EPA-R-HQ-UCECA-25-01.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applications Due: Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education

Uplift Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R-HQ-UCECA-25-01 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

B. Cost Sharing

3. Program Description

A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Statutory Authority D. Funding Type

4. Application Contents and Format

A. Application Forms B. Content of Application Submission C. Applicants Using Contractors D. Coalition Coverage

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 D. Risk Review

7. Award Notices

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. Reporting C. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

9. Other Information

A. Additional Provisions for Applicants ii

Appendix A: Definition of Disadvantaged Communities

Appendix B: Project Narrative Template

Appendix C: Detailed Itemized Budget Sheet Template

1. Basic Information U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education

Uplift Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/uplift-climate-and-environmental-community-action-grant

A. Executive Summary:

The UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant program (“UPLIFT”) offers an unprecedented opportunity to support disadvantaged communities by building the capacity of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) who play a significant role in supporting disadvantaged communities work towards creating healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for generations to come.

The UPLIFT Grant will support the development of a community of practice that will bring together IHEs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), CBOs, philanthropy, the private sector, and government entities to learn from one another about the climate and environmental justice challenges that disadvantaged communities face, identify solutions, develop partnerships, and engage with government (at the local, state, and/or federal levels) through a variety of public processes such as advisory councils, rulemaking processes, grant opportunities, to ensure that their vital voices are a part of and help to inform decisions that impact disadvantaged communities (as defined in Appendix A).

Additionally, the UPLIFT Grant will support the development of a subaward program that will support community-driven projects in disadvantaged communities that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful and collaborative implementation. The historic support provided by this grant will enable disadvantaged communities and their partners to work together to build capacity and collaborative partnerships to help them begin to address longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet their needs now and for generations to come.

Partnership of Community Based Nonprofit and an Institution of Higher Education are eligible to apply.

C. Key Dates:

B. Key Information:

Opportunity Number:

EPA-R-HQ-UCECA-25-01

Assistance Listing:

66.616

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Available:

$2.5 Million

Number of Awards:

One (1) https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/uplift-climate-and-environmental-community-action-grant

UPLIFT CECA Grant Application Information Webinar

Application Submission Deadline

Anticipated Notification of Selection

Anticipated Award Notification

January 9, 2025 3:00 pm ET

February 25, 2026 11:59 pm ET

May 2025

August 2025

D. Funding Details:

It is anticipated that up to One (1) award(s) will be made under this announcement. Awards are expected to be $2.5 Million, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. Awards funded under this opportunity are required to be completed within a three year (3-yrs) project period.

E. Agency Contact Information:

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

Technical Contact: UPLIFT.CECA@epa.gov

Eligibility Contact: UPLIFT.CECA@epa.gov

Electronic Submissions Contact: UPLIFT.CECA@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:

• a partnership between a CBO and an institution of higher education (IHEs), as defined below.

These types of partnerships for eligibility purposes are known as Statutory Partnerships. Further eligibility requirements are described below.

Community-Based Nonprofit Organization (CBO)

To qualify as a CBO for eligibility purposes, Organizations must demonstrate that they are a nonprofit consistent with the definition at 2 CFR 200.1.

Applicants must include documentation in their application demonstrating that they are a nonprofit organization by:

1) a written determination by the Internal Revenue Service that they are exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code, Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501 (c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

or mailto:UPLIFT.CECA@epa.gov mailto:UPLIFT.CECA@epa.gov mailto:UPLIFT.CECA@epa.gov 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#p-200.1(Nonprofit%20organization)

2) based on a written determination by the state, territory, commonwealth, Tribe, or other United States governmental entity in which they are located. This can be done, for example, by submitting a letter, certificate, or articles of incorporation from the state where the organization is located that recognizes them as a nonprofit organization.

Note: Foreign nonprofit organizations cannot qualify as a CBO for eligibility purposes.

