Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Program Objective
This program has been terminated.
The objective of this program is to provide financial assistance to eligible entities to support environmental and climate justice efforts under Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 138 which was added to the CAA by the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that remained open for 12 months, closing on November 21, 2024, to fund approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. This program is designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Tribal Government (other)
- Nonprofit Organization
Eligible applicants include a partnership between an Indian tribe, a local government or an institution of higher education and a community-based nonprofit organization; a community-based nonprofit organization; a partnership of community-based nonprofit organizations. 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 Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
Beneficiaries
- Unrestricted by Entity Type
- Unrestricted by Individual Type
Disadvantaged communities, underserved communities, and similarly situated communities.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
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. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards that may be made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and a 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 60 to 120 days.
Program details & compliance
Description
This program has been terminated.
To achieve the objectives of this program to benefit disadvantaged communities, awards under this listing, which may be grants or cooperative agreements as appropriate, will be for projects for community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation, and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants; mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events; climate resiliency and adaptation; reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution; or facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in State and Federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes.
Mission Categories
Primary: Economic Development
Other categories:
Economic Injury and Natural DisasterFire ProtectionFlood Prevention and Control
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved cooperative agreements plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. 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 (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial).EPA may only fund projects to carry out eligible activities under the Clean Air Act, Section 138(b)(2).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.
Required Documentation
Nonprofit private agencies, institutions, and organizations may be required to provide documentation of their organizational status upon application. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Matching Requirements
While matching requirements are generally not applicable to the awards to be made under this assistance listing, there may be policy-based matches and if so they will be identified in Notices of Funding Opportunities issued under this assistance listing.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements