HELP RFA 2021 Final 11.22.pdf

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Region 6

Healthy Environmental Living Program Grant

Action: Request for Applications (RFA)

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R6-HELP-2021

Assistance Listing/CFDA No: 66.963

Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of applications is Friday, January 28, 2022 by

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (E.T.) in order to be considered for funding. Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than

Friday, January 28, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. (E.T.) in order to be considered for funding.

Summary: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications that work directly with communities to reduce environmental risk to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. The Healthy Environmental Living Program (HELP) will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that:

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risk.

• Increase collaboration through community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

• Reduce pollution at the source.

• Advance emergency preparedness and resilience.

To qualify as eligible projects under HELP, proposed projects must: (1) address Environmental

Justice (EJ) in the states, tribes, and territories within EPA Region 6 states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas; and (2) identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the following Target

Program Areas: Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Materials Management, Lead-based Paint and/or Integrated Pest Management. Please see Section III for further information on eligibility requirements.

Eligible entities include State, Local, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions/organizations, Federally

Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, K- 12 schools or school districts: and non-profit organizations. The work must be for the purpose of environmental justice activities within EPA

Region 6 states and may include programs, projects, and studies.

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is $500,000. HELP anticipates awarding approximately 10 cooperative agreements, ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 from this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

http://www.grants.gov/

Applications may be submitted for amounts up to $100,000. Project periods may be for one or two years, starting no earlier than April 1, 2022.

Applicants may email written questions to: perry.chelsea@epa.gov. Please type “RFA Question” in the subject line of your email. All questions submitted via email by 4:00 p.m. E.T. each

Monday during the RFA open period will be answered and posted in the FAQ website:

https://www.epa.gov/tx/frequent-questions-about-healthy-environmental-living-program-grant the following week.

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

This application guidance includes the following information:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review Information

VI. Award Administration Information

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information (Appendices)

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Background

The Healthy Environmental Living Program (HELP) is being launched in 2021 and will support activities to provide education, outreach, or training in Environmental Justice Communities.

Environmental Justice supports EPA’s mission by integrating many EPA Region 6 programs including Pollution Prevention, Pesticide and Toxics, and Sustainable Materials Management.

The goal of the HELP is to combine available resources and best identify competitive projects that will achieve measurable environmental and public health results in communities across

Region 6. Eligible applicants are invited to apply to EPA Region 6 for funding consideration under the competitive grant program.

The HELP is EPA Region 6 Land, Chemical, and Redevelopment Division’s grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life, advance resilience, and preserve/restore important ecosystems. The

HELP will achieve these goals through identifying and funding projects that:

• Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks.

• Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects.

mailto:perry.chelsea@epa.gov https://www.epa.gov/tx/frequent-questions-about-healthy-environmental-living-program-grant https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

• Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Advance emergency preparedness and ecosystem resilience.

• Reduce pollution at the source.

• Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment (air, water, and land) upon which life depends. EPA’s purpose is to ensure that:

• All Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work.

• National efforts to reduce environmental risk are based on the best available scientific information.

• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment are enforced fairly and effectively.

• Environmental protection is an integral consideration in U.S. policies concerning natural resources, human health, economic growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and international trade, and these factors are similarly considered in establishing environmental policy.

• All parts of society (e.g., communities, individuals, business, state and local governments, tribal governments) have access to accurate information to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks.

• Environmental protection contributes to making our communities and ecosystems diverse, sustainable, and economically productive.

• The United States plays a leadership role in working with other nations to protect the global environment.

EPA Region 6 takes these broad goals and applies them directly to service the needs of Region 6 residents located in the states, tribes, and territories within EPA Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Within the broad landscape of these states, tribes, and territories EPA Region 6 recognizes that not all communities share the same areas with environmental justice conditions. Residents are exposed to a multitude of environmental and public health hazards ranging from lead in paint and soil to rats on vacant lots.

To maximize effectiveness and resources, many EPA Region 6 programs are working in partnership to improve environmental conditions for residents across Region 6. EPA Region 6’s

Pollution Prevention, Pesticide & Toxics, and Sustainable Materials Management, are working together to competitively identify projects that will achieve measurable environmental and public health results in Environmental Justice areas across Region 6. These participating programs share a focus on preventing and reducing environmental and human health risks and/or advancing ecosystem resilience.

Please read the descriptions below to learn more about each participating program. More information on each participating program’s activities, projects, and accomplishments is available at https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central.

• Pollution Prevention: The Pollution Prevention (P2) Program is designed to provide technical assistance to business and their facilities to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices. P2 includes any practice that reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. P2 techniques aim to reduce the amount and/or toxicity of pollutant of contaminants entering the environment, to reduce the use of water, energy, and other raw materials and to lower business costs. These practices reduce hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

P2 practices include equipment or technology modifications, process, or procedure modifications, reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of raw materials, and improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training, or inventory control. EPA has also interpreted P2 as including practices that increase efficient use of water, energy, raw materials, or other resources that may protect natural resources through conservation methods, in-process recycling (i.e., process improvements to reuse material within the same business/facility in the production process). Reducing the amount of pollution in the environment means producing less waste to control, treat, or dispose. Less pollution means fewer hazards posed to public health and the environment. For more information about P2, please visit www.epa.gov/p2.

P2 includes powerful tools that protect public health and the environment by:

o Reducing the use, release, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

o Implementing life cycle approaches to reduce the health and environmental impacts.

o Employing upstream solutions that reduce the need and cost of environmental cleanup and pollution management.

o Reducing the demand for virgin, raw materials.

o Reducing the demand for and cost of utility services such as power, water, and wastewater treatment through energy and water efficiency.

o Increasing the efficiency of materials use and reuse.

EPA Region 6 is particularly interested in receiving applications that offer hands-on, practical source reduction tools and training on P2 approaches to measurably improve public health and the health of the environment by reducing the use of hazardous substances, reducing toxic pollutants, supporting efficiencies in reducing resource use (e.g., water and energy), and reducing business expenditures and liability costs. Project examples include, but are not limited to:

• Provide technical assistance to businesses and their facilities to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices.

• Conduct trainings or conferences/roundtables for businesses and P2 technical assistance providers to share P2 best practices or to demonstrate a pollution prevention technology.

https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central http://www.epa.gov/p2

• Develop and promote site specific pollution prevention assessments to help businesses and communities prioritize which environmental problems to address, and in which order.

• Conduct training and pollution prevention outreach to teach businesses and communities to identify and reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, water, and energy (e.g., introduce

EPA’s Safer Choice, ENERGY STAR, and WaterSense Programs).

• Conduct a program to promote the procurement and use of safer cleaners and disinfectants at businesses in your area.

• Assist businesses to develop green cleaning policies and procedures.

• Assist businesses find opportunities to reduce air emissions (e.g., prevent ammonia refrigeration leaks or other fugitive releases, substitute the use of aqueous materials for volatile materials).

• Assist businesses find opportunities to conserve water (e.g., use high-volume, low pressure washing systems, extend production line times between cleanings).

• Assist businesses find opportunities to reduce pollutants discharged to water (e.g., reduce the quantity and/or toxicity of cleaning products which may contaminate water, reduce process chemicals that contribute to wastewater contamination).

• Sustainable Materials Management: Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycle to find new opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce cost. In 2021, the priority area is reducing the environmental impacts of materials across their life cycle, including greenhouse gas emissions. This priority area seeks to reduce wastes and their associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, and consumption and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal. SMM works to protect human health and the environment by advancing the sustainable use of materials throughout their lifecycle to minimize waste and environmental impacts.