In addition to being considered a nonprofit organization, an organization must demonstrate in their project narrative that they are a public or private nonprofit organization that supports and/or represents a community and/or certain populations within a community through engagement, education, and other related services provided to individual community residents and community stakeholders. A “community,” for these purposes, can be characterized by a particular geographic area and / or by the relationships among members with similar interests and can be characterized as part of a local, regional, or national community where organizations are focused on the needs of urban, rural, and / or Tribal areas, farmworkers, displaced workers, children with high levels of lead, people with asthma, subsistence fishers, and other similar groups. For purposes of this NOFO, the CBO must have a geographic presence or connection in, or relationship with, the specified communities that the projects are intended to benefit. For example, national or statewide CBOs must demonstrate the CBO’s connection to the community that will benefit from this grant.

For the purposes of eligibility for entering into a Statutory Partnership with a CBO, the grant regulations at 2 CFR 200.1 state that Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are defined at 20 U.S.C. § 1001.

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

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

1. Applications must substantially comply with the content and submission requirements in Section 5 of this NOFO.

2. Applicants must meet the eligibility and statutory partnership requirements listed in Section 2.A and include a Partnership Agreement (See Section 4.B) with the application.

3. Applicants must include a program budget that meets the following requirements:

a. Applications cannot request more than $2.5 million in EPA funding.

b. Applicants must describe how their project will result in the award of at least $1.0 million of EPA funds awarded as part of the Climate and Environmental Community Action Subaward Program (See Section 3 of the NOFO for more information).

4. Applications must demonstrate, as required by CAA § 138(b)(1), that projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, as defined in Appendix A. While projects may have an incidental benefit to other areas that are not considered disadvantaged communities, the applicant must demonstrate how all proposed projects in the application will primarily benefit disadvantaged communities.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1001 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1001

5. Given the requirement under CAA § 138(b)(1) that EPA must limit the period of performance for all grants to three years, all applications must describe how the projects in the application (including subawards) can be completed within three years of award.

6. All applications must include at least one project that supports the development of an UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Action Community of Practice, as defined in Section 3 of the NOFO.

7. Applications must include a project that supports the development of a Climate and Environmental Community Action Subaward Program, as defined in Section 3, and must demonstrate how they will ensure that the activities funded by subawards will benefit disadvantaged communities, as required by CAA § 138(b)(1).

8. Applications that intend, as part of the Climate and Environmental Community Action Subaward Program, to fund workforce development projects, as part of the subawards, must demonstrate they will ensure that funded workforce development project provides training in professions or trades that engage in work that helps reduce air pollutants and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

9. All project activities including those funded by the Climate and Environmental Community Action Subaward Program must occur within the United States (including Puerto Rico) and its territories.

Activities that take place in the Freely Associated States are not eligible for funding.

10. Written applications must be submitted in English only. Applications written in languages other than English will not be reviewed or considered for award.

11. EPA will not consider any application that includes projects that are exclusively designed to conduct scientific research. However, applications may include research components such as building blocks for outreach, training, and program implementation projects. In such cases, applications should clearly articulate this link within their Project Narrative and explain why the research is necessary for the project’s success and ensure that such research does not already exist.

12. If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible projects, tasks, or activities, including but not limited to ones that EPA determines cannot be funded under the statutory / regulatory authorities for the grant, 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.

Applicants who have any questions about eligibility, including whether their project can be funded under the statutory / regulatory authorities for the grants and this NOFO, or whether certain costs related to the project are allowable costs, should clarify the issue with EPA prior to submitting their application.

Contact information for this grant program can be found in Section 1.E. Failure to do so may result in the projects and / or costs being ineligible for funding and may impact the eligibility of the entire application.

Applications that do not meet all the applicable threshold criteria will be deemed ineligible for funding consideration and will not be considered further. EPA may contact applicants to clarify issues relating to threshold criteria compliance prior to making an eligibility determination.

Applicants whose applications are deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Please see Section 6 for additional threshold criteria.

B. Cost Sharing Cost sharing is not a requirement to be eligible to apply to this funding opportunity. Please note only Federal funds are to be listed on the SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget Narrative and Detailed Program Budget. We encourage applicants to not include activities that would be covered by voluntary cost share as part of their applications. Applicants should only include activities that, if awarded, federal funds would be used for.

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

The UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Community Action Grant program (“UPLIFT”) offers an unprecedented opportunity to support disadvantaged communities by building the capacity of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) who play a significant role in supporting disadvantaged communities work towards creating healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for generations to come.

Institutions of higher education have access to a level of capacity including research, data, information technology, and academic expertise not often accessible to disadvantaged communities. As a result, IHEs play a critical role partnering with CBOs and disadvantaged communities to support their work addressing the environmental issues that face. Disadvantaged communities have long sought the support of IHEs, especially those IHEs that are similarly located in disadvantaged communities, because their proximity allows for ease of access and fosters long-term meaningful partnerships based on a mutual interest to address environmental issues impacting both communities, such as poor air quality, poor water quality, crumbling infrastructure, and impacts from extreme weather events such as flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat.

IHEs that are themselves located in or near disadvantaged communities have long served as anchor institutions building out community from their campuses by affirmatively engaging with neighborhood residents to advance community development projects addressing residents’ interests and needs, including lack of understanding of environmental and health harms or risks, lack of services, such as, transportation, housing, etc.

For example, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have become anchor institutions in communities across 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving many different types of communities including low-income students, and the residents of the rural and urban communities where they are located. Over the decades since their establishment, HBCUs have supported their surrounding communities providing employment and educational opportunities, investing in community projects, and serving the community during critical times such as serving as cooling centers during times of extreme heat. With most HBCUs located in or nearby disadvantaged communities, these institutions have learned about the unique experiences of these disadvantaged communities and have invested time, resources, and expertise to support these communities advance on their journeys towards creating healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for generations to come.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice Program (ECJP)—the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history—when it was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. The ECJP is now contained in Section 138 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. § 7438. Under this program, Congress provided EPA with $2.8 billion to award grants to help disadvantaged communities address a wide range of environmental and climate justice issues, and $200 million for technical assistance related to these grants.

Through the approximately $2.5 million to be awarded under the UPLIFT Grant, EPA will advance the goals the agency’s environmental and climate justice priorities. Environmental justice, as defined by Executive Order 14096, means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:

• Are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and

• Have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.

The UPLIFT Grant will support the development of an UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Action Community of Practice1 (“UPLIFT Community of Practice”) that will bring together IHEs, including HBCUs and other MSIs, CBOs, philanthropic organizations, the private sector, and government entities to learn from one another about the climate and environmental justice challenges that disadvantaged communities face, identify solutions, develop partnerships, and engage with government (at the local, state, and/or federal levels) through a variety of public processes such as advisory councils, rulemaking processes, and grant opportunities, to ensure that their vital voices are a part of and help to inform decisions that impact disadvantaged communities.

Additionally, the UPLIFT Grant will support the development of a Climate and Environmental Community Action (CECA) Subaward Program that will support community-driven projects in disadvantaged communities that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful and collaborative implementation. The historic support provided by this grant will enable disadvantaged communities and their partners to work together to build capacity and collaborative partnerships to help them begin addressing longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet their needs now and for generations to come.

1 A community of practice is defined as “a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how do it better as they interact regularly” (E. Wenger, 1991).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all

Priorities

The following two program priorities outline the specific goals and objectives for each program.

• PRIORITY #1: UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Action Community of Practice (UPLIFT Community of Practice)

• PRIORITY #2: Climate and Environmental Community Action (CECA) Subaward Program

Applicants must describe in their Project Narrative the activities they would undertake to meet the goals and objectives of the two program priorities.

Applicants must address program priorities and describe how each project will provide support to disadvantaged communities as they work towards creating healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities.

Additionally, applicants are required to described how each proposed project, if funded, will achieve outputs and outcomes in their Project Narrative.

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 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.

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; may be qualitative or quantitative; and may not necessarily be achievable during the project period.

