Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks

To support efforts by organizations; educational institutions; and/or State, local, and tribal governmental agencies to establish or enhance their ability to take actions that will reduce environmental risks to the health of children. Since 1997, whe

Protecting children's health is one of the most important responsibilities of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Over the last 50 years, the agency has worked to fulfill its mission by improving the nation's air, cleaning up our lands, ensuring that Americans have safe water for drinking and recreation, and providing a cleaner, healthier environment-especially for pregnant women, infants, and children who are in the most vulnerable life stages.

Assistance under this program is generally available to States or state agencies, territories, the District of Columbia, American Indian Tribes (federally recognized), and possessions of the U.S. It is also available to public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and 501(c)(3) organizations. 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. For profit organizations are generally not eligible for funding. Some of EPA's statutes may limit assistance to specific types of interested applications. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Policy for the Competition of Assistance Agreements.

State agencies and local governments, U.S. territories and possessions, American Indian Tribes, universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations.

Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved surveys, studies, investigations, and special purpose assistance, plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Funding awarded for research does not include research within the purview of EPA's Office of Research and Development. Funds awarded under Section 311(b)(3) of CERCLA must be used for projects relating to innovative or alternative treatment technologies that may be utilized in response actions to achieve more permanent protection of human health and welfare and the environment. 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. 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 usually funded on a 12- or 24-month basis. However, the Office of Children's Health Protection can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. EPA has limitations on project periods, and grants and cooperative agreements may be fully funded or incrementally funded. These determinations are made by EPA.

Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the NOFO. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the NOFO.

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 NOFO. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant.

For competitive awards, the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will specify application procedures.

Approximately 180 days after deadline for application submission.

Generally, EPA incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements for surveys, studies, and investigations. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to the Office of Children's Health Protection's program priorities, and the 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.