SMM goals include:

o Preventing landfill waste through source reduction, enhance the reuse and recycling of all materials, including plastics;

o Supporting sustainable packaging that reduces single-use packaging;

o Improving markets for recycling commodities;

o Increasing collection and improve materials management infrastructure;

o Reducing contamination in the recycled materials stream;

o Enhancing policies and programs to support a circular economy;

o Collecting data and create mapping to support municipal solid waste characterization and measurement; and o Developing models, tools, resources, and best practices for communities to be replicated.

• Toxics and Pesticides: The Toxics Program regulates and provides oversight over a variety of different toxic chemicals (e.g., lead, asbestos, mercury, PCBs, etc.) regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Pesticide Program regulates and provides oversight over registration and use of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The Toxics Program includes Program Areas:

Lead-Based Paint and Integrated Pest Management.

o Lead-Based Paint Program: Lead-Based Paint Program, contributes to the reduction of childhood lead poisoning by establishing standards governing lead hazard identification and abatement practices and maintaining a national pool of professionals trained and certified to implement those standards;

providing information to housing occupants so they can make informed decisions and take actions about lead hazards in their homes; and establishing and maintaining a national pool of certified firms and individuals who are trained to carryout renovation, repair, and painting projects while adhering to the lead-safe work practice standards and to minimize lead dust hazards created in the course of such projects.

Lead-Based Paint program goals:

▪ Reduce children’s exposure to lead sources

▪ Identify lead-exposure children and improve their health outcomes

▪ Communicate more effectively with stakeholders

▪ Support and conduct critical research to inform efforts to reduce lead exposures and related health risks o Integrated Pest Management: Integrated Pest Management, is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

The IPM approach can be applied to both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, such as the home, garden, and workplace. IPM takes advantage of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides. In contrast, organic food production applies many of the same concepts at IPM but limits the use of pesticides to those that are produced from natural sources, as opposed to synthetic chemicals.

o https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles

The EPA plans to focus on the following three key sectors:

https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles

a. Public Health: reduce populations of pest of significant health importance, including the vectors of disease, by using IPM to improve the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and ecological soundness of controlling pests.

b. Agriculture: use available pest control techniques that reduce pesticides populations, are economically sound, and minimize risks to human health and the environment.

c. Structures: focus on eliminating or reducing sources of food, water, and harborage that are available to pests, and limiting pest access into buildings such as school, daycare centers, hospitals, public housing, etc.

B. Scope of Work

To qualify as eligible projects under HELP, proposed projects must: (1) address Environmental

Justice in the states, tribes, and territories within EPA Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas; and (2) identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the following Program Areas:

Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Materials Management, Lead-based Paint, and/or Integrated

Pest Management. Please see Section III for further information on eligibility requirements.

Under this competition, EPA is accepting applications from eligible applicants (See Section III) for projects that build capacity to address Environmental Justice issues in “underserved communities” located within the Region 6 states, territories, and tribes with an emphasis on reducing environmental health disparities. Environmental Justice (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 decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; the public’s contribution can influence the regulatory agency’s decisions; community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and decision makers seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected. For purposes of this competition and evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” means people/communities of color, low-income, tribal and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations such as elderly, children, and those who have pre-existing medical conditions. Capacity-building programs eligible for funding under this solicitation should be multi-media (involving multiple environmental health hazards), holistic (involving multiple stakeholders and built on strong partnerships), and demonstrate, implement or expand innovative methods and approaches to prevent and reduce exposures in homes, schools, childcare and other settings where people of color, low income, tribal, and indigenous people congregate.

Every application must clearly identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the following Program Areas:

Pollution Prevention, Integrated Pest Management, Sustainable Materials Management, and/or

Lead-based Paint.

1. Pollution Prevention: Projects that provide technical assistance to businesses and their facilities to help them develop and adopt source reduction practices. Source reduction means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise being released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.

In addition to reducing pollutants entering the environment, source reduction also includes reducing the use of water, energy, and other raw materials.