Note: Eligible activities are defined in 42 U.S.C. §7438(b)(2). Further, all funded activities under this NOFO must comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

1. 2 CFR 200.435(b), which restricts the use of grant funds to defend a recipient that is subject to a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding against it commenced by any government for fraud or similar offenses;

2. 2 CFR 200.435(g), which precludes the use of grant funds to prosecute claims against the Federal Government; and

3. 2 CFR 200.450(c), which restricts the use of federal funds by nonprofit organizations for certain lobbying or electioneering activities but does not preclude the use of federal funds to promote adoption of local ordinances, including those related to zoning.

40 CFR Parts 5 and 7, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited-English proficiency), disability, sex, and age by recipients and subrecipients of federal financial assistance.)

Ineligible Activities

The following are examples of ineligible activities 2.

2 This is not an exhaustive list of ineligible activities. All activities receiving EPA funding are subject to requirements for cost allowability in applicable regulations including limitations on consultant fees in 2 CFR Part 1500. Additionally, only activities described in the EPA approved scope of work are eligible for funding.

• Lobbying as restricted in 2 CFR 200.450.

• Legal services, or representation in specific cases or controversies being litigated.

• Travel for federal employees.

• Costs for other activities that are unallowable under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E.

PRIORITY #1: UPLIFT Climate and Environmental Action Community of Practice Section 138(b)(2)(E) of the CAA provides that grants may be awarded for the purpose of “facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in State and Federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.” Accordingly, the UPLIFT Grant intends to support building the capacity of communities and governments to evaluate and redress environmental and climate injustices by giving disadvantaged communities a meaningful voice in government decision-making processes. By supporting the development of an UPLIFT Community of Practice that can support the participation of disadvantaged communities in the development and implementation of solutions, policies, and programs, and help close equity gaps and redress environmental and climate injustices.

Applications must include a proposed project focused on the development of a UPLIFT Community of Practice that brings together IHEs, including HBCUs and other MSIs, CBOs, government representatives, philanthropic organizations, the private sector, alongside third-party facilitators and/or evaluators who can support collaboration and partnerships across sectors.

The UPLIFT Community of Practice will help to facilitate the engagement of CBOs and IHEs who serve disadvantaged communities via their programs in governmental decision-making processes at any level (i.e., county, municipality, city, town, state, and federal) and support their ability to act on environmental and climate justice.

EPA recommends the UPLIFT Community of Practice focus on building the capacity of IHEs and CBOs, who are located within disadvantaged communities and/or service disadvantage communities, so that it can more effectively engage with governments to evaluate and redress environmental and climate injustices. By focusing on IHEs, including HBCUs and other MSIs, that have the knowledge, expertise, and experience of working with disadvantaged communities, the UPLIFT Community of Practice will aid in providing these important stakeholders with a meaningful voice in government decision-making processes.

Projects should focus on breaking down systemic barriers to community participation in government processes impacting environmental and climate justice. This can be done by creating engagement and feedback mechanisms with two-way communications between community members and government decision-makers. Applications should focus on ways to provide participants of the UPLIFT Community of Practice with information about issues that directly impact them, while simultaneously creating mechanisms for the government to gather input to ensure community needs inform decision-making and are integrated into government processes and policies.

Activities:

Applicants should address in their application how they will conduct the following key activities as part of their project:

1. Design a UPLIFT Community of Practice that will take on project(s) focused on building the capacity of disadvantaged communities and governments to evaluate and redress environmental and climate injustices by giving disadvantaged communities a meaningful voice in government decision-making processes.

Note: Listed below are three examples of projects that may be proposed. Applicants may expand or refine these examples or submit projects that are not listed below if they demonstrate how they will facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes.

2. Develop a communications plan and conduct outreach activities (e.g., hosting conference calls, webinars, and/or in-person outreach events) to solicit membership of stakeholders from disadvantaged communities to participate in the Community of Practice.

