Step by Step Guide to Applying to the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmakers Program

As part of EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM), regional and national Grantmakers across the country will be granting over $500 million in $75k-350k subawards to thousands of community-based nonprofits and others for assessment, planning, and project development activities.

Below are the suggested steps to prepare for and create a your proposal/s for the Grantmakers’ RFP(s). Please reach out to EPN throughout the process for 1:1 assistance with your proposal and application materials.

Please note that EPN partnered with GrantGenie to build two AI modules to assist organizations applying to the Grantmakers’ Request for Proposals (RFPs). We are aware and acknowledge that AI continues to be an emerging technology that many organizations may not be very familiar with and that many may have valid concerns about using. We have built these modules with these concerns in mind and strive to create the safest, most transparent experience possible. Here, you can access important information to help you understand how data is handled, including the potential limitations of data privacy and confidentiality when utilizing GrantGenie’s tools, and the safeguards in place to protect users.

Steps to Prepare and Create a Draft Proposal

Step One If You Do Not Already Have a Unique Entity ID, Start the Process NOW.

Recipients of Grantmakers funding are considered federal sub-awardees (not prime awardees) and only need a Unique Entity ID (not a full entity registration on SAM.gov). The information required for getting a Unique Entity ID without registration is minimal. It only validates your organization’s legal business name and address. Here are instructions on “entity validation,” which is the first step in acquiring a Unique Entity ID (UEID).

You can also join EPN’s SAM.gov registration office hours every two weeks on Wednesdays from 2pm-3pm eastern. EPN staff will help you begin, continue, or finish up your registration process. To sign up and get the Zoom link, go to tinyurl.com/EPNSAM.

In addition, you can use this SAM.gov step-by-step guide to obtaining your UEID.

To prepare to work with EPN staff or follow along with the guide, gather necessary information in advance: Before starting the registration process, ensure you have all the required information and documents. This includes your legal business name, address, taxpayer identification number (TIN) or EIN, and banking information for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).  You will need to have documentation ready to upload from your computer to validate your entity. Here is a comprehensive list of acceptable documentation.

Step Two Check here to see if the Request for Proposals (RFPs) in your region are available.

a. We will provide updates to this page as RFPs become available, along with links to their websites and additional information and resources.

b. If there are RFPs available in your region (there may be up to 2), carefully read through them and become familiar with the application requirements.

c. You can then return to this site if you would like to get AI assistance in building your application (see Step 3). Some RFPs will be simple enough that you will not need AI assistance, and AI assistance is not mandatory to put an application together. It is your decision.

d. In addition, as you read through the RFP(s), take note if you will need to upload a map of the proposal project area using EPA’s EJScreen. If so, this instructional video can help.

In order to most effectively use GrantGenie’s AI modules, we highly recommended that you take the time to complete the following forms, which will allow you to have the proper documents ready to be uploaded, and language that you can cut and paste into the modules:

a. Make a copy and fill out the Organization Overview Preparation Form

b. Make a copy and fill out the Proposal Ideas Preparation Form

Step Four Read through or watch the following resources to familiarize yourself with how to use GrantGenie’s AI tools:

a. Open up and have handy this step-by-step guide to using GrantGenie’s Grantmaker’s Modules 

b. Also, open and have handy this FAQ document, which is a living document that will be updated regularly.

c. Watch a recorded presentation about the AI tools.

Step Five Begin to use the AI modules to create language about your organization and proposal ideas. The modules include:

a. An Organizational Overview Generator, which compiles a DRAFT organization summary, mission statement, description, achievements, historical connection to an underserved community, programmatic capacity, and community description and environmental/climate impacts that can be edited to meet the specific requirements of national or regional Grantmakers’ RFPs. This DRAFT overview document can be used for Grantmakers applications or other applications.

b. A Grantmakers Proposal Ideas Generator, which generates a DRAFT potential Grantmakers proposal, including organization summary, project location, environmental issues, project description (activities, milestones, and anticipated outcomes), and project partners, that can be edited to meet the specific requirements of national or regional Grantmakers’ RFPs.

Step 6 Illustration Edit your draft materials as needed to meet the particular requirements and format of the specific RFP you are applying to.

Please note that RFPs for the same region MAY be different and have unique requirements and formats. The materials created using the AI modules are just a start and are not specific to your RFP.

Please reach out to EPN for additional assistance.