Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program is sponsored by EPA Office of Environmental Justice. Supports community-based organizations in addressing environmental and public health issues in overburdened communities.

This program has been terminated.

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to support community-based organizations in their efforts to collaborate and partner with local stakeholder groups (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, and academia) as they develop and implement solutions that address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities.

For purposes of this listing, the term “underserved community” refers to a community with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations, including people of color, low income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and homeless populations. Eligible projects must demonstrate use of the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model to support their collaborative efforts during the project period.

Applying organizations should have a direct connection to the underserved community impacted by the environmental harms and risks detailed in the workplan. The long-term goals of the EJCPS Program are to help build the capacity of communities with environmental justice concerns and to create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future.

Funding Priorities - EPA may give special consideration to high-ranking applications that focus on the following program priorities: 1) Rural Areas – EPA may give special consideration to high-ranking proposals to be performed in rural areas as defined by the program.

Rural areas, for the purposes of this competition, are defined as local areas with populations of 50,000 or less that have limited access to public or private resources commonly found in metropolitan areas. Applicants claiming rural status must provide sufficient detail (census data, population figures, descriptions of local resources, etc.) for EPA to validate the rural status of the underserved community.

The goal of this special consideration is to encourage and increase project performance in rural areas in the EPA EJ Grants program. 2) Health Impact Assessments (HIA) – HIA is a tool designed to investigate how a proposed program, project, policy, or plan may impact health and well-being and inform decision-makers of these potential outcomes before the decision is made.

EPA may give special consideration to HIA projects that seek to determine the potential effects of a proposed decision on the health of underserved and vulnerable communities and the distribution of those effects within the communities.

3) Projects addressing Climate, Disaster Resiliency, and/or Emergency Preparedness – The effects of climate change and extreme weather events tend to adversely impact the most vulnerable communities and populations disproportionately.

Therefore, EPA may give special consideration to projects that address the needs of underserved and vulnerable communities that have been adversely impacted or are likely to be adversely impacted by natural disasters, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and future pandemics.

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to support community-based organizations in their efforts to collaborate and partner with local stakeholder groups (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, and academia) as they develop and implement solutions that address environmental and/or public health issues for underserved communities.

BUSINESS AND COMMERCE - BL Economic Development BUSINESS AND COMMERCE - BM Economic Injury and Natural Disaster DISASTER PREVENTION AND RELIEF - FL Flood Prevention and Control Title Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20(a), as amended by P. L. 106-74 Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3) Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3) Title Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10(a), as amended by P.

L. 106-74 Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001(a) Title Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442(c)(3) Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, Section 203 Title National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F) Title Clean Air Act, Section 138(b)(2) Title EPA Appropriation Acts _These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending.

gov_ **This listing is NOT funded for the current fiscal year. ** All EJCPS grants were terminated in FY25. F002 - Cooperative Agreement Applicants may be requested to demonstrate they have appropriate background, academic training, experience in the field, and necessary equipment to carry out projects.

EPA may ask applicants or principal investigators to provide curriculum vitae and relevant publications. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

U.S. Territory (or Possession) Government (including freely-associated states), U.S. Territory (or Possession) Government (including freely-associated states), Infant and Toddler (0-3), Eligible beneficiaries are the Non-Profit Community Groups, US Territories, and Freely Associated States (FAS) as described under "Eligibility" and the residents of the communities they serve. List selected is not all inclusive.

Specific Restrictions Determined at NOFO Level Projects can include activities related to the environment and issues impacting underserved communities. Types of projects eligible for funding include but are not limited to the following: Air Quality and Asthma Water Quality, Sampling, and Stormwater Issues Lead, Pesticide, and Toxic Substances Agriculture and Fishing Green Infrastructure Environmental Job Training Youth Development.

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). The recipient cannot use these funds for the following activities under this program: litigation against the Federal government or any other government entity; lobbying; matching funds for other Federal grants; and travel for Federal employees. 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. Deadline determined at as part of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) For competitive awards, deadline information will be specified in the competitive announcement. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the NOFO. 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.

Approximately 150 days after the deadline for application submission. Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.

epa. gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: **Progress/Performance Reports :**Semi-annual reports are required.

, Frequency: Determined at Time of Award Frequency: Determined at Time of Award Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records.

Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200. 334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.

Retention Period: 3 Years **Additional Compliance Requirements:** **Description:** Collaborative Problem-Solving cooperative agreements are subject to 2 CFR 200 and 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards); 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs). URL: https://www. ecfr.

gov/ (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Wesley Carpenter, Deputy Chief of Staff for Management U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Administrator 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.

NW Washington, DC 20460, Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Grants Program