3. Develop and implement policies to ensure that members of the UPLIFT Community of Practice who may not be in or from a disadvantage community, demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting disadvantage communities and will utilize their membership in the community of practice for the benefit of those disadvantage communities.

4. Develop an approach to the management of the UPLIFT Community of Practice demonstrating participatory governance where one or more CBO(s)and/or IHEs, is involved in the design and decision-making of the community of practice program.

Example participatory governance activities could include advisory bodies composed of CBO(s) or IHEs that oversee and provide advice on the activities of the community of practice. Note that a statutory partner may compensate representatives of CBOs or IHEs who participate in the governance process with stipends to the extent permissible in EPA’s Guidance on Participant Support Costs.

Note: If selected for award, the Lead Applicant will become the grantee, operating as a pass-through entity for purposes of 2 CFR Part 200 and the EPA Subaward Policy, and taking responsibility for making subawards to Statutory Partner, Collaborating Entities and other subrecipients. The Lead Applicant should describe its process and capacity to make subawards in the application, including in the required Partnership Agreement among the Statutory Partners.

5. Developing an efficient onboarding process for members of the UPLIFT Community of Practice to maximize the amount of time within the 3-year project period members have to interact and learn from one another and impact government decision-making processes.

6. Provide technical support to members of the UPLIFT Community of Practice to assist in data collection, tracking, evaluation and reporting information in alignment with achieving the project outputs and outcomes. Applicants should consider including plans to coordinate with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs) to help address technical support and assistance needs of members of the community of practice.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g05-r1 https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers

7. Disseminate project results, feedback, and success stories through publicly available means.

8. Collaboratively work with EPA staff, federal technical assistance providers (such as the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers), the Environmental Finance Centers, Technical Assistance for Brownfields, and other federal grants programs to provide guidance and support to communities seeking to address longstanding environmental in-justices impacting their communities.

9. Other activities the successful applicant proposes to carry out and EPA agrees to fund that further the purpose of this Funding Opportunity.

Example Projects: The following are examples of projects that demonstrate how applicants can facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes. Applicants may also submit projects that are not listed below, so long as the proposed project demonstrates how it will facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes:

Example 1. Educational and Training Programs

These projects prepare, train, and educate members of disadvantaged communities on how to engage in government processes related to environmental and climate justice activities.

Examples of activities that could be performed under this type of project include but are not limited to:

• Creating a leadership development program that trains community members to identify environmental and climate justice challenges, devise strategies to address them, and recommend actions to governmental authorities. Example topics could include how to review public sector budgets, navigate specific processes such as land-use ordinances or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, and participate effectively in public meetings. The EPA EJ Academy is an example of a type of project applicants may consider developing for their own community.

• Designing and implementing a training program to help members of disadvantaged communities effectively participate in advisory boards, commissions, land use authorities, or other bodies that involve community members in environmental and climate related policy making.

• Partnering with a government entity to develop and / or implement Equity Action Plans that identify and address barriers to equity and opportunity and discrimination that disadvantaged communities may face. Equity Action Plans should meaningfully incorporate community input and result in city or statewide transformational, equitable change in environmental or climate related policies. For informational purposes only, please find here a link to Equity Action Plans developed by federal agencies that may help applicants with designing and preparing these types of projects.

https://www.epa.gov/il/ej-academy https://www.epa.gov/oh/ej-academy https://www.whitehouse.gov/equity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/equity/

Example 2. Environmental Advisory Boards (EABs)

These are projects that facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in environmental decision-making by establishing advisory councils, taskforces, or similar bodies to engage with government. These boards should have regular meetings to create consistent opportunities for disadvantaged communities to provide recommendations on actions government entities should take to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These bodies should include members from disadvantaged communities, may include additional representatives from other stakeholder groups that can effectively represent important and related perspectives (including, but not limited to Tribal, academia, youth / elderly / disability populations, government, etc.).

Examples of activities under an EAB-type project may include but are not limited to facilitating the engagement and involvement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes at different levels of government to provide input, recommendations, and advice on matters such as:

• Permitting decisions for factories or industrial sites.

