide this information in the narrative. For additional information on the CCMP visit SFEP’s website.

Environmental Justice (EJ) and Underserved Communities: This NOFO aims to support a broad array of project types that will deliver environmental and public health benefits to communities with EJ concerns, including underserved communities, within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties.

EJ is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or policies. Meaningful involvement means people have an opportunity to participate in planning efforts and decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” means populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, consistent with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The SFBWQIF underserved community map (Figure 1) identifies areas with underserved communities that have been adversely and disproportionately affected by multiple sources of pollution.

NOTE: In the past, many Federal agencies used the term “disadvantaged communities.” This term has largely been replaced by “underserved communities” and the “vulnerable communities.” To the extent possible, this NOFO will use the term “underserved communities.”

Factors that may indicate disproportionate and adverse impacts may include:

• proximity and exposure to adverse environmental hazards;

• greater susceptibility to adverse effects from environmental hazards due to age, chronic medical conditions, lack of health care access, limited access to quality nutrition, etc.;

https://www.sfestuary.org/estuary-blueprint/

• unique environmental exposures because of practices linked to cultural background or socioeconomic status (e.g., subsistence fishing or farming);

• cumulative effects from multiple stressors;

• reduced ability to effectively participate in decision-making processes due to lack of or ineffective language access programs, lack of programs that are accessible to persons with disabilities, inability to access traditional communication channels, limited capacity to access technical and legal resources, etc.; or

• degraded physical infrastructure, such as poor housing, poorly maintained public buildings (e.g., schools), or lack of access to transportation.

With climate change, shoreline communities are most at risk of flooding from sea level and groundwater rise, and potential contamination from old industrial sites around the Bay. EPA is seeking applications that will improve the natural environment and waterbodies in and around communities with potential EJ concerns, including affected underserved communities, in one or more of the nine Bay Area counties through meaningful engagement with those communities. Meaningful engagement can include technical support, capacity building, training sessions, expanding public processes, and importantly, time, to build relationships with local, regional and other governmental partners. EPA expects project proponents and community partners to share their successful approaches to community engagement with as broad a regional audience as is practical.

EPA is also seeking applications that demonstrate the diversity of organizational support and partnerships within historically underserved communities (i.e., economically disadvantaged or other populations with disproportionate exposure to environmental harm). For example, a project that benefits an underserved community could include implementation of green infrastructure to improve water quality and reduce a community’s vulnerability to flooding from aging infrastructure. Achieving equity in the Bay Area for shoreline and watershed restoration projects will likely need to include technical and financial support for community representation throughout a project’s multi-year planning process. Applications that identify the true cost of community engagement in their budgets to ensure community support of a restoration project is evidence of meaningful engagement. Applicants may also form coalitions, which are types of partnerships. See Section 4.D for information on coalitions.

Applicants may refer to the map below (Figure 1) to help identify the location of underserved communities within the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties that will benefit from the proposed project. If an underserved community does not geographically fall into highlighted purple areas, please describe how your community has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life (e.g., marginalization of Tribes) that identifies your application as serving an underserved community.

The map uses three different data sources to highlight underserved communities, including:

• "disadvantaged communities" by CalEPA for Senate Bill 535 in the CalEnviroScreen mapping tool (the state of California has used community health data including asthma, low birth weights, and cardiovascular disease to identify “disadvantaged communities”).

• "disadvantaged communities" by the Council on Environmental Quality for the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

• "underserved communities" using EPA's Environmental Justice Screening Tool, EJScreen.

Figure 1: Underserved Communities Map

Scope and Approach: Applicants should include project descriptions that demonstrate they are well-planned and technically sound (see Section 6.B.1.). For example, applicants may describe how community involvement, sea level rise, vulnerability to contaminants, and other climate change stressors are considered in the design and implementation of the project and/or program. Project descriptions may also convey the multiple benefits the project is expected to provide to an underserved and overburdened community.

Environmental Outputs and Outcomes: EPA requires that applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved.

