Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Training and Special Purpose Activities Relating to Environmental Justice

This program has been terminated. The program's objective is to provide funding in support of surveys, studies and investigations, training (including technical assistance) and special purpose assistance programs as they relate to environmental and

To provide funding in support of surveys, studies and investigations, training (including technical assistance) and special purpose assistance program implementation as they relate to environmental and/or public health issues, with a particular emphasis on environmental justice.

The term "nonprofit organization" is defined in 2 CFR 200.1. Public and nonprofit private institutions of higher education (including community colleges and similar 2-year institutions) are eligible to apply. However, 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. Eligible nonprofit organizations may, but are not required to be, exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. Workforce Investment Boards and organized Labor Unions that meet these criteria may be eligible nonprofit organizations. For-profit organizations or trade schools are also not eligible to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private nonprofit institutions and the communities they serve.

Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved cooperative agreements plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial).

The recipient cannot use these funds for the following activities under this program: litigation against the Federal government or any other government entity; construction (with the exception of demonstration projects); lobbying; matching funds for other Federal grants; travel for Federal employees; and human health studies (taking blood or other information from humans).Generally, this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement ("discretion"), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals. A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Grants and cooperative agreements are normally funded on a 12-month basis (annual). Most of awarded grants and cooperative agreements have project periods ranging from one year to three years, longer term projects may be for project periods up to five years, and generally, grants and cooperative agreements are fully funded at the time of award although incremental funding may be provided as appropriate.

EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the NOFO.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the NOFO.

Approximately 180 days.

EPA may in appropriate cases incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements for surveys, studies, training (including technical assistance) and investigations. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds.

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.