• Community infrastructure upgrades to address pollution and climate concerns.

• Zoning and siting guidance for fence-line / frontline communities3 such as new school placements, highway construction, and industrial and commercial uses of land.

• Issues and actions of municipal and public utilities related to workforce development, drinking water shutoffs, drinking water quality and affordability, and aging wastewater treatment infrastructure in / near disadvantaged communities.

Example 3. Participation in Governmental Funding and Budgeting Processes

These are projects that use participatory budgeting to inform public spending on environmental priorities. Participatory budgeting is an approach to making decisions about governmental spending that is focused on meaningfully and deeply engaging the community in governmental funding processes. Projects can enable community-based organizations to partner with a public entity to design and implement processes whereby members of disadvantaged communities have input into, and influence, decisions about how to allocate public budgets for environmental and climate justice priorities. An example of a project using participatory budgeting could involve designing a program where the community identifies problems, evaluates proposals, and recommends decisions for public funding of projects that implicate environmental and climate justice issues.

Outputs and Outcomes

The following table provides examples of outputs and outcomes for example project topics that the UPLIFT Community of Practice program may fund. Applicants may new outputs and outcomes or expand or refine the example outcomes and outcomes and apply them to the project topics and projects that they anticipate for the HBCU Community of Practice.

3 A fence-line community or frontline community is generally one immediately adjacent to high polluting facilities such as industrial parks, manufacturing facilities, or commercial facilities and is directly affected by the noise, odors, traffic, and chemical and pollution emissions of the operations of these entities.

Example Projects Example Outputs Example Outcomes

Educational and Training Programs

• Community members from disadvantaged communities trained in environmental and climate justice leadership (#)

• Workshops conducted on specific topics (e.g, public sector budget review, land use ordinances, NEPA reviews, etc.) (#)

• Increased number of community-led initiatives and proposals addressing local environmental challenges

• Increased participation of community members in public hearings, advisory boards, commissions, and decision-making processes

Environmental Advisory Boards (EABs)

• EABs/task forces established at the local, state, or regional level (#)

• Members of disadvantaged communities participating in EABs (#)

• Community members from disadvantaged communities feel more empowered to contribute to discussions on policies that affect their local environment and health

• Future environmental and climate related decisions consistently take into account voices and needs of disadvantaged communities.

Participation in Governmental Funding and Budgeting Processes

• Development of a participatory budgeting framework that outlines how disadvantaged communities will engage in the budgeting process

• Meetings/workshops held to educate community members on the public budgeting process and enhance their ability to participate effectively (#)

• Strengthened relationships between disadvantaged communities and government entities as a result of transparent, collaborative decision-making processes

• Governments adopt more transparent processes for allocating public funds, making it easier for communities to track budget spending.

PRIORITY #2: Climate and Environmental Community Action (CECA) Subaward Program All applications must include a project that designs and manages a new competitive subaward program, Climate and Environmental Community Action (CECA) Subaward Program, focused on funding community projects benefiting disadvantaged communities via subawards that address longstanding environmental concerns; reduce and prevent pollution; build resilience to climate change and mitigate current and future climate risks; or advance environmental justice.

All subaward projects must benefit a disadvantaged community, as defined in Appendix A. Examples of projects that these subawards can support include building new campus gardens on campuses that are located in a disadvantaged community that minimize runoff from the use of pesticides or public green spaces; purchasing new low-and-zero emissions vehicles such as bicycles, EV scooters, etc. that are available on campuses for vehicle-sharing programs; and installing water efficiency or other environmental management systems that will address harmful air, water, and land pollution in these communities. Note that construction activities, including landscaping, will require that the subrecipient comply with the Clean Air Section 314 Davis Bacon Related Act (DBRA) prevailing wage requirement if the subrecipient hires contractors to perform construction. Infrastructure projects must comply with the Build America Buy America (BABA) domestic preference requirements unless there is an applicable waiver. Refer to EPA’s BABA website (add link) for information regarding waivers.