• Outputs: The term “output” means an activity, effort, and/or work product that will be produced or provided over a specific period or by a specific date. Outputs (also known as project deliverables) may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Applications must include a description of project outputs and the way in which recipients will track project milestones throughout the grant period. Many projects will need to prepare a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the collection and/or use of environmental data (see Section 4.E). Examples of project outputs include, but are not limited to: number of presentations made, number of participants at an event or training, draft and final technical reports produced, tools and/or guides to help state, Tribal, territory, and/or local government decision makers integrate Indigenous knowledge into broader watershed planning, number of trash cleanups, and number of trees planted. EPA requires progress reports and a final project report as specified in Section 8.B. to report on outputs.

• Outcomes: The term “outcome” means a result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out project activities and/or completing outputs related to an environmental goal.

Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. Applications must include a description of project outcomes even if the outcomes will not be achieved within the assistance agreement funding period. For projects that are implementing activities called for in a plan such as a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or a restoration plan with an extended timeframe (e.g., 20 years), applicants should explain the degree to which the activities move towards the stated long-term goal or outcome. Outcomes expected as a result of the awards under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:

o Improved climate resilience in the form of shoreline protection and/or stormwater management in underserved communities.

o “Community restoration” in the form of workforce development (e.g., as measured by number of workshops to educate and train partners especially in communities with environmental justice concerns), community-based organizational capacity built, etc.

o Meaningful engagement with Tribal communities to increase use of Indigenous knowledge in project design, planning, and/or implementation.

o Number of individuals meaningfully participating in environmental issues in their community.

o Additional water/soil clean-up activities funded based on new data gathered to protect communities.

o Percentage of land area where green stormwater infrastructure has been or will be implemented to achieve water quality improvements and/or community benefits.

o Acres of habitat restored.

Successfully funded past projects include:

• Testing for contaminants in fish by sustenance and recreational fishing communities.

• Shoreline cleanups.

• Green jobs training programs.

• A complete list of past projects can be viewed on the SFBWQIF project storymap, with BIL funded projects under the “Environmental Justice Communities” tab.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/fbcee9e1ab154c1686e349ef7ff2f57f?item=4

B. Program Goals and Objectives

The activities to be funded under this funding announcement support FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.

Awards made under this funding opportunity will support Goal 1 (Tackle the Climate Crisis) Goal 2 (Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights), and/or Goal 5 (Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities) , Objective 1.2 (Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts), Objective 2.1 (Promote environmental justice and civil rights at the federal, Tribal, state and local levels), and/or Objective 5.2 (Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds) of the Strategic Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goals and objectives identified above.

C. Statutory Authority

Congress appropriated funds for this grant program under the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” (Public Law 118-58). EPA will award these funds under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act (National Estuary Program), 33 U.S.C. § 1330 (assistance listing #66.126.)

Build America Buy America (BABA)

If applications include the use of funds for an infrastructure project located in the United States, all iron, steel, manufactured goods, and construction materials must be domestically made. This is a requirement under the Build America, Buy America Act. Applicants should direct questions about this requirement to the EPA Contact listed in this funding opportunity. For more information on Build America provisions and requirement, please visit EPA’s Build America, Buy America website. Please consider this information when preparing budget information and your application.

D. Funding Type

It is anticipated that grants will be funded under this funding opportunity.

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

6. Budget Narrative Attachment Form: use this to submit your detailed budget table

7. Other Attachments Form: use this to submit your Project Area Map

Optional Documents:

8. Other Attachments Form: Use this to submit other attachments, including letters of support

Content of the Application https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/build-america-buy-america-baba

• Project Narrative – The project narrative must be no longer than fifteen (15) pages in total (8 ½ x 11 inches, single spaced); pages in excess of this page limit will not be reviewed. Applicants must also ensure that the narrative provides information addressing all review criteria identified in Section 6.B. and meets the threshold criteria in Section 2. Forms 424, 424-A, maps, detailed budget table, letters of support, and forms required by Grants.gov in Section 5 DO NOT count toward the 15-page limit. Applicants must select a legible font type and size (e.g., Calibri size 12) for readability.