For purposes of programmatic consistency and to aid in the synergy of funded P2 work, applicants must have at least one or more P2 National Emphasis Areas (NEAs) in

(Section I.F), for additional guidance, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-national-emphasis-areas-neas.

Project Examples:

• Conduct trainings for many businesses on pollution prevention best practices being applied in a particular sector or a demonstration project involving a P2 technology not widely known or used.

• Conduct training and P2 outreach to teach groups of businesses to identify and reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, water, and energy (e.g., introduce EPA’s Safer Choice Program).

• Provide training to businesses that use and/or store hazardous substances to raise awareness about preventing the release of hazardous substances and hazardous waste during a flood event.

• Design and conduct a training to support safe handling of hazardous materials and/or hazardous waste at facilities and increase safe handling practices to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment.

• Develop and promote site specific P2 assessments to help businesses prioritize which environmental problems to address, and in which order.

• Provide information on P2 opportunities to businesses either in person or remotely through email, internet, webinars, or phone calls.

• Conduct a program to promote the procurement and use of safer cleaners and disinfectants at businesses in your area.

• Assist businesses to develop green cleaning policies and procedures.

• Help businesses find opportunities to reduce air emissions (e.g., prevent ammonia refrigeration leaks or other fugitive releases, substitute the use of aqueous materials for volatile materials).

• Help businesses find opportunities to reduce pollutants discharged to water (e.g., reduce the quantity and/or toxicity of cleaning products which may contaminate water, reduce process chemicals that contribute to wastewater contamination).

https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-national-emphasis-areas-neas https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-national-emphasis-areas-neas

• Help businesses find opportunities to conserve water (e.g., use high-volume, low pressure washing systems, extend production line times between cleanings).

Output Examples:

• Pounds of hazardous materials reduced through pollution prevention/source reduction.

• MTCO2e (metric tons of CO2 equivalent) reduced through pollution prevention/source reduction.

• Gallons of water saved through P2/source reduction.

• Dollars saved through pollution P2/source reduction.

• Kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy saved through P2/source reduction.

• Programmatic consistency

2. Integrated Pest Management: Projects that focus on promoting integrated pest management; promoting recycling, pollution prevention and promoting comprehensive healthy homes and/or other indoor environments for children or other environmental justice.

a. Focus Region-Specific Pesticide Priorities on those Areas of Greatest Need

Nationally.

The Region-Specific Pesticide Priority for Integrated Pest Management

(IPM) supports the Agency’s national pesticide program goals. The IPM focus area is broad enough to address the greatest needs of states, tribes, communities with EJ concerns, and vulnerable populations, resulting in the greatest reduction of potential pesticides risk in their area of the country.

Project Examples:

• Design and conduct an integrated pest management project which reduces pesticide exposures for elderly populations (e.g., nursing homes, community centers, etc.).

• Reduction in exposure to pesticides and/or toxic substances (e.g., lead, mercury, priority chemicals, etc.).

• Identification of methods or techniques leading to a comprehensive healthy homes project which potentially improves and promotes children’s health by reducing indoor toxins including, but not limited to mold, combustion by-products, lead, asbestos, pesticides, PCBs, dioxin, and mercury.

• Number of children, families, individuals, stakeholders, or geographic areas serviced or participating in efforts to reduce exposure to indoor pollutants such as mold, combustion by-products, lead, asbestos, pesticides, PCBs, dioxin, and mercury.

• Reduced quantities (e.g., pounds) of pesticides or other hazardous cleaning agents no longer used in target geographic area.

• Number of communities working with businesses to reduce toxics use, particularly in flood-prone communities, to eliminate or reduce risks to human health and eliminate or reduce the risk of the release of toxics for hazardous substances into the environment.

• Projects related to pollinator protection, worker protection, or applicator certification, if it can be demonstrated that the project has an IPM component and is in addition to regular regional work.

b. Assist in National, Regional and Local Pollinator Protection Efforts. Through risk assessment, mitigation, education, and outreach, EPA’s goal for pollinator protection is to ensure all pollinator, including native and managed pollinators (e.g., honeybees) are protected from potential adverse effects from pesticides exposure.

