Federal Funding Opportunities and Guidance – June 2023

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The surge of federal funding opportunities aimed at benefiting disadvantaged communities continues, as does our goal to make sure that ALL disadvantaged communities are ready for these opportunities. 

If you are interested and have not already, please fill out this survey for community organizations and other under-resourced entities interested in receiving pro bono assistance to create/envision projects for federal funding opportunities, particularly the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) Program grants that will be available in mid-2024.

We will continue to create and distribute specific federaling funding application guidance and support (including suggested schedules, templates, surveys to connect with potential partners, office hours, pro bono reviewers, etc.) as promising funding opportunities are announced. Please reach out if you have specific funding opportunities (particularly those at EPA) for which you’re looking for support.  

Meanwhile, here are a number of funding opportunities to consider right now:

1) EPA recently announced the $7 billion Solar for All competition, created by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). This competition will award up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients to create and expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for distributed solar investment—enabling millions of low-income households to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. Grantees will use funds to expand existing low-income solar programs or design and deploy new Solar for All programs nationwide. 

EPA will host a webinar to provide information on the Solar for All grant competition and the application process on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, 1:00pm – 3:00pm ET. Register to attend the information webinar.

Applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to be eligible to participate in the Solar for All competition, emailed to GGRF@epa.gov by the following deadlines:

  • For states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico,  July 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET
  • For territories (specifically, The Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), municipalities, and eligible nonprofit recipients: August 14, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET
  • For Tribal governments and Intertribal Consortia, August 28, 2023 at 11:59 ET

Completed applications are due September 26, 2023, and all applicants must have an active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration in order to apply. You should register in these systems now if you think you may apply. The process can take a month or more for new registrants. Please look here for guidance on how to register: Registering your organization on SAM.Gov and Grants.gov

2) NOAA recently announced a historic $575 million for coastal and Great Lakes climate resilience through the first of its kind Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. There are two parallel but separate funding tracks:

  • Track One: Regional Collaborative Building and Strategy Development
  • Track Two: Implementation of Resilience and Adaptation Action

Letters of intent are due Monday, August 21, 2023, and if invited to submit a full application, the deadline for submission is Tuesday, Feb 13, 2024. EPN has created a survey to help facilitate interested parties finding one another. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and then use this link to access the emails for potential partners. If you have any questions or need pro bono assistance to apply for this funding, please reach out to: davina.resto@environmentalprotectionnetwork.org.

3) EPA’s FY 2024 Brownfields Job Training (JT) Grants will award approximately $12 million under the Fiscal Year 2024 Brownfields Job Training (JT) Program. The grants allow nonprofit and other eligible organizations to recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing those who are unemployed and under-employed, including low-income individuals living in areas impacted by solid and hazardous waste, in environmental jobs. EPA is seeking applications for the program and anticipates awarding approximately 24 grants nationwide at amounts up to $500,000 per award. Applications are due by August 2, 2023.

EPA hosted an outreach webinar for prospective applicants on June 14, 2023. A recording of the webinar is now available: FY24 Brownfields Job Training Grant Guidelines Webinar Recording (mp3).

4) EPA’s Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program (GLEJGP) competition will award approximately $30 million for one to six cooperative agreements over approximately six years to be used for issuing and overseeing subawards for environmental restoration projects in historically underserved Great Lakes communities. Applications are due August 11, 2023. Please use EPN’s easy-to-navigate suggested 6-step application process to apply. If you have any questions or need pro bono assistance to apply for this funding, please reach out to: davina.resto@environmentalprotectionnetwork.org.

Thank you for your continued support. We could not continue to meet this moment without you!