Applicants should demonstrate how the program will administer $1.0 Million in grant funds via subawards to institutions of higher-education (IHEs), community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs), and other eligible subrecipients groups4. All individual subawards awarded as part of the CECA Subaward program must be between $100,000 - $250,000.

The application should describe how the Lead Applicant, serving as the pass-through entity, will develop a process to receive and evaluate competitive community project applications for the CECA Subaward activities.

Applications should include a clear description of the proposed streamlined process for competitively receiving, evaluating, selecting and awarding subawards, working with EPA to monitor performance as well as a plan for managing these transactions in compliance with regulatory requirements. EPA will evaluate applicant proposals describing this process under the Section 6 evaluation factors.

The pass-through entity that administers the cooperative agreement and subawards will be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds, reporting on the overall progress and deliverables of the program, providing regular status reports and updates on the progress of all subawards and will serve as the main point of contact for all subrecipients.

As provided in 2 CFR 200.332, subrecipients are accountable to the pass-through entity for completing workplan and project deliverables including proper use of EPA funding within the three-year project period. Subrecipients receiving a CECA Subaward will also be expected to provide regular project reports to the pass-through entity which will be shared with EPA.

4 Other eligible subrecipients include:

• Nonprofit organizations

• Philanthropic and civic organizations with nonprofit status

• Local governments (as defined by 2 CFR 200.1 – includes cities, towns, municipalities, and counties, public housing authorities and councils of government)

• Institutions of higher education (e.g., private and public universities and colleges, including community colleges)

• Puerto Rico

• US Territories

Ineligible Subrecipients include:

• Individuals

• For profit businesses unless EPA’s Award Official makes an exception based on factors such as those described in

Appendix A of EPA’s Subaward Policy.

• State governments https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients

Activities:

The pass-through entity will be responsible for the following key activities and applicants should address them in their applications:

1) Designing a competitive application submission and evaluation process for community projects addressing local environmental issues and related public health issues in disadvantaged communities. The process must include an open call for applications where applicants can submit applications by established deadlines. The process should include a range of submission options including approaches accessible to communities and CBOs without reliable access to internet services and significantly minimize the burden on applying entities (as compared to the federal grant application process). The process should include procedures that will be put in place to ensure the projects selected will benefit a disadvantaged community. The process should minimize the “time to award” for entities selected to receive subaward funding and the competitive application process should be up and running as quickly as possible.

NOTE –As part of EPA’s involvement in the cooperative agreement, EPA staff may collaborate with pass-through entity on the preliminary design of the subaward submission and evaluation process, the development of evaluation criteria, and, where capacity allows, EPA staff may, at the request of the pass-through entity, be included as reviewers of subaward applications. However, the final decisions on the submission, evaluation process/criteria, and selection of subrecipients will be made by the pass-through entity, rather than by EPA, provided statutory, regulatory, and Subaward Policy requirements are met.

2) Developing communications plans and conducting outreach activities (e.g., hosting conference calls, webinars, and/or in-person outreach events to notify communities) to reach disadvantaged communities, especially urban, rural, and remote communities.

Outreach activities should be focused on making potential eligible subrecipients aware of the availability CECA funding, deadlines for submitting applications, tutorials to understand the application and subawards process, and opportunities to ask questions.

3) Developing an efficient subaward process to make funds available to selected subrecipients quickly, monitoring progress of fund expenditures in compliance with federal regulations, terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement, and ensuring that all funds received by the pass-through entities are expended within the 3-year project period per the requirements of section 138(b)(1) of the CAA.

4) Designing and implementing a project management process, in collaboration with EPA, which includes quality project oversight for funding subrecipients to ensure 1) the projects support climate action and pollution reduction and 2) that the benefits are experienced by a disadvantaged communities per the requirements of section 138(b)(1) of the CAA and a tracking and reporting process that reduces reporting burden on community recipients.