Project Examples:

• Design and conduct projects related to pollinator protection, worker protection, or applicator certification to promote pollination activities.

Output Examples:

• Assist with the development of managed pollinator protection plans

(MP3s), the appropriate revision to such plans, and outreach for state and tribal pollinator protection plans.

• Conduct outreach and education on pollinator protection approach and efforts as well as the Monarch Protection Strategy.

• Promote the EPA Bee Inspection Guidance and encourage timely and tribal responses to all suspected pesticide incident involving pollinators.

3. Sustainable Materials Management: Projects that focus on a systematic approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, and consumption and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal.

Project Example:

• Supporting state and local government programs to strengthen access to compost/anaerobic digestion and infrastructure in support of wasted food residuals.

• Establishing and expanding partnerships with businesses, industries, and universities.

• Incorporate lifecycle SMM concepts into the built environment marketplace.

• Support implementation of partnerships, which work to reduce loadings of plastic packaging in our nation’s waters.

• Demonstrating and/or implementing systems-based approaches.

• Assisting government, businesses and universities in reducing wasted food residuals according to EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy and increasing organics recycling (e.g., composting and/or anaerobic digestion) through articulating and communicating the benefits of sustainable materials management, and advocating and piloting innovative and economically sustainable tools and approaches.

Output Example:

• Pounds of waste recycled or beneficially used, diverted from landfills, and/or an increase in the rate of participation.

• Tons of greenhouse gases reduced.

• Increase safe reuse and recycling of C&D materials.

• Increase access to and participation in recycling collection.

• Dollars saved through recycling or reuse efforts, creation of jobs or other economic development.

• Quantitative and qualitative environmental and human health benefits, including the impact on public perception and behavior.

4. Lead-based Paints: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing childhood lead poisoning through compliance assistance, outreach, and/or education on lead-based paint regulations, reducing childhood exposure to lead, promoting comprehensive healthy homes and/or other indoor environments for children or other environmental justice areas

Outreach to Renovators, Homeowners and Owners of Child-Occupied

Facilities. Regional offices should provide information on the hazards of renovation activities in homes and child-occupied facilities with lead-based paint.

This outreach should stress the importance of using an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm and the benefits of following lead-safe work practices. Outreach should target owners of child-occupied facilities, homeowners, and renters in areas with older housing, vulnerable population, and renovation firms.

Project Examples:

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to promote lead safe indoor environments by minimizing risk of lead in the indoor environment, including risk from lead paint, lead dust, and in soil.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to train businesses, facilities and/or individuals to promote compliance with the federal lead-based paint regulations.

• Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to identify housing at risk for lead and/or other toxins and provide in-home education to families to improve children’s environmental health, such as a reduction of asthma triggers.

• Number of individuals or stakeholders reached with an education and outreach campaign to promote compliance with the federal lead-based paint regulations.

• Identification of methods or techniques leading to a comprehensive healthy homes project which potentially improves and promotes children’s health by reducing indoor toxins including lead.

• Number of children, families, individuals, stakeholders, or geographic areas serviced or participating in efforts to reduce exposure to indoor pollutants such as lead.

EPA’s expectation is the award under this RFA will help build capacity in “underserved communities” and create sustainable activities that address Environmental Justice well beyond the completion of the grant project period.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes and Performance

Measures

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan: The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s updated F.Y. 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment, Objective 1.3

Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination, and Objective 1.4 Ensure Safety of

Chemical in the Marketplace; Goal 2: More Effective Partnerships, Objective 2.1

Enhance Shared Accountability, Objective 2.2 Increase Transparency and Public

Participation; and Goal 3: Greater Certainty, Compliance and Effectiveness, Objective

3.1 Compliance with the Law, Objective 3.2 Create Consistency and Certainty, 3.3

Prioritize Robust Science, 3.4 Streamline and Modernize, and 3.5 Improve Efficiency and

Effectiveness of the EPA Strategic Plan. All proposed projects must support one or more of the goals and objectives identified above. Please read EPA’s F.Y. 2018-2022 Strategic

Plan (www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan) for more information.

