Innovation Programs at EPA
Since its establishment in 1970, the EPA has been a hub for innovation, with its researchers and scientists producing innovative work to help EPA accomplish its mission of protecting human health and the environment. As environmental and human health challenges emerge, out of the box and inventive solutions are necessary to adapt to these ever-changing obstacles.
Today, EPA defines innovation as “The development and/or application of new and potentially transformative science or technology that informs decision-making and improves the capacity to protect human health and the environment. Building and sustaining a culture of scientific innovation is required to ensure EPA research meets the definition in the near and the long-term". EPA has a variety of Innovation Programs designed to spur innovation both within EPA and externally to ensure EPA research meets the above definition.
On this page:
- Pathfinder Innovation Projects (PIPs)
- Challenges & Prizes Program
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
- People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3)
- The Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA)
Pathfinder Innovation Projects (PIPs)
Pathfinder Innovation Projects (PIPs) challenge EPA scientists to pursue high-risk, high-reward research that could provide transformative solutions to our most pressing human health and environmental challenges. The internal competition offers staff time and seed funding to the most promising proposals. Pathfinder Innovations Projects give EPA scientists a playground to test ideas that could become game-changers for environmental protection.
Since the program began in 2011, EPA has funded 153 PIPs, applying an innovative lens to problems such as climate change, environmental justice, and high priority contaminants like PFAS and 6PPD-Q. Read the cards below to learn about some especially exciting Pathfinder Innovation Projects.
Challenges & Prizes Program
Challenges and Prizes represent tools for EPA to find solutions by tapping into the ingenuity and creativity of crowds. EPA outlines the specifications and criteria for a problem, and the public can submit ideas and proposals for successful solutions.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
One of 11 federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs launched over 40 years ago, EPA’s SBIR program is the small program with a big mission, to protect human health and the environment. As part of "America's Seed Fund," EPA SBIR funds small businesses to develop and commercialize innovative environmental technologies in broad focus areas which include clean and safe water, air quality and climate, land revitalization, homeland security, sustainable materials management/circular economy, safer chemicals, and risk assessment. Proposals should be responsive to the annual topics under these broad areas.
Program Objectives
- Support for innovative green technology
- Focus on commercialization
- Communication of successes
- Protect the planet
For more information on the Federal SBIR programs, visit the Small Business Administration's SBIR website.
People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3)
P3 stands for People, Prosperity and the Planet. Through this EPA program, teams of college students can benefit people, promote prosperity and protect the planet by designing environmental solutions that move us toward a sustainable future. Since 2004, the P3 program has involved thousands of students and provided more than $18M in funding for over 800 projects, at more than 330 institutions in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
The P3 Program has been awarding teams of university and college students an opportunity to take a leading and collaborative role in conducting scientific and engineering research. P3 is a competitive grants program that provides teams of undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to receive a two-year award of up to $75,000 to gain invaluable experience through classroom learning, laboratory and field work to address environmental issues. Cumulatively, these projects promote a shift towards more environmentally benign products, processes, and systems with the aim of improving quality of life, promoting economic prosperity, and protecting the planet. P3 strives to continue this charge.
The Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA)
The Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA), enacted by Congress in 1986 and building on previous legislation, improves access to federal laboratories by non-federal organizations for research and development opportunities. It allows for inventors to patent their technologies and share in any royalties received from licensing of the patents. The goal of this legislation is to more efficiently and effectively put federally funded technology to use in real-world applications.
EPA conducts collaborative research, protects intellectual property, and licenses EPA’s federal technologies through the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA) program.