5) Providing technical support to subrecipients to assist in DBRA and BABA compliance, data collection, tracking, evaluation, and reporting of information in alignment with achieving project outputs and outcomes. Applicants should consider including plans to https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients coordinate with the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs) to help address technical support and assistance needs of subrecipients.

6) Managing the subaward application in-take processes, evaluations, subaward awarding process, subaward oversight/management and project tracking for communities and/or subrecipients.

7) Developing an approach to the pass-through entity role demonstrating participatory governance where one or more CBO is involved in the design and decision-making of the subaward program. Example participatory governance activities could include advisory bodies composed of CBO(s) that oversee and provide advice on the development of the subaward process. The participatory governance framework should describe controls for ensuring that representatives of community-based nonprofit organizations involved in the design and decision-making for the Subawards Program do not have relationships with organizations competing for subawards or receiving noncompetitive funding that create actual or apparent conflicts of interest. Note that successful applicants may compensate representatives of CBO(s) who participate in the governance process with stipends to the extent permissible in EPA’s Guidance on Participant Support Costs.

8) Developing an approach, after discussions with the EPA project officer, to provide a limited number of noncompetitive CECA Subawards for severely capacity-constrained communities and CBOs where these entities can receive funding and support from the pass-through entity without submitting a competitive application. The applicant’s approach will include determining criteria to identify these severely capacity constrained communities and CBOs. The pass-through entity, rather than EPA, will select all subrecipients.

9) Disseminating CECA Subaward project results, feedback, and success stories through publicly available means.

10) Collaboratively working with EPA staff, federal technical assistance providers (such as the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers), the Environmental Finance Centers, Technical Assistance for Brownfields, and other federal grants programs to provide guidance and support to communities seeking to address longstanding environmental injustices impacting their communities.

11) Other activities the successful applicant proposes to carry out and EPA agrees to fund that further the purpose of this priority.

Outputs and Outcomes

The following table provides examples of outputs and outcomes for example project topics that the CECA Subaward Program may fund. Applicants may expand or refine the example outputs and outcomes or apply them to other project topics and projects that they anticipate the subaward program funding.

Example Project Topics Example Outputs Example Outcomes https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-technical-assistance-centers https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/epa-guidance-on-participant-support-costs.pdf

Green Infrastructure and Reforestation Projects

• New campus or community gardens and greenhouses (#) from which produce is shared with the community and science classes are offered to interested members of the community.

• Native and drought-tolerant trees planted (#) that increase carbon sequestration, provide shade, and increase green space for community.

• Increased green space as measured by square footage of added greenspace.

• Increased resilience to extreme weather and climate conditions as measured by reduction in flash flooding events, improved groundwater recharge, and cooler ambient temperatures during heat waves.

Sustainable Transportation Initiatives

• New bikes / electric bikes, and other low-and-zero emissions vehicles that are available via vehicle sharing / bike sharing programs (#) for use by students and community members to increase low emission transportation options.

• Streets improved to encourage walkability, bike-ability, and transit use (#, miles)

• Reduced air pollution from transportation (e.g., GHG reductions, reduced number of days with unsafe air quality for vulnerable populations)

• Increased use of campus transportation services and programs that promote electric vehicles, car sharing, and bike sharing and reduce campus contributions to local air pollution benefiting local communities.

Water Conservation Programs • Water efficiency systems installed (e.g., drought mitigation systems, rain capture installations) (#) on campus or in communities.

• Low-flow fixtures installed (#) on campus or in communities

• Increased availability of clean, safe drinking water for students and community members.

• Decrease in water spending (annual savings) decreasing overall costs for students and or community members.

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 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights , Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels of the Strategic Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goals and objectives identified above.

To achieve the objectives of this program to benefit disadvantaged communities, awards under assistant listing 66.616, which may be grants or cooperative agreements as appropriate, will be for projects for community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low-and zero-emission and resilient technologies and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants; mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events; climate resiliency and adaptation; reducing indoor toxics and indoor air…