FY26 Guidelines for Brownfield Cleanup Grants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering Brownfield Cleanup Grants through the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization to support the environmental remediation and sustainable reuse of contaminated properties. The grant program aims to fund cleanup activities at brownfield sites owned by eligible applicants, including local governments, tribes, states, and nonprofit organizations. Key contract requirements include conducting environmental site assessments, demonstrating community notification, and proving the site's potential for revitalization. Applications will be evaluated based on project area description, community need and engagement, task descriptions, cost estimates, and the applicant's programmatic capability. The critical application deadline is January 28, 2026, with a comprehensive review process examining cleanup plans, project implementation, community involvement, cost reasonableness, and past performance with federal grants.

The EPA anticipates awarding approximately 36 cleanup grants totaling $107 million, with individual grant requests ranging from $500,000 to $4,000,000. The grant period is expected to be four years, providing substantial support for environmental remediation efforts across the United States. Successful applicants will receive cooperative agreements to facilitate the cleanup of contaminated sites, potentially enabling future economic development and community revitalization. Funding will be distributed through EPA's regional offices, with a focus on sites that have been complicated by the presence of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. The program is part of the broader Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Cooperative Agreements program, which supports the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfield sites nationwide.