• Project Area Map – Provide a map of the watershed and the proposed work areas of the project or, if more appropriate, provide a schematic that helps explain the proposed project activities.

• Detailed budget table – Using a table format, clearly explain how EPA funds will be used. The table should highlight key tasks/outputs for the project period with the associated budget breakdown. Explain how the overall project costs and the various components are cost-effective in furthering future implementation. This provides an opportunity for a narrative description of the budget found in the SF 424(A). In the SF 424(A), applicants must itemize costs related to personnel, fringe benefits, contractual costs, travel, equipment, supplies, other direct costs, indirect costs, and total costs. Costs in your budget detail should correspond to the SF 424(A).

• Letters of Support (optional) – Letters of support from project partners can help substantiate meaningful engagement with the underserved community(ies) that the project aims to benefit.

See Section 6.B.6 Environmental Justice and Underserved Communities criteria.

Additional Application Resources

• Guidance for budget development:

o Indirect Cost Policy and Guidance for Recipients of EPA Assistance Agreements o Interim General Budget Development Guidance for Applicants and Recipients of EPA

Financial Assistance

• Tips for Completing EPA Form 4700-4, Pre award Compliance Review Report

• EPA Subaward Policy for EPA Assistance Agreement Recipients

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.

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.

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. EPA expects recipients of funding to comply with competitive procurement contracting requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 as well as EPA’s rule on Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in EPA Programs in 40 CFR Part 33.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/documents/applicant-budget-development-guidance.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-05/documents/applicant-budget-development-guidance.pdf https://www.epa.gov/grants/tips-completing-epa-form-4700-4 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

C. Applicants Using Coalitions 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 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 EPA’s Subaward Policy.

D. Other Program Specific Application Information Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)

Certain quality assurance and/or quality control (QA/QC) and peer review requirements are applicable to the collection of environmental data. Environmental data are any measurements or information that describe environmental processes, location, or condition; ecological or health effects and consequences;

or the performance of environmental technology. Environmental data also include information collected directly from measurements, produced from models, and obtained from other sources such as data bases or published literature. Regulations pertaining to QA/QC requirements can be found in 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR 1500.12. Additional guidance can be found at the Region 9 QA website.

A project specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) must be submitted and approved by EPA if your project includes sampling of any kind. If your application is selected and a QAPP required, you are encouraged to contact the EPA’s QA Office at 415-972-3411 as soon as possible to discuss the process and set up a schedule for review. Allow 3-4 months in your timeline for approval of these plans.

Applicants should allow sufficient time and resources for this process in their proposed projects.

Compliance with other applicable statutes, regulations, and policies

Compliance with Federal laws such as the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Davis-Bacon Act, etc., may be required. Applicants may also be required to comply with state laws and regulations. Applicants are not required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Submission Dates and Times

April 17, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

April 17, 2025 8:59 pm PT 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. To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click 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/quality/quality-assurance-project-planning-epas-pacific-southwest-region-9 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

Get Started. From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register. Make sure you are current with SAM.gov and UEI requirements before applying for the award.

SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants.

Please visit How to Register to Apply for Grants for additional information.

C. Submission Instructions

You must submit your application through Grants.gov. See Section 5.B. above for information on getting registered.

Important tips:

• To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click the red “Apply” button at the top of the view grant opportunity page associated with this opportunity.

• See the Quick Start Guide for Applicants for instructions on how to submit.

• Make sure your application passes the Grants.gov validation checks.

• Do not encrypt, zip, or password protect any files.

• Your application must be submitted by an official representative of your organization who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal financial assistance.

• If you receive an error or the button is grayed out, it may be because you do not have the appropriate role to submit in your organization. Contact your organization’s EBiz point of contact or contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

• See Grants.gov Errors for information on other Grants.gov errors.

