Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program

Federal Funding Opportunity Title: Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, Request for Applications (RFA)

Announcement Type: This is an initial announcement of a funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: BFRES -04

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.814, Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA or Superfund), 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(6).

Dates: Initial proposals must be submitted to U.S. EPA by November 16, 2004. Award announcements are expected to be made by February 2005.

Executive Summary:

EPA's brownfields program is built upon four basic goals and principles - protecting the environment, partnering for success, stimulating the marketplace, and promoting sustainable reuse. As the federal leader of the national Brownfields Program, EPA is committed to supporting training, research and technical assistance that will further the goals of the program and provide enhanced knowledge, tools, and processes to the broad range of non-Federal brownfields stakeholders (e.g., state, local and other non-governmental entities)

On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. This law expands potential federal financial assistance for training, research, and technical assistance related to brownfields cleanup and redevelopment. The new law requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish guidance to assist applicants in preparing grant proposals. These guidelines implement that requirement for training, research, and technical assistance grants and cooperative agreements.

Funding for the brownfields training, research, and technical assistance grants and cooperative agreements is authorized under §104(k)(6) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (CERCLA or Superfund), 42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(6). This statute authorizes EPA to provide, or fund eligible entities or nonprofit organizations to provide brownfields training, research, and technical assistance to individuals and organizations. EPA awards grants and cooperative agreements authorized by §104(k) under a statutory ranking system that includes factors relating to community need, impact on human health and the environment, stimulation or leveraging of other funds, eligibility for funding from other sources, effective use of existing infrastructure. In addition to the statutory factors, EPA also evaluates applicants based on their ability to manage grants and other policy based factors intended to promote effective stewardship of Federal funds.

The need for training, research, and technical assistance of increasing depth and breadth has expanded as the Brownfields program has grown. Projects addressing various topics and reaching various stakeholders will allow for sound decision-making and will help cleanup and revitalize brownfields properties.

The Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment of the U.S. EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response is soliciting proposals for training, research and technical assistance to focus brownfields programmatic (goals) attention on the environmental and human health conditions in low income communities and socio-economically disadvantaged communities unable to draw on alternative sources of funding for assessment or cleanup of brownfields and their subsequent redevelopment and to provide technical assistance to communities which will enable them to stimulate economic and other beneficial reuses.

These guidelines provide eligible applicants an opportunity to apply for federal funding for brownfields-related training, research or technical assistance. Subsequent sections of these guidelines provide definitions of training, research, and technical assistance, as well as a description of the subject areas for which EPA is interested in supporting projects for the benefit of brownfields stakeholders.

The award will be in the form of a cooperative agreement, which entails substantial involvement by the U.S. EPA to assist successful applicants in carrying out their project(s) effectively. Eligible applicants include governmental applicants and non-profit organizations. Public and non-profit private universities are eligible as well. For-profit organizations are not eligible and may not submit "joint" applications with eligible applicants. See Section 4.1, Eligible Applicants.

Funding for financial assistance under CERCLA 104(k)(6) is limited, by statute, to no more than 15% of the amount available for CERCLA 104(k) grants. EPA estimates that $800,000 will be available to make assistance agreement awards under this competition and that 2-3 grants may be awarded depending on the quality of the applications. EPA intends to fund successful applicants for periods ranging from 1-5 years, contingent upon the availability of funds. The Agency reserves the right to offer partial funding for specific components of an application(s). EPA may also decide to make only one award or no awards, if warranted, by changes in Agency funding obligations.
Guidelines will be published on the EPA brownfields website, www.epa.gov/brownfields and at the Federal Grants Opportunities website at www.grants.gov . Proposals must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service or received by EPA at the address indicated by November 16, 2004. No late proposals will be accepted. No fax or e-mail submissions will be accepted.
The Standard Form 424 (SF424) must be included with your proposal and may be obtained by following the links to SF forms on the following web site: www.gsa.gov/forms. Award announcements are expected to be made in February 2005. EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards.