Environmental Justice Small Grants Program

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

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 EJ Small Grants Request for Applications has now closed. 

The EJSG program awards grants that support community-driven projects designed to engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand local environmental and public health issues and develop strategies for addressing those issues, building consensus in the community, and setting community priorities.  

EPA anticipates the potential for additional funds up to $4.5 million to be made available through this funding opportunity along with the original $2.8 million of EJ funds.  These potential additional funds can be used for COVID-19 projects specifically to address clean air issues and/or training for a safe drinking water workforce.  Approximately 100 small grants will now be awarded nationwide.  Grants will be for up to $75,000 each for one-year projects. This opportunity placed special emphasis on projects focusing on COVID-19 impacts, as well as climate and disaster resiliency.  Additionally, EPA emphasized projects addressing diesel pollution in underserved communities living near ports and railyards as part of EPA’s Ports Initiative.  Finally, to promote equitable accessibility to EPA grant funding and to assist small entities, approximately half of the total available funding under this announcement is intended to be reserved for small non-profit organizations as defined in the announcement.  For details, see Appendix A - Guidance on American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funding in the RFA below.

The EJSG Program funding has now closed. Read the full funding solicitation document below:

• FY2021 Request for Applications (Amended 4/19/2021)
• Spanish Translation FY2021 Request for Applications (En Español)

Grants.gov Requirement – All applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov. To see the funding opportunity on Grants.gov, visit the following link: View Grant Opportunity

Applicants should plan for projects to begin on October 1, 2021.

In accordance with EPA's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), EPA staff will not meet with individual applicants to discuss draft applications, provide informal comments on draft applications, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria.

Applicants are responsible for the contents of their applications. However, consistent with the provisions in the announcement, EPA will respond to questions from individual applicants regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the proposal, and requests for clarification about the announcement.

Resources

Emerging Tools for Local Problem Solving
Description of example programs funded under the Small Grants Program.

Frequently Asked Questions on Applying for EJ Small Grants
Answers to FAQs on eligibility, types of projects, funding priorities, and application requirements.

Factsheet on Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
Program overview, eligibility, and example project.

Environmental Justice Program Funded Projects
View 2014 to 2020 Projects.

Past Grant Recipients

• 2020 Grant Recipients
• 2019 Grant Recipients
• 2017 Grant Recipients
• 2015 Grant Recipients
• 2013 Grant Recipients
• 2012 Grant Recipients
• 2011 Grant Recipients
• 2010 Grant Recipients
• 2008-9 Grant Recipients
• 2006-7 Grant Recipients
• 2005 Grant Recipients
• 2004 Grant Recipients
• 2003 Grant Recipients
• 2002 Grant Recipients
• 2001 Grant Recipients
• 2000 Grant Recipients

View all project descriptions by state