• The UEI listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization's SAM.gov account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

D. Technical Issues with Submission

If applicants experience technical issues during the submission of an application that they are unable to resolve, follow these procedures before the application deadline date:

• Contact Grants.gov Support Center before the application deadline date.

• Document the Grants.gov ticket/case number.

• Send an email with the FON: EPA-I-R9-SFBWQIF-24-25 in the subject line to michels.dana@epa.gov before the application deadline time and date and must include the following:

o Grants.gov ticket/case number(s) o Description of the issue o The entire application package in PDF format.

Without this information, EPA may not be able to consider applications submitted outside of Grants.gov.

Any application submitted after the application deadline time and date deadline will be deemed ineligible and not be considered.

https://iae-prd-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/entity-checklist.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240716T221854Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=86399&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAY3LPYEEXXDEYQVFT%2F20240716%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=aeff2db6f937f3dffa035c25f7fe5b099946a2315b48f382eaf62e2e7a3717f2 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.epa.gov/grants/how-apply-grants mailto:support@grants.gov

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

E. Intergovernmental Review

You will need to submit application information for Intergovernmental Review under Executive Order 12372. The appropriate answer for box 19 of the SF-424 is A. If your proposal is selected, you will need to send a copy of your SF-424 to the California State Clearinghouse. This requirement never applies to American Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations.

6. Application Review Information

A. Responsiveness Review

Applications must meet the threshold criteria requirements described in Section 2 to be evaluated.

Applicants not meeting these requirements will be deemed ineligible and will be notified within 15 calendar days of the determination.

• Applications must adhere to the page limit requirements. Any pages over the limit(s) expressed in Section 4 will not be reviewed.

• Initial applications must be submitted on or before the application deadline through Grants.gov or through limited circumstances as expressed in Section 5. An applicant’s failure to submit their application on time because they did not register in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or receive pre-approval through limited exception will automatically render the application ineligible.

• Technical difficulties applying: Applicants having trouble applying must contact the Grants.gov hotline at 1-800-518-4726 and then must email a PDF of the full application to the EPA contact listed in Section 1. The submission must be received prior to the application deadline for consideration.

B. Review Criteria

Only eligible entities whose applications meet the threshold criteria in Section 2 of this announcement will be evaluated according to the criteria set forth below. Applicants should explicitly address these criteria as part of their application package submittal in the project narrative. Each application will be rated using a point system. Applications will be evaluated based on a total of 100 possible points.

Criteria Name and Description Points (100 total)

1. Scope/Approach

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on the quality and degree to which they present the program priorities discussed in Section 3, including:

• a description of the activities based on community priorities stated in community planning documents that can include organizations’ strategic plans or workplans, local watershed plans, local land use plans, stormwater/green infrastructure https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2021-g02 https://cfda.opr.ca.gov/ plans; public comment periods for projects, and regional resiliency plans. (10 pts)

• a description of the environmental and community significance, and ways to share project results regionally to ensure local or regional resiliency (10 pts)

2. Environmental Results – Outputs and Outcomes

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on how well they demonstrate:

• well defined outputs throughout the project timeframe. (5 pts)

• clearly described environmental and/or public health results that are specific, quantified, significant, and link to EPA’s Strategic Plan. (15 pts)

• an effective plan for tracking and measuring progress toward achieving expected project outputs and outcomes. See Section 3 * (5 pts)

* EPA will consider the quality and scope of the monitoring component to measure environmental results under this criterion. If monitoring is not an appropriate project activity necessary to achieve and document results, proposals will not receive a lower rating under this criterion.