The activities to be funded under this announcement are intended to further EPA’s current priorities but may differ in selecting the appropriate Goal and Objective identified above depending on how the proposed projects address one or more of the Environmental

Justice areas and one or more of the following Program Areas: Pollution Prevention, Integrated Pest Management, Sustainable Materials Management and/or Lead-based

Paint.

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements).

Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above.

2. Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes

Outputs: Outputs refer to measurable quantitative or qualitative activities, efforts, deliverables, or work products that the applicant proposes to undertake during the project period. The anticipated outputs for HELP cooperative agreements will vary from applicant to applicant but will be identified as "Project Deliverables" in the proposal narrative and work plan. All applicants will be expected to clearly identify their outputs depending on the Program Area(s) selected by the applicant and achieve them during the proposed project period. Grant recipients will be required to submit quarterly status reports about their progress towards achieving outputs once the project is implemented.

The anticipated outputs for HELP projects will vary depending on the scope of the project and linkage to one or more Program Area(s). Anticipated outputs for potential projects are organized by Program Area above in Section I.B.

Outcomes: the term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may quantitative or qualitative, and can be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature. even if they short-term outcomes include, but are not limited to, increased learning, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation, and must occur during the proposed project period.

The anticipated short-term outcomes listed below are expected to result in reducing environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life to create healthy communities and ecosystems related to many of the goals in EPA’s Strategic

Plan. Anticipated short-term outcomes include, but are not limited to:

• Measurable improvements to environmental and/or ecosystem conditions and management including, but not limited to: pounds of toxic or hazardous materials reduced, pounds of solid or hazardous waste reduced, adoption of strategies to address nutrients such as adoption of fertilizer use ordinances or laws; increase in the number of pollution prevention assessments, lifecycle analyses, and/or lean manufacturing assessments conducted at businesses, institutions or local government facilities; adoption of pollution prevention activities at businesses and/or communities.

• Increased resources to benefit communities at risk.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

• Increased access to information and tools that increase understanding and reduction of environmental and human health risks.

• Increased public understanding of chemicals at risk in their community.

• Improved institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.

• Measurable improvements in public health conditions including, but not limited to reductions in the number of lead poisoned children; decreased use of pesticides;

increase in pounds of crops grown using integrated pest management.

In addition, the projects may result in additional outcomes which will vary depending on the Program Area(s) identified by the applicant. Both the expected short-term outcomes identified above, and any other expected outcomes should be defined in the Proposal

Narrative and the Work Plan.

• Performance Measures: The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in their application.

These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful processes and output and outcome strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. It is expected that the description of performance measures will directly relate to the project outcomes and outputs.

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

a. What are the measurable short term and longer term resulting the project will achieve?

b. How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

c. For projects that include training activities, how does the plan measure the effectiveness of training materials and delivery? How will the plan measure actions taken or commitment to action by training attendees as result of the training?

D. Statutory Authority

The statutory authorities for this action are: Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3); Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3); Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442(a) and (c); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20(a), as amended by P.L. 106-74; Solid Waste

Disposal Act, Section 8001; and Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10(a), as amended by

P.L. 106-74.

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

Implementation activities are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is $500,000.

B. Partial Funding

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA anticipates award of up to approximately 10 cooperative agreement(s) under this announcement ranging in value from approximately $25,000 to $100,000, subject to the availability of funds, quality of evaluated applications, and other applicable considerations. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than twelve months from the date of the original selection decisions.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for awards resulting from this solicitation will begin April 1, 2022. Proposed project periods may be up to two years.

E. Funding Type

The funding vehicle for selected projects will be in the form of a cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial Federal involvement for this project will be:

• Close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant.

