Environmental Justice Grants, Funding and Technical Assistance
EJ Grants
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program
EPA's EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding for eligible applicants for projects that address local environmental and public health issues within an affected community. The EJCPS Program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and public health concerns in their communities.
The Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program
Formerly known as EPA's State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program (SEJCA), this program has been renamed to better reflect the multiple entities eligible for the funding as well as the purpose of the program. The EJG2G program provides funding to governmental entities at the state, local, territorial and tribal level to support and/or create model government activities that lead to measurable environmental or public health results in communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms and risks. These models should leverage or utilize existing resources or assets of state agencies to develop key tools and processes that integrate environmental justice considerations into governments and government programs at all levels.
The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTAC) Program
EPA's new EJ Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers Program will establish technical assistance centers across the nation providing technical assistance, training, and related support to communities with environmental justice concerns and their partners. The services provided will include training and assistance on writing grant proposals, navigating federal systems such as Grants.gov and SAM.gov, effectively managing grant funds, community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants.
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
EPA's EJ Small Grants Program supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. For information on grant-writing, make sure to check out these federal grant resources.
The Environmental Justice Communities Pass-through Funder Program
This new program is a competition to select pass-through entities to manage the longstanding EJ Small Grants Program as a new pass-through small sub-award program. EPA has determined that a pass-through model will be a more effective approach to providing smaller funding amounts to communities for the initial development of their environmental justice projects. The pass-through model reduces the burden on communities from applying through the federal grants process and decreases the amount of time it takes to award federal funds.
- More information about the 2023 competition coming soon.
Other EJ-Related Funding Opportunities
Brownfields Grants
EPA's Brownfields Program provides direct funding for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revolving loans, and environmental job training. To facilitate the leveraging of public resources, EPA's Brownfields Program collaborates with other EPA programs, other federal partners, and state agencies to identify and make available resources that can be used for brownfields activities. In addition to direct brownfields funding, EPA also provides technical information on brownfields financing matters.
Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants
EPA's Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training grants allow nonprofit and other organizations to recruit, train, and place predominantly low-income and minority, unemployed and under-employed people living in areas affected by solid and hazardous waste. Residents learn the skills needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in the environmental field, including assessment and cleanup. These green jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities.
Urban Waters Small Grants program
The goal of the Urban Waters Small Grants program is to fund research, investigations, experiments, training, surveys, studies, and demonstrations that will advance the restoration of urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities.
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Grants
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Grants - Since 2008, EPA has funded nearly 60,000 pieces of clean diesel technology through the National Clean Diesel Campaign. These technologies include emissions and idle control devices, aerodynamic equipment, engine and vehicle replacements, and alternative fuel options. The projects meet critical local air quality needs by deploying both proven and emerging technologies much earlier than would otherwise occur.
Extramural Research: STAR Grants, P3, Fellowships, & SBIR Programs
Extramural Research: STAR Grants, P3, Fellowships, & SBIR Programs - Supporting high quality research by the nation's leading scientists and engineers to improve EPA's scientific basis for decisions on national environmental issues. EPA supports leading edge extramural research in exposure, effects, risk assessment, and risk management through competitions for STAR grants, fellowships, and research contracts under the Small Business Innovative Research Program.
Other EPA Technical Assistance Resources
Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) Program
EPA's national Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program provides independent assistance through an EPA contract to help communities better understand the science, regulations and policies of environmental issues and EPA actions.
TASC services can include:
- information assistance and expertise
- community education
- information assistance needs evaluation and plan development
- other assistance to help community members work together to participate effectively in environmental decision-making
Learn more about the Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) Program.
Brownfields Technical Assistance, Training and Research
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Brownfields Amendments authorize EPA to provide funding to organizations to conduct research and to provide training and technical assistance to communities to help address their brownfields challenges.
Financial Technical Assistance and Tools for Water Infrastructure
The Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center works with on-the-ground partners to provide financial technical assistance to communities.
The Center provides:
- Objective financial advice to help communities make informed decisions on funding drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects.
- Access to tools that help utilities make financing decisions that meet their local infrastructure needs.
Smart Growth Technical Assistance Programs
EPA offers technical assistance to help communities learn about and implement smart growth approaches.