EPA Brownfields Grants: Complete Application Guide

The EPA Brownfields Program has distributed over $2.8 billion since its establishment in 1995, funding the assessment and cleanup of contaminated properties across every state and territory. For municipalities, tribal governments, nonprofits, and regional planning agencies, Brownfields grants remain one of the most accessible federal funding pathways for environmental remediation and community revitalization.

But the application process is more nuanced than many first-time applicants expect. Award amounts, eligible activities, scoring criteria, and match requirements differ significantly across the five grant types. This guide walks through each one with the specificity you need to build a competitive application.

What the EPA Brownfields Program Funds

A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. That definition is deliberately broad. It includes former gas stations, dry cleaners, abandoned factories, shuttered mines, and any property where environmental contamination -- real or perceived -- is an obstacle to productive use.

EPA's Brownfields Program provides grants for five distinct purposes, and each has its own eligibility rules, funding limits, and application requirements.

Assessment Grants

Assessment Grants fund the investigation of brownfield sites -- environmental site assessments, cleanup planning, and community involvement activities. These are the most common entry point into the Brownfields Program.

Types of Assessment Grants

Community-wide Assessment Grants. These fund assessments across multiple sites in a community. You do not need to have specific sites identified at the time of application, though having a site inventory strengthens your proposal. Awards are up to $500,000 for a single type of contamination (hazardous substances or petroleum) or up to $1,000,000 for a combined assessment covering both.

Site-specific Assessment Grants. These fund assessments at one or more specific properties. The award ceiling is the same as community-wide grants, but the proposal must identify the specific sites and describe why assessment is needed at each.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• State and local governments (cities, counties, towns, townships)
• General purpose units of local government
• Land clearance authorities and housing authorities
• Regional councils and groups of general purpose units of local government
• Redevelopment agencies
• Indian tribes and Alaska Native entities
• Nonprofit organizations (must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3))

One critical eligibility note: you generally cannot assess properties you currently own unless you can demonstrate that you did not cause or contribute to the contamination and are not potentially liable under CERCLA. This "innocent landowner" threshold trips up many applicants, particularly municipalities that acquired contaminated properties through tax foreclosure.

What Assessment Grants Cover

• Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (All Appropriate Inquiries)
• Phase II Environmental Site Assessments (sampling and analysis)
• Cleanup planning and remedy selection
• Community engagement activities related to assessment
• Site characterization and monitoring
• Petroleum eligibility determinations

They do not cover actual remediation. If you need to remove contamination, you need a Cleanup Grant.

Typical Budget Breakdown

A competitive $500,000 community-wide assessment application might allocate funds as follows:

• Phase I ESAs for 8-12 properties: $40,000-$60,000
• Phase II ESAs for 4-6 priority sites: $150,000-$200,000
• Cleanup planning (Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives): $50,000-$80,000
• Community engagement and outreach: $30,000-$50,000
• Project management and reporting: $60,000-$80,000
• Quality Assurance Project Plans: $15,000-$25,000

Cleanup Grants

Cleanup Grants fund the actual remediation of brownfield sites. These are larger, more competitive, and require more site-specific documentation.

Award Amounts

Cleanup Grants provide up to $2,000,000 per site. If you have multiple sites, you can apply for up to $2,000,000 per site with an aggregate cap of $4,000,000 per applicant per competition cycle. This is a significant increase from the previous $500,000 per-site cap, which was raised under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Cost Share Requirement

Cleanup Grants require a 20% cost share. For a $2,000,000 grant, that means $400,000 in matching funds. The match can be cash or in-kind contributions, but it must be documented and directly related to the cleanup activity. Common match sources include:

• Municipal general fund allocations
• State brownfields revolving loan fund contributions
• In-kind services (staff time, equipment use)
• Private developer commitments (documented through letters of commitment)

EPA can waive the cost share in cases of hardship, but you must request the waiver in your application and provide documentation of financial distress. Small communities and tribal applicants frequently qualify for full or partial waivers.

Application Requirements Specific to Cleanup Grants

Beyond the standard narrative and budget, Cleanup Grant applications require:

• Phase II ESA documentation. You must have completed environmental site assessment confirming the presence and extent of contamination. You cannot apply for a Cleanup Grant on a site that has not been characterized.
• Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA). This document evaluates cleanup options for the site and recommends a preferred remedy. Think of it as a scaled-down version of a CERCLA feasibility study.
• Community notification. Before submitting your application, you must provide notice to the community that you are applying for Cleanup Grant funding and allow a minimum of 30 days for public comment. Documentation of this notification must be included in your application package.
• Site eligibility determination. EPA must confirm that the site is eligible for Brownfields funding. For petroleum sites, this involves a petroleum eligibility determination letter.

Revolving Loan Fund Grants

Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants are designed for entities that want to establish a local lending program for brownfield cleanups. Rather than funding a single cleanup, an RLF Grant creates a pool of capital that can be lent to multiple borrowers -- property owners, developers, nonprofits -- who then repay the loans, replenishing the fund for future cleanups.

Award Amounts

RLF awards are up to $1,000,000 per applicant. Previously they ranged up to $1.5 million, but the current program guidelines set the ceiling at $1 million for new awards. Recipients that demonstrate strong fund performance can apply for supplemental funding.

How RLFs Work in Practice

The grant recipient (typically a municipality, county, or development authority) establishes a fund and accepts loan applications from borrowers who need cleanup financing. The terms are flexible -- below-market interest rates, extended repayment periods, and subordinated positions relative to private lenders. Some RLF programs also make subgrants for a portion of the fund, though EPA generally expects the majority of funding to be structured as loans to maximize the revolving nature of the fund.

RLF Grants require sophisticated financial management. You need to demonstrate the capacity to originate loans, track repayments, manage default risk, and report to EPA on fund performance. Smaller communities often partner with their state's brownfields program or a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to manage the lending operation.

Eligibility

RLF eligibility is narrower than for Assessment or Cleanup Grants. Eligible applicants include state and local governments, land clearance authorities, regional councils, redevelopment agencies, Indian tribes, and Alaska Native entities. Nonprofits are eligible but must demonstrate financial management capacity.

Job Training Grants

Job Training Grants fund environmental workforce development programs. They train residents of communities affected by brownfields -- including formerly incarcerated individuals, underemployed workers, and young adults -- for careers in environmental remediation, hazardous waste management, and related fields.

Award Amounts

Job Training Grants provide up to $500,000 per award. The project period is typically three years.

What Job Training Grants Fund

• Classroom instruction in hazardous waste operations (OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER certification)
• Lead and asbestos abatement training and certification
• Environmental sampling and monitoring techniques
• Job placement services and career counseling
• Stipends or supportive services for trainees (transportation, childcare, tools)
• Instructor salaries and curriculum development

Scoring Considerations

Job Training Grants are scored on criteria distinct from the other Brownfields grant types. Reviewers evaluate:

• Community need. Documented unemployment rates, poverty levels, and environmental health disparities in the target community.
• Training program design. Is the curriculum aligned with employer needs? Do trainees earn portable, industry-recognized certifications?
• Partnerships. Letters of commitment from employers who will hire graduates, community organizations that will refer trainees, and educational institutions that provide instruction.
• Placement rates. If you have operated a previous program, your historical placement rate is a significant factor. EPA expects at least a 70% placement rate for graduates.
• Leveraged resources. Additional funding from workforce development agencies, community colleges, or private employers strengthens the application.

Multipurpose Grants

Multipurpose Grants were introduced under the 2018 BUILD Act amendments to CERCLA. They allow a single grant to fund both assessment and cleanup activities at one or more brownfield sites. Previously, communities needed separate grants for assessment and cleanup, which created gaps and delays.

Award Amounts

Multipurpose Grants provide up to $800,000 per award. They require a 20% cost share on the cleanup portion of the funds (assessment activities are not subject to cost share).

When to Apply for a Multipurpose Grant

A Multipurpose Grant is appropriate when you have a site or cluster of sites that need both assessment and cleanup, and you want the flexibility to move seamlessly from one phase to the next without reapplying. They are particularly useful for:

• Communities with a prioritized site inventory where some sites need assessment and others are ready for cleanup
• Properties with known contamination in some areas and suspected contamination in others
• Redevelopment projects with tight timelines where waiting for separate grant cycles would delay progress

Scoring Criteria Across All Grant Types

While the specific weighting varies by grant type, EPA uses a consistent framework of evaluation criteria. Understanding how applications are scored is essential to writing a competitive proposal.

Project Area Description and Need (25-30 points)

Reviewers want to see a clear, data-driven description of the community and its brownfields challenges. Include:

• Demographic data (population, poverty rate, unemployment rate, median household income)
• Environmental conditions (contamination types and extent, health impacts, proximity to sensitive receptors)
• Economic indicators (property vacancy rates, tax base erosion, job losses related to brownfield conditions)
• Disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged communities (using EPA's EJScreen data and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool)

Do not rely on anecdotes alone. Every claim should be supported by a specific data point with a cited source.

Project Description, Feasibility, and Effectiveness (25-30 points)

This section must demonstrate that your project is well-planned and achievable. Reviewers look for:

• Clear description of proposed activities, broken into tasks with deliverables
• Realistic timeline (detailed by quarter for the project period)
• Evidence that the approach is technically sound (referencing appropriate standards and methods)
• Connection between assessment or cleanup activities and planned reuse
• Consideration of green and sustainable remediation practices

Community Engagement (10-15 points)

EPA places significant emphasis on meaningful community involvement. A boilerplate commitment to "hold public meetings" will not score well. Reviewers want to see:

• Existing relationships with community organizations, particularly those representing affected populations
• A plan for ongoing engagement throughout the project, not just at the beginning
• Evidence that community input has already shaped the project (letters of support, meeting summaries, survey results)
• Specific mechanisms for reaching non-English-speaking residents and populations with limited internet access

Budget (5-10 points)

Your budget must be reasonable, well-justified, and consistent with the narrative. Common budget mistakes include:

• Allocating more than 10% of the grant to administrative costs without justification
• Including costs that are ineligible (construction, building demolition that is not part of remediation)
• Failing to itemize major cost categories
• Not explaining the basis for cost estimates (vendor quotes, unit cost references, comparable project costs)

Programmatic Capability (10-15 points)

EPA wants confidence that you can execute the project. Demonstrate this through:

• Prior experience managing federal grants (list specific grant numbers and outcomes)
• Qualified project staff (named individuals with relevant credentials and experience)
• Access to qualified environmental contractors (evidence of procurement capacity)
• Past performance on Brownfields or comparable environmental grants

Application Tips from Funded Applicants

Municipalities and organizations that consistently win Brownfields funding share certain practices:

Start your community engagement before you start your application. The most competitive proposals describe community engagement that has already happened, not engagement that will happen after the grant is awarded. Host a community meeting about brownfields priorities six months before the application deadline. Conduct a survey. Form an advisory committee. The application should describe this work as evidence of community commitment.

Use EJScreen and CEJST strategically. EPA's environmental justice screening tools provide quantitative data on pollution burden, health vulnerabilities, and socioeconomic indicators at the census tract level. If your target community scores in the 80th percentile or above on relevant EJScreen indicators, say so explicitly and cite the specific indicator and percentile.

Get letters of commitment, not just letters of support. A letter of support says "we think this project is a good idea." A letter of commitment says "we will contribute $50,000 in matching funds" or "we will redevelop the property as affordable housing upon completion of cleanup." Reviewers heavily favor the latter.

Connect remediation to reuse. EPA funds brownfields work to enable reuse, not just to clean up contamination for its own sake. Every application should describe what will happen on the site after assessment or cleanup is complete. A specific redevelopment plan -- with an identified developer, architect, or end user -- is far stronger than a vague commitment to "explore redevelopment options."

Mind the threshold criteria. Before your application reaches peer reviewers, EPA staff check whether it meets threshold requirements: applicant eligibility, proper community notification, compliance with all application instructions, site eligibility. Failing a threshold criterion means your application is never scored, regardless of quality. Read the Request for Applications carefully and use the checklist EPA provides.

Application Timeline

EPA typically releases the Brownfields Grant Request for Applications in the fall, with applications due in late winter or early spring. A realistic preparation timeline:

• T-6 months: Begin community engagement. Identify priority sites. Confirm organizational eligibility.
• T-4 months: Register or verify registration in SAM.gov (this can take weeks if your account has lapsed). Obtain a UEI number if you do not have one.
• T-3 months: Draft the narrative. Begin collecting supporting documentation (demographic data, environmental reports, letters of commitment).
• T-2 months: Complete the budget and budget narrative. Conduct community notification (30-day comment period required for Cleanup Grants).
• T-1 month: Internal review and finalization. Submit through Grants.gov at least one week before the deadline to allow time for technical issues.

SAM.gov registration is the single most common reason applications miss the deadline. If you have not submitted a federal grant application in the past year, verify your SAM.gov status immediately.

Keep Reading

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• Environmental Justice Grant Funding Alternatives Beyond EPA
• First-Time Federal Grant Tips for Small Nonprofits
• See how Granted AI helps nonprofits

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