Grant Details

New and Updated | Grant Search

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (CCGP) (Part A): Community-Driven Investments for Change - FY 2024

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
CFDA: 66.616
Federal FON: EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-04
Office: Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR)
Multipart Grant: Yes
Next Due: Rolling
Solicitation Date: 11/21/2023
   
Match Required: Recommended
Match Type: Cash/In-Kind
Actual Funds: $2,000,000,000 (Estimated)
Range: $1,960,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $10,000,000 (Min) / $20,000,000 (Max)
Number of Awards: 150 (Estimated)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to support community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. Awards will enable disadvantaged communities and their partners to overcome longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet community needs now and for generations to come. Specifically, awards will support:

  • Community-led air and other pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation; and investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure and workforce development that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants
  • Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events
  • Climate resiliency and adaptation
  • Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution
  • Facilitating engagement of disadvantaged communities in state and federal advisory groups, workshops, rulemakings, and other public processes

Projects are expected to achieve the following objectives:

  • Provide resources for community-driven projects to address environmental and climate challenges in communities facing disproportionate and adverse health, pollution, and environmental impacts; and suffering from generations of disinvestment
  • Invest in strong cross-sectoral collaborations with partners who bring a robust commitment to working with and for communities with environmental and climate justice concerns
  • Unlock access to additional and more significant resources to advance environmental and climate justice goals from across the federal government and other sources
  • Empower communities and strengthen their capacity to drive meaningful positive change on the ground for years to come.
  • Strengthen community participation in government decision-making processes that impact them

Funds may be used for personnel costs, fringe benefits, travel, equipment and supplies, contractual costs, construction costs, other direct costs, and limited indirect costs.  

Funding will be provided for the following program components:

  • (Part A): Community-Driven Investments for Change
  • (Part B): Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance

The purpose of the Community-Driven Investments for Change component is to support multifaceted projects with climate action and pollution reduction strategies to meaningfully improve the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities. Projects will be implemented through strong collaborations to achieve sustained impacts related to climate resilience, pollution reduction, community health, economic prosperity, and community strength. Projects will catalyze change by focusing on the following objectives:

  • Increase community resilience through climate action activities
  • Reduce local pollution to improve public health
    pollutants to improve public health
  • Center meaningful community engagement
  • Build community strength
  • Reach priority populations that are acutely exposed to and impacted by climate, pollution, and weather-related threats and/or who exhibit acute vulnerabilities to the impacts of environmental pollution
  • Maximize integration across projects

Projects must be rooted in addressing specific, community-driven environmental justice challenges.

All applicants must include at least one project aligned with at least one of the following climate action strategies:

  • Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions
  • Mobility and transportation options for preventing air pollution and improving
    public health and climate resilience
  • Energy-efficient, healthy, and resilient housing and buildings
  • Microgrid installation for community energy resilience
  • Community resilience hubs
  • Brownfield redevelopment for emissions reduction and climate resilience
  • Waste reduction and management to support a circular economy
  • Workforce development programs for occupations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants

Refer to pages 11-15 of the NOFA file for detailed information regarding these strategies. Additionally, all applications must include at least one pollution reduction strategy; include a community engagement and collaborative governance plan; include a community strength plan; and include a compliance plan. Refer to pages 10-20 of the NOFA file for detailed information regarding these requirements.

Optional webinars are scheduled for this program. Refer to the Application section for details.

Last Updated: July 24, 2024

Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are:

  • Partnerships between two community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs)
  • Partnerships between a CBO and one of the following:
    • Federally recognized tribes
    • Local governments, including school districts
    • Institutions of higher education (IHEs), including minority-serving institutions

CBOs must demonstrate that they are nonprofit organizations and that they that support and/or represent a community and/or certain populations within a community through engagement, education, and other related services provided to individual community residents and community stakeholders. Applicants that demonstrate that they are Alaska Native nonprofit organizations or Alaska Native nonprofit associations are considered CBOs. In addition, intertribal consortia may qualify as CBOs if they meet all other CBO requirements. Refer to pages 29-31 of the NOFA file for the definition of eligible partnerships members. Refer to pages 31-32 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding the eligibility of collaborating entities.

Other organizations and entities may participate in projects as collaborating entities through subawards or as contractors selected in accordance with competitive procurement requirements.

All applications must demonstrate that proposed projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, as defined on pages 67-70 of the NOFA file. Projects may have an incidental benefit to census block groups or other areas that are not considered disadvantaged communities, but applicants must demonstrate how all the projects will primarily benefit disadvantaged communities.

