Capacity Building Grants and Cooperative Agreements for Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Activities in Indian Country and Other Tribal Areas

If made available, the funds would provide financial resources to build and improve the compliance assurance and enforcement capacity of federally-recognized Indian tribes (tribes), inter-tribal consortia, or tribal organizations. Such capacity building efforts may include economic, social science, statistical research, development, studies, surveys, demonstrations, investigations, public education, training, and fellowships to the extent authorized under the federal environmental laws listed above. This Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number covers EPA's Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) resources targeted for compliance assurance and enforcement in Indian country and other tribal areas, including those in Alaska. In fiscal year 2018, no funds were made available under this assistance listing. In fiscal year 2019 if funds are made available, EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance anticipated include, but are not limited to, compliance monitoring and enforcement activities under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Federal Insecticide, Rodenticide and Fungicide Act.

To build and improve the compliance assurance and enforcement capacity of federally-recognized Indian tribes (tribes), inter-tribal consortia, or tribal organizations.

Tribal Organizations, Inter-tribal Consortia, and Federal Organizations, Colleges and Universities, and non-for-profit organizations; eligible applicants must also have enforcement and compliance assurance responsibilities in Indian country and/or other tribal areas or provide support for enforcement and compliance assurance projects in Indian country and/or other tribal areas. EPA may also limit eligibility for certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA assistance listing to: (1) tribes and intertribal consortia located in the Region where a project is going to be performed; and/or (2) applicants that have access to Indian country or other tribal areas.

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments; Inter-tribal Consortia and Tribal Organizations; Federal, State, and Multi-jurisdictional State Organizations; colleges and universities; and non-for-profit organizations.

Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants. OECA identifies special focus areas each funding cycle (annually). In the past when funds were available, proposals were sought for activities related to conducting sanitary surveys at tribal public water systems and innovative enforcement and compliance assurance projects, including performance measurement, data quality, and public access to information. Consistent with existing statutory authority, the funds are used to support compliance assistance, compliance monitoring, and enforcement activities.

Assistance, if made available, is normally provided in one lump sum. Projects may span multiple years. There is no restriction on the time permitted to spend the money awarded, although money must be spent prior to expiration associated with the specified federal fiscal year.

Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, 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.

Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through https://www.grants.gov

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

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions 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.

Specific information regarding deadlines is provided in the competitive announcement.

Approximately 60 days from the date of submission of the final proposal.

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 requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.