Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program and Related Assistance

The National Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) is an inter-governmental partnership to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely and high-quality environmental information. The EN, launched in 2002, uses a standards-based approach to facilitate environmental data sharing among EPA, states, tribes and territories. This framework allows organizations to exchange and share data over the Internet regardless of the specific information technology used. Its goals include facilitating the sharing of environmental data, especially through shared and reusable services; streamlining data collection and exchanges to improve timeliness for decision making; increasing the quality and access to environmental data; reducing burden and costs for co-regulators and the regulated community; and supporting better decisions on environmental and health issues. The Exchange Network Grant Program provides funding for projects that develop the Network and enable timely, on-demand access to environmental data through innovative technologies, improved support systems, and expanded collaboration using shared tools and services. There are three funding areas for the FY 2026 EPA Exchange Network Grant Program: Funding Area 1: Increased Data Access and Innovative Business Processes. The opportunities under this funding area are designed to help agencies adopt innovative business processes and modernize the critical data services that power their systems and workflows. Funding Area 2: Eliminate paper submittals and expand e-reporting. The opportunities under this funding area are designed by EPA National Program Offices to help their stakeholders submit and share programmatic data for fourteen EPA programs. Funding Area 3: Augment the Information Management Capacity of EN Partners. The opportunities under this funding area are designed to enable applicants to build the IT and data management capacity necessary to effectively manage their environmental programs and to identify the most valuable ways for their programs to participate in the EN.

Consistent with the Assistance Listing for 66.608, eligible applicants for the Exchange Network Grant program include states, U.S. Territories (i.e., American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the District of Columbia, Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands), federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages and inter-tribal consortia of federally recognized tribes (e.g., the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission). Other entities, such as regional air pollution control districts and some public universities may apply for assistance if they are agencies or instrumentalities of a state or tribe under applicable laws. Entities asserting they are agencies or instrumentalities of a state must provide a letter from the appropriate state Attorney General certifying the applicant is an agency or instrumentality of the state. Entities asserting they are instrumentalities of a tribe must provide a certification and supporting documentation from the tribal council or other appropriate tribal government official certifying they are an instrumentality of the tribe. EPA will not accept or review an application which does not include the required documentation. The EPA recognizes that environmental programs and associated reporting obligations are sometimes delegated to local governments. Local governments are eligible to apply for EN assistance agreements if they can demonstrate that they are an instrumentality of the state by providing the documentation described in the preceding paragraph. However, most local governments implementing EPA programs are not agencies or instrumentalities of the state and therefore not eligible to apply. EPA encourages such entities to partner with an eligible lead applicant (e.g., a state applicant) to allow for their data to be reported and shared through the EN. Interstate commissions and other interstate entities, likewise, are not eligible to apply and are encouraged to partner with a state applicant.

Eligible applicants for the EN Grant Program include states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), federally recognized Indian tribes, and intertribal consortia of federally recognized tribes. Other entities, such as regional air pollution control districts and some public universities may apply for assistance if they are agencies or instrumentalities of a state or tribe under applicable laws.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications 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. 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.

From 70 to 180 days.