Funding Opportunities

This Notice of Funding Opportunity announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to develop projects for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) reclamation and innovative destruction technologies. Section 60109 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided the EPA with $15 million for competitive grants for “reclaim and innovative destruction technologies” consistent with subsections (a) through (i) and subsection (k) of section 103 division S of Public Law 116-260 (42 U.S.C. 7675) (also known as the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act). Enacted in 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act authorizes the EPA to address climate-damaging greenhouse gases (GHGs) called HFCs by: phasing down their production and consumption, maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases from equipment, and facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions on HFCs. HFCs are potent GHGs commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, as well as foams and many other applications. A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100. There are hundreds of possible HFC compounds. The 18 HFCs listed as regulated substances by the AIM Act are some of the most commonly used HFCs and have high impacts as measured by the quantity emitted multiplied by their respective global warming potentials (GWPs). For more information on the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, please visit https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit financial assistance applications that will build capacity in States with coral reef ecosystems (defined as the states of Florida and Hawaii; territories of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands; or any other territory or possession of the United States or separate sovereign in free association with the United States that contains a coral reef ecosystem) by strengthening local nongovernmental organizations’ and/or other interested stakeholder groups’ ability to participate in future coral reef stewardship partnerships, as outlined in the reauthorized Coral Reef Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 6401-15 (the Act). Projects funded through this competition must address one of two priorities:

PRIORITY 1: Local Coral Community Group Support
Applications submitted under the Local Coral Community Group Support priority should propose work plans over a duration of 12 to 24 months (1 to 2 years). Each application should not request more than $50,000 in total Federal funds per geographic region (e.g., counties, islands, or States) in which the project will be performed. Applications that propose projects across multiple geographic regions may request proportionally higher levels of Federal funds. Applications may be submitted by the local organization(s) themselves or by a collaborating partner (either local, regional, or national) who may act as a fiscal agent or primary program coordinator.

PRIORITY 2: National Coral Conservation Support.
Applications submitted under the National Coral Conservation Support priority will be implemented through either a grant or cooperative agreement and should propose work plans over a duration of 12 to 48 months (1 to 4 years). Each application should request no more than $75,000 in Federal funds per year for projects with regional beneficiaries and no more than $150,000 per year in Federal funds for projects with national beneficiaries. It is expected that one national or up to two regional applications may be selected. Applications are expected to be submitted by multi-state or multinational entities that may be located outside one of the beneficiary States, however, applicants should demonstrate experience working across these diverse jurisdictions.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $4.7 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 competitive grant funding to support transit services for the FY 2024 Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) pilot program. Under the ICAM pilot program, funds awarded will finance innovative capital projects for the transportation-disadvantaged, with the goal to improve the coordination of transportation services and non-emergency medical transportation services for older adults, people with disabilities, and people of low income. As required by Federal public transportation law and subject to appropriations, funds will be awarded competitively to eligible applicants. Eligible applicants are State departments of transportation, designated recipients for Section 5310 funds, or local governmental entities that operate a public transportation service, or their eligible subrecipients that have the authority and technical capacity to implement a regional or statewide cost allocation pilot.

The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible entities to conduct demonstration, technical assistance, training, education, and/or outreach projects that seek to reduce exposure to indoor air contaminants by advancing national policy and systems-level initiatives.

Fast Pitch grants are for ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Activities may include:
• conference or seminar attendance
• consultants or professional speakers
• specialized staff training/certification
• professional development: coaching, leadership training, board development
• focused education on organizational development such as: strategic planning, fund or program development, needs assessment and information management
• software support such as volunteer scheduling or grant management software, database management such as Excel or Access, or other software pertinent to the development of your organization
• technology support such as a new computer, printer, or copier, used to enhance the development of your organization

Program Strategic Goals:

1. Accomplish fuels management activities on federal and non-federal land.
2. Develop and implement fire education, training, and/or community action plans/programs.
3. Conduct Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs), community wildfire assessments, and planning activities.
4. Expand community capability to enhance local employment opportunities.
5. Develop and implement short and long-term monitoring and maintenance plans for hazardous fuels reduction, community fire education and training, and community action programs.

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support.

Projects include a variety of ecological improvements along with targeted community outreach, education and stewardship. Ecological improvements may include one or more of the following: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation, community tree canopy enhancement, wildlife habitat, urban agriculture and community gardens, wildlife and water quality monitoring and green infrastructure best management practices for managing run-off.

Projects should increase access to the benefits of nature, reduce the impact of environmental hazards and engage local communities, particularly underserved communities, in project planning, outreach and implementation. This program expects that applicants will represent a mixture of urban and rural communities. NFWF may use a mix of public and private funding sources to support any grant made through this program and we expect that more than half of projects awarded will engage underserved communities.

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Clean School Bus (CSB) Program provides $5 billion over five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. Under the Program's first funding opportunity, the 2022 CSB Rebates, EPA solicited applications for zero-emission and low-emission school buses and awarded up to $965 million to fund school bus replacements at nearly 400 schools.

In Spring 2023, EPA opened a competitive grant funding program; EPA anticipates awarding at least $400 million under the 2023 CSB Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). EPA expects to announce the 2023 Grant Program selectees by early 2024. In Fall 2023, EPA opened the 2023 CSB Rebates program; EPA expects to award at least $500 million in funding under the 2023 rebate program.

ACF's Patagonia Regional Community Fund offers funding to organizations that have projects and programs supporting residents of Patagonia, Sonoita, Elgin, and/or Canelo.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) and the Office of Minority Health (OMH) are seeking community-led strategies and tools to address health disparities in communities disproportionately impacted by environmental risks and hazards including those related to climate change, and the cumulative impacts of other stressors. The Challenge mechanism provides an opportunity for community voices to participate in developing novel innovative approaches to addressing the adverse health impacts of environmental conditions and increase community resilience within their local, disproportionately impacted communities.