3. Budget Detail

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on:

• the level of detailed budget information provided in a table format which should include an approximation of the cost allocated for each major activity over the project’s expected timeline. (Budget resources necessary for completing a QAPP, if applicable, sharing project information broadly, and reporting progress, are expected to be included. See Section 4.E.) (8 pts)

• the extent to which the overall project costs and the various components are cost-effective and reasonable in furthering future implementation of similar activities. (5 pts)

4. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to successfully complete and manage the proposed project considering their:

• past performance in successfully completing and managing the assistance agreements identified in response to Section 6.B.4.

of the funding opportunity. (3 pts)

• history of meeting the reporting requirements under the assistance agreements identified in response to Section 6.B.4.

of the funding opportunity including whether the applicant submitted acceptable final technical reports under those agreements and the extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on their progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements and if such progress was not being made whether the applicant adequately reported why not. (3 pts)

• organizational experience and plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the proposed project. (3 pts)

• staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project. (3 pts)

Note: In evaluating applicants under the first two items of this criterion, the Agency will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources including agency files and prior/current grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information supplied 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 subfactors (for the first two items above-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.

5. Timely Expenditure of Grant Funds

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner. (5 pts)

6. Environmental Justice and Underserved Communities

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on the extent to which they demonstrate:

• How the project will address the disproportionate and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related and/or other cumulative impacts in affected communities, including underserved communities. (5 pts)

• How the project benefits, in the short and long term, the affected community that has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life (e.g., marginalization of tribes). (10 pts)

• How the project will meaningfully engage with these affected communities, especially local residents in these communities who will be affected by the project. This includes ensuring their meaningful participation with respect to all phases of a project or program, including but not limited to design, planning, implementation, tracking, and long-term stewardship. (10 pts)

Applicants will be evaluated based on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that they have the capabilities, staff, resources, and equipment to successfully perform the project as described in Section 3 of this funding opportunity.

C. Review and Selection Process

Eligible applications will be evaluated by the EPA Region 9 Review Committee which will score and rank them using the review criteria in Section 6.B. The Review Committee will consist of EPA staff and may also include representatives from other state or Federal agencies.

The Review Committee will provide rankings and funding recommendations based on the application scores to the Selection Official (EPA Region 9 Water Division Director).

Other Evaluation Factors

Final funding decisions will be made by the Selection Official. In making the final funding decisions, the Selection Official may also consider the following factors: geographic distribution of funds, diversity of projects, and availability of funds. EPA intends to fund as many quality applications received that will benefit underserved communities.

D. Risk Review

Before making decisions in the risk review required by § 200.206 the EPA will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

7. Award Notices EPA anticipates notification to successful applicants will be made by June 28, 2025. The notification will be sent to the original signer of the application or the project contact listed in the application. This notification is not an authorization to begin work. The official notification of an award will be made by EPA’s Grant Management Office. Selection does not guarantee an award will be made. Statutory authorization, funding, or other issues during the award process may affect the ability of EPA to make an award. The award notice, signed by an EPA grants officer, is the authorizing document and will be provided through electronic or postal mail. The successful applicant may need to prepare and submit additional documents and forms, which must be approved by EPA, before the grant can officially be awarded. The time between notification of selection and award of a grant can take up to 90 days or longer.

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The recipient and any sub-recipient must comply with the applicable EPA general terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions are in addition to the assurances and certifications made as part of the award, terms and conditions, and restrictions reflected on the official assistance award document.

Awards issued as a result of this funding opportunity are subject to the requirements of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; Title 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 1500.

B. Reporting

EPA’s General Terms and Conditions in the Notice of Award will have information on performance and financial reports, including:

• How often you will report.

• Any required form or formatting.

• How to submit them.

C. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

The Federal Financial Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) requires:

• Data entry at the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) for all subawards and subcontracts you issue for $30,000 or more.

• Reporting executive compensation for both recipient and subaward organizations.

9. Other Information A. Additional Provisions for Applicants

Additional provisions that apply this funding opportunity and/or awards made under this funding opportunity, can be found at EPA NOFO Clauses. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please contact the EPA point of contact to obtain the provisions.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-terms-and-conditions#general https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1500 https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-terms-and-conditions#general https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

Attachment A SFEP Estuary Blueprint (CCMP) Objectives and Actions

BIL-San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund

2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Review this list to select which San Francisco Estuary Partnership’s Estuary Blueprint Objective(s) and Action(s) (revised in 2022 and referred to as the Estuary Blueprint) will be addressed by the project’s proposed activities. Applicants must demonstrate consistency with the SFEP Estuary Blueprint by indicating the Estuary Blueprint’s objective(s) and action(s) to be implemented. Provide this information in the project narrative section.

