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Environmental Justice
Contact Us

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program

The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working on or planning to work on projects to address local environmental and/or public health issues in their communities.  The program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships with other stakeholders (e.g., local businesses and industry, local government, medical service providers, academia, etc.) to develop solutions that will significantly address environmental and/or public health issue(s) at the local level.

Additionally, the EJCPS Program requires selected applicants, or recipients, to use the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model as part of their projects. The model aims to address local environmental and/or public health issues in a collaborative manner with various stakeholders such as communities, industry, academic institutions, and others. Case Studies highlight some of the successful and effective strategies of previous projects.

On this page:
  • Is My Organization Eligible?
  • Requests for Applications
  • Pre-Application Assistance Calls and Webinars
  • Resources
  • Past Grant Recipients
  • Previous Requests for Applications

Is My Organization Eligible?

If your organization is NOT eligible, we encourage partnering with eligible entities on an EJSG project. See the RFA for more information.  Eligible entities include:

  • Incorporated non-profit organizations—including, but not limited to, community-based organizations, grassroots organizations, environmental justice networks, faith-based organizations and those affiliated with religious institutions

  • US Territories

  • Tribal governments, either federally-recognized or state-recognized – including Alaska Native Villages; or

  • Tribal organizations

  • Freely Associated States (FAS) – including state and local governmental entities and local non-profit organizations in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau


Request for Applications

There are No EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) Cooperative Agreement Program Grants Request for Applications Open at this Time.  

EPA  has selected 34 organizations to each receive up to $200,000 through the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (EJCPS). Approximately $4.3 million of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will support projects that address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID–19 pandemic and that identify and address disproportionate environmental or public health harms and risks in minority populations or low-income populations through activities authorized by section 103(b) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7403(b)) and section 1442(c)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–1(c)).  An approximate amount of $2.5 million from EPA’s Fiscal Year 2021 annual appropriation for environmental justice (EJ) will fund additional community-based projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

See our Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to common questions about this opportunity. 

See Fiscal Year 2021 EJCPS Project Descriptions (pdf)

For more information, please email Jacob Burney (burney.jacob@epa.gov)

Pre-Application Assistance Calls & Webinars

Applicants were invited to participate in conference calls and webinars with EPA to address questions about the CPS Program and this solicitation.

Date Time How to Join

March 5, 2021

(EJCPS Live Call)

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (ET) 

See below for the recording and transcript from the March 5, 2021 Pre-Application Assistance Call

EJCPS Pre-Application Call March 5 2021 (mp3)

March 10, 2021

(EJSG/EJCPS EJSCREEN Demo)

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET)

Recording Pending

March 23, 2021

(EJCPS Live Call)

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (ET)

See below for the recording and transcript from the March 23, 2021 Pre-Application Assistance Call

EJCPS Pre-Application Call March 23 2021 (mp3)

April 7, 2021

(EJCPS Live Call en Español)

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (ET)

Playback Online
1. Click this link or paste the entire URL into your browser:
https://wp0.teleconferencingcenter.com/playback/archive?id=e84185c6-7ad3-4773-a0b9-7196448578f9.rpm
2. At the prompt, enter your name and email address
3. Click "Listen"

April 26, 2021

(Live Call for EJSG and EJCPS on additional funding)

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (ET)

Click the link below and enter the pass code to view the recording of the call:

Zoom Call Recording

Passcode: 26808752

May 12, 2021

(Live Call for EJSG and EJCPS on additional funding; en inglés y español) 

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (ET)

Click the link below and enter the pass code to view the recording of the call:

Zoom Call Recording

Passcode: 23802764

Resources

EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model Guide
EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model Guide 
A guide to EPA's EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving program.
Case Studies from the Environmental
Case Studies from the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Program
In-depth descriptions of five successful CPS awards.
Factsheet on Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model
Fact Sheet on Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program 
(Program overview, eligibility, and model elements.)
Environmental Justice Funding Map
Environmental Justice Program Funded Projects
View 2014 to 2020 Projects.
The Power of Partnerships
The Power of Partnerships: 45-minute video of EPA's EJ CPS Model at work in Spartanburg, SC featuring interviews of key EJ stakeholders and community members explaining their roles in successfully addressing EJ concerns in the area.
Pic for CPS FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions on Applying for EJ CPS Grants
Answers to FAQs on eligibility, types of projects, funding priorities, and application requirements.

 

Grant Recipients

  • 2021 Project Descriptions (pdf)
  • 2020 Project Descriptions
  • 2018 Project Descriptions
  • 2016 Project Descriptions
  • 2014 Project Descriptions
  • 2007 Project Descriptions

View all Project Descriptions in a database listed by State: Click Here!

Previous Requests for Applications

  • FY2021 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (pdf)
  • FY2021 Request for Proposals with Amendment - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (En Español) (pdf)
  • FY2020 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program
  • FY2020 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (En Español)
  • FY2018 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program
  • FY2018 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (En Español)
  • FY2016 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program
  • FY2016 Request for Proposals - Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program (En Español)
  • Environmental Justice (EJ) Home
  • Learn About Environmental Justice
  • Equity Action Plan
  • Grants and Resources
  • National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
  • White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council
  • EJ in Your Community
  • EJ and National Environmental Policy Act
  • EJ and Title VI
  • EJ for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples
  • Equitable Development and EJ
  • Community Voices on EJ
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on December 15, 2021
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