International Financial Assistance Projects Sponsored by the Office of International and Tribal Affairs
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Under the Solid Waste Arctic Program, EPA facilitated the award of approximately $175,000 to three organizations, the Native Village of Kongiganak, the Aleut International Association (AIA), and the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, to implement community-based pilot projects that address solid waste management challenges in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.
Through the Taiwan IEP, EPA supported planning, coordination, and engagement across multiple technical exchanges and high-level meetings, including the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference, Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) Meeting, the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN) Annual Meeting, and the Electronics Sustainability Summit (e-Summit). These efforts strengthened peer-to-peer collaboration on e-waste management, environmental education, and circular economy practices.
Under the EIA Mining Guidelines initiative, EPA contributed to the development of training materials on environmental impact assessment for mining operations, including guidance for heavy mineral sands mining. Deliverables included a detailed agenda, five technical PowerPoint presentations, a case study, and participant handouts designed to support capacity-building workshops and knowledge transfer.
In FY 2025, EPA also collaborated with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Working Party on Resource Productivity and Waste (WPRPW) to develop a report assessing the use of electronic systems for managing transboundary waste movements. The report evaluates options to support a harmonized electronic Prior Informed Consent (PIC) system within the OECD Decision framework. It identifies opportunities to improve efficiency and transparency in hazardous waste import/export processes. EPA further advanced this work by developing proposals for WPRPW consideration to streamline PIC procedures and enhance international cooperation.
Additionally, EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP) is strengthening the Agency’s ability to quantify and monetize children-specific health benefits in regulatory analyses. In partnership with the OECD, OCHP is validating a willingness-to-pay (WTP) survey instrument, preparing to field it in the United States, and generating U.S.-specific economic values to reduce adverse health outcomes in children. The results will be published in a publicly available report to support evidence-based rulemaking and enhance consideration of children’s health in environmental decision-making.
Program Objective
The Office of International and Tribal Affairs (OITA) engages both bilaterally and through multilateral institutions to improve international cooperation to prevent and address the transboundary movement of pollution. OITA will engage with key priority countries to address air pollution that contributes significant pollution to the domestic and international environment. Strengthening environmental protection abroad so that it is on par with practices in the U.S. helps build a level playing field for industry and promotes opportunities for technologies and innovation and the agency’s international programs also play an important role in fulfilling national security and foreign policy objectives. OITA will continue technical and policy assistance for global and regional efforts to address international sources of harmful pollutants. OITA will engage multilaterally and bilaterally to prevent and reduce marine litter, an increasingly prominent global issue that can negatively impact domestic water quality, tourism, industry and public health in the U.S. OITA works with NPMs and Regional Offices to formulate U.S. international policies and to implement EPA’s international programs that provide policy and technical assistance to other countries. OITA will continue to link anticipated and achieved outcomes to the Agency’s Strategic Goals. In FY 2026, OITA will continue to strengthen its focus on prioritizing, allocating resources, and managing assistance agreements to advance the Agency’s Strategic Goals and international priorities while maximizing limited resources most effectively and efficiently. Working with the experts from EPA's other programs and regional offices, other government agencies, and other nations and international organizations, OITA will identify international environmental issues that may adversely impact the United States and help to design and implement technical and policy options to address them.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- State
- Local Government Consortium
- Local
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Other
Beneficiaries
- State
- Local
- Nonprofit Organization
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- U.S. Territory Government
States and local governments, territories and possessions, foreign governments, international organizations, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions 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. 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.
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 120 to 180 days
Approximately 180 days.
Program details & compliance
Description
Collaborating with global and bilateral partners, EPA is working to promote sustainable development, protect vulnerable populations, facilitate commerce, and engage diplomatically around the world.
Mission Categories
Primary: Water Pollution Control
Other categories:
Solid Waste ManagementAir Pollution ControlPesticides ControlRadiation Control
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct cost expenditures incident to the approved project plus allocable portions of allowable indirect costs of the institution, in accordance with established EPA policy, 2 CFR parts 200 and 1500. Funding awarded for international research under these projects does not include research within the purview of EPA's Office of Research and Development. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Geospatial information is information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the earth, or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, GPS, remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial).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. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.
Required Documentation
Office of International and Tribal Affairs (OITA) may require applicants to submit documentation of non-profit status. OITA may request applicants to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects. OITA may also ask applicants or principal investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
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