Assistance Listings

Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program

Objectives

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.

Examples of Funded Projects

Assistance Listing Description

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

This is a new grant program. The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards in FY 25 is approximately $2,000,000,000. Track I awards are for up to approximately $20 million each. Track II awards are for up to approximately $3 million each. Award amounts and ranges will vary by project. The grants will have durations of up to 3 years. The NOFO opened on November 21, 2023, and will close a year later on November 21, 2024. Applications and selections will be made on a rolling basis throughout the NOFO open period.

Accomplishments

Account Identification

68-0108-0-1-304-Environmental Programs & Management (EPM)

Types of Assistance

B - Project Grants (Discretionary)

Credentials and 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.

Applicant Eligibility

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.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Disadvantaged communities, underserved communities, and similarly situated communities.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The term of the grant or cooperative agreement shall be determined at the time of grant award but may not exceed three years as provided in the Clean Air Act, Section 138(b)(1). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Awards will be fully funded or incrementally funded as appropriate.

Use of Assistance

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.

Deadlines

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to NOFOs under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov (opens in new window) (opens in new window).

Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

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

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.

Date Range for Approval/Disapproval

From 60 to 120 days.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Appeals

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).

Policy Requirements

Reports

Audits

Records

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.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

2 CFR Part 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).

Formula and Matching Requirements

Regional or Local Locations:

Headquarters Office: