EPA recently announced the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs (GLEJGP), which makes available $30 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for restoration projects that advance environmental justice in underserved and overburdened communities across the Great Lakes. Please note the deadline to apply is Friday, August 11, 2023.
EPA will consider applications from potential principal recipients interested in setting up GLEJGPs to fund environmental restoration and protection work on a Basin-wide basis or on a smaller, more localized basis. Projects funded through this program must improve the environmental health of the Great Lakes or Great Lakes watersheds through a variety of means, including:
- restoring, enhancing, or protecting habitat;
- reducing non-point source runoff through, e.g., green infrastructure, riparian restoration, shoreline stabilization, or other stormwater/nutrient reduction practices that will improve water quality;
- connecting aquatic resources, e.g., dam removals, culvert replacements, etc.;
- controlling or preventing invasive species; and
- providing hands-on, place-based environmental educational opportunities in the Great Lakes Basin.
To help applicants, EPN has created a suggested 6-step application process—including a suggested timeline—for this opportunity:
Suggested 6-Step GLEJGP Application Process
Special thanks to Jaimie Lewis and Sean Ferguson of Anese and Associates for creating elements of the the Checklist, Workplan template, and the Itemized Budget templates, and to Holly Baker of Climate Justice Alliance for creating the Commitment Letter template. Also included are links to publicly available tools, webinars, information, and instructions from EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.