• Collaboration during performance of the scope of work.

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement.

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

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

In addition, EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or to make fewer awards than anticipated.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

In accordance with Assistance Listing 66.963, eligible applicants for awards under this announcement include State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated Indian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization, Interstate. Assistance under this program is available to

State, Local, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions/organizations, Federally

Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, K- 12 schools or school districts: and non-profit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Funding will be considered for a college or university to support a project with substantial community involvement. Private businesses, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible to be grant recipients. However, they are encouraged to work in partnership with eligible applicants on projects. Applicants need not be located within the boundaries of the EPA Region 6 to be eligible to apply for funding but must propose projects that affect the States, Tribes, and Territories within Region 6.

Non-Profit Status: Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.1, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations. Note that 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a non-profit organization(s) as defined by 2 C.F.R. §

200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. For-profit organizations such as colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

The grant program requires a match of 5% of the total funds requested. Any voluntary match beyond the 5% will not be considered as part of the evaluation and selection process used to make award decisions. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.306(b) for a definition of match and a description of match criteria.

Federal funds awarded under this program may not cover more than 95% of the total costs of the project being funded. The applicant must identify the source of the 5% nonfederal portion of the total project costs and how match funds will be used. (Match is restricted to the same uses of funds as allowed for the federal funds.) Applicants may satisfy this match requirement with either cash or in-kind services.

C. In-Kind Contributions

In-kind match is a non-cash contribution to a project such as volunteered services and donated supplies (e.g., use of equipment, office/meeting space, fiscal/management oversight, printing).

These “in-kind contributions” can be counted toward the demonstration of strong partnerships by providing resource support. Volunteered services may include a bookkeeper’s maintenance of a group’s financial records and preparation of required financial reports or an auditor’s review of a group’s financial records. Applicants must place a reasonable monetary value on in-kind contributions and include them in the budget. Applicants must be prepared to document in-kind contributions should the organization be awarded a grant. Rates for volunteer services must be consistent with the local community for similar services. EPA can provide funds only for project costs that are allowable under EPA statutory authority. Similarly, the funds that serve as a match toward the project can be included as such only if they are for costs that EPA can fund. If a project is funded, recipients and all identified match funding are subject to audit to ensure that all costs are appropriate. If costs are ineligible or the recipient cannot properly document match dollars, the recipient will be liable for the disallowed costs.

D. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible applicants (see Section III.A. of this RFA) that meet all these threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the ranking criteria in Section V. of this RFA. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility questions prior to making an eligibility determination.

Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applications must address Environmental Justice (EJ) in the states, tribes, and territories within EPA Region 6 states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.

2. Applications must address how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the following Program

Areas: Pollution Prevention, Sustainable Material Management, Lead-based Paint and/or

Integrated Pest Management. (Please see Section 1.B).

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

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

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

IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement.

https://www.grants.gov/

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

5. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with

Grants.gov or relevant System for Award Management (SAM.gov) system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal and application with Chelsea Perry at perry.chelsea@epa.gov as soon as possible after submission deadline.

6. Every application must clearly identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the following Program

Areas: Pollution Prevention, Integrated Pest Management, and/or Lead-based Paint.

(Section I. C, EPA Strategic Plan Linkage)

7. Applications that request more than $100,000 in Federal funding will not be reviewed.

8. Applications that do not include the required 5% match will not be reviewed.

9. Funds for all awarded projects must support research, investigations, experiments, trainings, demonstrations, surveys and/or studies related to restoring or revitalizing the environment; provide education, outreach, and training; or organize/conduct community planning activities in the Program Areas defined in Section I. B Scope of Work.

10. If any 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.

11. Projects that do not fit within the statutory authorities listed in Section I will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed. Please see Section I. D Statutory

Authority for further information.

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND SUBMISSION

A. Requirement to Submit Applications through Grants.gov and Limited Exception

Procedures:

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

B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Attachment D) https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/…