OBJECTIVES

A Protect, restore, and enhance ecological conditions and processes that support self- sustaining natural communities

B Eliminate or reduce threats to natural communities

C Conduct scientific research and monitoring to measure the status of natural communities, develop and refine management actions, and track progress towards management targets

D Increase resilience of tidal habitats and tributaries to climate change

E Increase resilience of communities at risk from climate change impacts while promoting and protecting natural resources

F Promote integrated, coordinated, multi-benefit approaches to increasing resilience

G Increase drought resistance and water efficiency and reduce reliance on imported water

H Improve freshwater flow patterns, quantity, and timing to better support natural resources

I Reduce contaminants entering the system and improve water quality

J Build public support for the protection and restoration of the Estuary

K Strengthen regional leadership in support of Estuary health

L Promote efficient and coordinated regional governance

M Incorporate the best available social science and cultural knowledge when protecting and improving the Estuary

N Engage frontline, underserved, and Indigenous communities as partners in protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Estuary

ACTIONS

1 Plan for increased climate resiliency that incorporates natural resource protection.

2 Elevate frontline and Indigenous communities in planning for and benefiting from a healthy, resilient Estuary.

3 Overcome challenges to accelerate implementation of climate adaptation projects that prioritize natural and nature-based strategies.

4 Implement climate adaptation projects that prioritize natural and nature-based strategies.

5 Restore watershed connections to the Estuary to improve habitat, flood protection, and water quality.

6 Manage sediment and soil on a regional scale and advance beneficial use.

7 Decrease carbon emissions and subsidence in the Delta and increase carbon sequestration on natural and agricultural lands.

8 Implement a Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program.

9 Protect, restore, and enhance intertidal, and subtidal habitats.

10 Protect, restore, and enhance tidal marsh habitat.

11 Protect, restore, and enhance estuarine-upland transition zones and adjacent upland ecosystems.

12 Maximize habitat benefits of managed ponds and other non-tidal wetlands and waters.

13 Protect, restore, and enhance seasonal wetlands.

14 Conserve and enhance riparian and instream habitats throughout the Estuary’s watersheds.

15 Minimize the impact of invasive species.

16 Improve the timing, amount, and duration of freshwater flows critical to Estuary health.

17 Reduce water use around the Estuary.

18 Expand the use of recycled water.

19 Manage stormwater with low impact development and green stormwater infrastructure.

20 Advance nutrient management in the Estuary.

21 Address emerging contaminants in the Estuary’s waters.

22 Reduce human health risks due to legacy contaminants and contaminants in fish.

23 Reduce trash input into the Estuary.

24 Provide equitable public access and recreational opportunities compatible with wildlife.

25 Champion the Estuary.

Attachment B Useful References

The following information is for reference purposes only:

• S.F. Bay Area TMDLs and 303(d) List of Impaired Water Bodies http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/water_issues/programs/TMDLs/

• California Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/

• S.F. Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Basin Plan http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/basin_planning.shtml

• Bay Area’s Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals https://www.sfei.org/documents/baylandsgoalsreport

• San Francisco Estuary Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP) https://www.sfestuary.org/wrmp/

• SF Bay Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) http://www.sfei.org/rmp/

• San Francisco Estuary Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) http://www.sfestuary.org/ccmp/

• California EcoAtlas https://ecoatlas.org/

• Budget Development Resources: https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02

• EPA Indirect Cost Policy: https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/water_issues/programs/TMDLs/ http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/ http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay/basin_planning.shtml https://www.sfei.org/documents/baylandsgoalsreport https://www.sfestuary.org/wrmp/ https://www.sfestuary.org/wrmp/ http://www.sfei.org/rmp/ http://www.sfestuary.org/ccmp/ https://ecoatlas.org/ http://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 http://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r