The funding agency has a strong preference for projects performed entirely within the United States; however, in limited circumstances, projects benefiting U.S. disadvantaged communities near an international border may require some international work to be performed within 100 kilometers of the border. Such activities may be eligible if they meet the requirements outlined on pages 25-26 of the NOFA file.

The funding agency encourages minority-serving institutions to participate in awards.

Lead applicants may submit up to two applications and may receive up to two awards if they demonstrate the capacity and capabilities to effectively perform, manage, oversee, and complete the awards within the project period. The two applications may be two applications to this component, the (Part B) component of this program, or one for each. For this component, each application may address only one target investment area, as detailed in the Financial section.

Initial applications that are not awarded funding may be resubmitted in a revised form, as long as the program remains open.

During the evaluation process, the funding agency will consider the geographic distribution of awards. The funding agency will also consider:

  • Whether the applicant is participating in a federal capacity building program as part of the Thriving Communities Network
  • Whether the project will support, advance, or complement funding related to Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZs)

For-profit entities or commercial service providers are not eligible as collaborating entities.

The following entities are not eligible to apply as lead applicants:

  • 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engage in lobbying activities
  • The for-profit Alaskan Native Corporations
Eligible Applicants:
Local Government
Academic Institutions
Consortia
Native American Tribe
Non Profits
Schools/School Districts
Application Notes:

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, until funding is exhausted, until 11:59 p.m. ET on November 21, 2024.

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.

Applications must include:

  • SF 424
  • SF 424A
  • EPA Key Contacts Form
  • EPA Preaward Compliance Review Report Form
  • Project narrative (20 pages max)
  • Attachments:
    • Project budget template
    • Partnership agreement
    • Other documents and information, such as an indirect cost rate agreement (if/as applicable)
    • Project area map
    • Community engagement and collaborative governance plan (10 pages max)
    • Community strength plan (5 pages max)
    • Readiness approach information
    • Compliance plan

Project narratives must be formatted on standard-sized, single-spaced pages, using one-inch margins and a standard font such as Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.

Optional webinars will be held for this program as follows:

December 7, 2023
2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: usepa.zoomgov.com

Target Investment Area (TIA) E: United States - Southern Border Communities:
March 25, 2024
Noon PT
Registration: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register

TIA D: Disadvantaged Communities, including Southwest Region Colonias:
March 27, 2024
Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX

TIA D: Disadvantaged Communities, including Southwest Region Colonias:
March 28, 2024
Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX

TIA D: Disadvantaged Communities, including Southwest Region Colonias:
May 8, 2024
El Centro/Imperial Valley, CA

TIA D: Disadvantaged Communities, including Southwest Region Colonias:
May 9, 2024
El Centro/Imperial Valley, CA

To register for the March 27 and March 28 webinars, applicants must email Jill Capotosto at jill.capotosto@hq.doe.gov. To register for the May 8 and May 9 webinars, applicants must email Bria Crawford at Crawford.bria@epa.gov.

Recordings of previously held webinars can be found online at www.epa.gov.

Applicants may request technical assistance (TA) to prepare and develop their application by completing the intake form online at communitychangeta.org by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 16, 2024.

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Written application (155 points):
    • Community-drive investments for change (80 points)
    • Project management, capability, and capacity (35 points)
    • Readiness to proceed, feasibility, and sustainability (40 points)
  • Oral presentation (45 points)

Applicants must score at least 110 points on the written application in order to proceed to the oral presentation stage. Refer to pages 48-55 of the NOFA file for details regarding this component's application evaluation criteria.

Refer to the NOFA and TARequest files for additional application information.

Match Required: Recommended
Match Type: Cash/In-Kind
Actual Funds: $2,000,000,000 (Estimated)
Range: $1,960,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $10,000,000 (Min) / $20,000,000 (Max)
Number of Awards: 150 (Estimated)
Match Notes:

Matching funds are not required for this program; however, applications will be evaluated based applicants' ability to sustain projects after the end of the project periods, including any leveraged funding and/or resources from other sources and demonstration of continued funding availability for operation and maintenance activities.

Funding Notes:

An estimated $2 billion is available through this program overall, with approximately $1.96 billion available to support an estimated 150 cooperative agreements ranging from approximately $10 million to $20 million through this component.

In addition to monetary awards, recipients will be eligible to receive technical assistance from the funding agency. Applicants may request technical assistance online at www.epa.gov.

Through this component, the funding agency expects to distribute funding via the following target investment areas (TIAs):

  • Issue at least 15 awards for high-ranking applications that include workforce training programs
  • An estimated $150 million will be allocated to projects benefiting Indian tribes in Alaska
  • An estimated $300 million will be allocated to projects benefiting tribes outside of Alaska
  • An estimated $50 million will be allocated to projects benefiting disadvantaged communities in the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
  • An estimated $50 million will be allocated to projects benefiting disadvantaged, unincorporated communities
  • An estimated $100 million will be allocated to projects that benefit non-tribal disadvantaged communities within 100 kilometers north of the U.S.-Mexico border

Initial award selections are expected to be issued beginning in April 2024, and will continue to be issued on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. Initial awards are expected to be issued in June 2024.

Project periods may span up to three years. Extensions will not be provided.

Generally, indirect costs may not exceed 20 percent of awards, except in the circumstances detailed on page 92 of the NOFA file.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Projects for community or tribal relocation activities
  • Projects that are exclusively designed to conduct scientific research
  • Assessment, removal, or remediation of Superfund sites
Contacts:

Program Staff
CCGP@epa.gov

Agency Address
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20460

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the program staff.

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
Other Pre-Award File: US15257A_FAQ_FY2024.pdf (272.9 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US15257A_Overview_FY2024.pdf (221.5 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US15257A_FAQ2_FY2024.pdf (404.0 Kb)
NOFA File: US15257A_NOFA_FY2024.pdf (1.6 Mb)
Other Pre-Award File: US15257A_Webinar_FY2024.pdf (140.9 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US15257A_TARequest_FY2024.pdf (135.3 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the revised solicitation for this program. The FAQ file contains a list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding this program. The Overview file contains general program information. The FAQ2 file contains a list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding this program's solicitation. The Webinar file contains information regarding webinars scheduled for this program. The TARequest file contains the updated deadline for requesting technical assistance with the application. Additional program resources are available online at www.epa.gov.

July 24, 2024
Information regarding an updated deadline for requesting technical assistance with the application has been released and attached as the TARequest file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

March 21, 2024
Information regarding the scheduling of additional webinars for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

February 13, 2024
A revised solicitation containing updated dates for the award selections and project period has been released and attached as the NOFA file. The Financial section has been updated accordingly.

February 7, 2024
A list of answers to frequently asked questions regarding this program's solicitation has been released and attached as the FAQ2 file.

Grant Keywords
Inflation Reduction Act Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program, Community-Driven Investments for Change, EPA, OEJECR, CCGP, territory, territories, Inflation Reduction Act, IRA, EJ, environmental justice, social justice, equity, environmental equity, conservation, conserve, ecological, ecology, ecosystem, environment, environmental, environmentalism, green, habitat, natural resource, nature, outdoor, preservation, preserve, protect, protection, restoration, restore, stewardship, air pollution, air quality, alternative fuel, auto, automobile, bus, car, carbon dioxide, clean air, clean fuel, clean-burning fuel, CO2, congestion, emissions reduction, emit, exhaust, fleet, foreign oil, fossil fuel, fume, gas, gasoline, GHG, greenhouse gas, lower emission, mileage, mobile source, nitrogen oxide, NOx, petrol, smog, smoke, traffic, truck, van, VOC, volatile organic compound, alternative energy, electric, electricity, energy conservation, energy demand, energy efficiency, energy efficient, utilities, utility, renewable resource, open space, park, parks and rec, parks and recreation, chemical, contaminant, contaminate, contaminated, pollute, polluted, pollution, toxic, climate change, global warming, sea level, temperature, public health, wellness, disease prevention, health disparity, healthcare disparity, underserved, community need, disadvantaged, economically disadvantaged, extremely low-income, low income, minority population, needy, people of color, poor, poverty, underprivileged, underrepresented, very low-income, community involvement, advocacy, advocate, ethical issue, ethics, social change, equal right, discriminate, discrimination, infrastructure development, municipal improvement, neighborhood revitalization, sustainable development, urban renewal, architectural improvement, building, construct, construction, engineering, climate challenge, pollution reduction, green infrastructure, nature based, nature based solution, disadvantaged communities, disadvantaged community, community partnership, pollution prevention, pollution monitoring, zero emission, technology, technologies, green job, green workforce, workforce development, apprentice, apprenticeship, vocation, vocational training, mentor, mentoring, career development, employee development, employee training, professional development, professional training, staff development, staff training, air pollutant, energy savings, green energy, climate justice, community resilience, energy efficient home, energy efficiency building, green home, green building, insulation, microgrid, brownfield, waste, waste management, waste reduction
Grant Categories
Community Development
Training & Vocational Services
Energy
Health, Prevention/Treatment
Environment/Natural Resources
Human Services
Social Justice