Region 1 FY26 Brownfields Grant Guidelines Outreach Q&A Transcript
On December 8-10, 2025, EPA Region 1 Brownfields Program held three live webinars to assist applicants with preparing for the Fiscal Year 2026 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment (Community-wide Assessment, Assessment Coalition, and Community-wide Assessment for States and Tribes), and Cleanup Grant Competition. Below is a transcript of questions submitted by participants and EPA's response. Responses below may include additional information than what was provided during the webinar. The slides to the presentations are available here.
If you have general questions about EPA's Brownfields Program, the content of the presentation, or questions about a specific site for which you're seeking funding, please contact your Regional Brownfields Contact listed in Section 1.E. of the Grant Program's Guidelines. If you have questions on how to submit an application through www.grants.gov, please visit the "APPLICANTS" tab on the grants.gov website for information.
General Links & Resources
The FY26 Eligibility Chart for Multiple Applications (pdf) clarifies eligibility for applicants interested in applying for more than one grant type. The FY26 Eligibility Chart for Existing Grant Recipients (pdf) clarifies eligibility for applicants with an open EPA Brownfields Grant.
For training on General Submission, Application Information Sheet, and Threshold Criteria, see the recordings on the MARC Grant Application Resources – "Open Solicitations" webpage
See EPA's guidance on How to Register to Apply for Grants in grants.gov and sam.gov
FY26 MAC Grant Submission Checklists (pdf)
Factsheet on Renewable Energy and Energy–Efficient Approaches in Brownfields Redevelopment (pdf)
See the FAQs for more information on welfare and sensitive populations
Factsheet on Socially Distant Engagement Ideas
EPA's Health Monitoring Fact Sheet (pdf)
General Questions & Answers
Q: Can state sanctioned redevelopment authorities apply for their own Brownfields Assessment Grants?
A: Yes, redevelopment authorities sanctioned by the state can apply for their own Brownfields Assessment Grants as stated in Section 2.A. Eligible Applicants in the Guidelines as well as in Section F.1. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf) .
Q: Legal Authority to expend grant funds -- you used an example of a county encompassing towns. I'm assuming that would be the same for Regional Planning Councils (RPCs), correct?
A: Yes, that is correct that the example of a county as a regional organization with authority to work in multiple municipalities applies to RPC's as well. Please discuss this clearly in the Threshold Criteria even if it seems evident that you meet the requirement.
Q: What is EPA's definition of a small population?
A: Please refer to E.9. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf) .
There is no statutory definition of what constitutes a "small" population, so EPA leaves it to the applicant to make their case as to why the community is small. However, the Brownfields Program considers communities of 10,000 people and less as "micro" communities, 15,000 people and less as "small" communities, 50,000 people and less as "rural," and less than 100,000 people as "nonurban." Communities with less than 50,000 in population may be considered small.
Q: As support letters from coalition partners will not be evaluated, does this apply to all other support letters as well? Not including a letter from the applicant's legal counsel and state environmental regulatory authority.
A: All letters of support required to be attachments to either Threshold or Narrative/Ranking Criteria will be evaluated. Other general letters of support, such as letters from Congressional Representatives, may be included, but will not be factored into the evaluation of a proposal.
Q: How far back does Past Performance look at? We had EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants from 15-20 years ago.
A: If you have received an EPA Brownfields Grant in the past, evaluation of this question will look at no more than the 3 most recent grants in the Past Performance Criteria regardless of how long ago you received an EPA Brownfields Grant. You should start with your most recent grant, even if it was 15-20 years ago, but no need to discuss more than 3 previous grants.
Q: For purposes of Question 4.f. "Has not received an EPA Brownfields Grant...", do EPA brownfields grants refer to Assessment only, or does it include RLF as well?
A: The directions in this particular section of the Narrative Criteria under Past Performance and Accomplishments state "If you have never received an EPA Brownfields MARC or 128(a) Grant but have received other federal or non-federal financial assistance agreements (including only receiving an Area-Wide Planning Grant or Job Training Grant), please respond to item f. below". For purposes of item 4.f., "EPA Brownfields Grant" refers to all MARC Grants or 128(a) Grant, which includes RLF.
Q: Our City hires a lobbying firm in Washington to assist with grants, funding, etc. We normally complete a Form-LLL and are allowed to apply after Disclosure. Do I understand correctly that this is not allowable in this case? Our use of this firm would be viewed as a disqualifying factor?
A: Lobbying only makes individuals, for-profits and 501(c)(4) non-profits ineligible. Please refer to F.1. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf)
Lobbying in general would not make a municipality ineligible for applying for Brownfields Grant funding. However, they cannot use federal funds (i.e., their grant) to "pay any person for influencing or attempting to influence any officer or employee of an agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress with respect to the award, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any of these instruments."
"Applicants for EPA awards with total costs expected to exceed $100,000 are required to certify that (1) they have not made, and will not make, such a prohibited payment, (2) they will be responsible for reporting the use of non-appropriated funds for such purposes, and (3) they will include these requirements in consortium agreements and contracts under grants that will exceed $100,000 and obtain necessary certifications from those consortium participants and contractors." These quotes are from this page and additional info is available here.
Q: Can you please address "administrative" costs vs. personnel?
A: Personnel costs may qualify as administrative costs or programmatic costs, depending on the activities being performed by the personnel.
Please refer to O.7. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf) for details on programmatic costs.
EPA has determined that direct costs for activities that are integral to achieving the purpose of the cooperative agreement are considered as "programmatic" costs. For example, salaries and fringe benefits of employees working on eligible programmatic activities under the EPA award are considered programmatic costs.
Please refer to O.2. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf) for details on administrative costs.
Administrative costs include certain direct costs of grants administration and all indirect costs. Administrative costs that may be charged to the Brownfield Grant are limited by statute to 5% of the amount of funds made available through the EPA award.
Direct Administrative Costs, including those in the form of salaries, benefits, contractual costs, supplies, and data processing charges, are costs that are not included in the recipient's indirect cost pool and are necessary to comply with the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR Part 200.
Indirect Costs are those that are not specifically related to implementing the EPA award and are not readily identified with a specific project or organizational activity but incurred for the joint benefit of both projects and other activities. Overhead costs are a typical example of an indirect cost. Indirect costs are usually grouped into common pools and charged to benefiting objectives through an allocation process/indirect cost rate; 2 CFR § 200.414 and other provisions of the Uniform Guidance.
Q: Are we allowed to combine questions into one response?
A: Yes. You may combine questions into one response as long as you answer each question and any subparts fully and clearly in the response. It should be clear to the reviewer that you have answered all parts of the questions in the response you provide. Please refer to the Guidelines as there are references to areas where you can combine questions into one response.
Q: Can you expand on the "If there has been a release or threat of release of HBM" language?
A: Please refer to L.22. in the FY26 FAQs (pdf) .
If there has been a release or there is a threatened release of the hazardous substance(s) into the outdoor environment, applicants should review threshold criteria 12.a.i., 12.a.ii., and 12.a.iii. and only provide responses to the section that pertains to their circumstance.
The applicant may still be exempt from CERCLA liability depending on how they acquired ownership of the property (i.e., tax foreclosure), making them eligible to apply for an EPA Cleanup Grant assuming all other eligibility requirements are met. Please follow the Guidelines and respond to the section that pertains to your circumstance as the responses to the questions will allow EPA to make the determination. Please contact EPA for questions related to site eligibility.