Funding Opportunities
The Energy Auditor Training (EAT) Program will provide Grant funding to States for the purpose of training individuals to conduct energy audits, or surveys, of commercial and residential buildings. This program was established by Section 40503 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The goals of the program are to offer auditor training certifications that include informed curriculum and program design that aligns with current and future standards; inform or empower States with current, standardized framing of the education and training requirements for energy auditors; enlarge the pipeline of diverse talent by closing gaps in job access; address workforce inclusion deficiencies and improve disparities with underrepresented groups; connect auditor trainees to career opportunities that promote job quality and economic mobility; and inspire sustainability through intentional practices and partnerships that support infrastructure development and the long-term value of a clean energy workforce. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: In accordance with the BIL Section 40503, funding is only available to States, the District of Columbia, and United States territories that have a demonstrated need for assistance for training energy auditors. These eligible entities are referred to throughout this FOA as “States”. No other entity types, including Local Government and Tribes, may be considered for this funding. In accordance with 2 CFR Section 910.126 and DOE Program Rule 10 CFR Part 420, eligibility for these awards is restricted to State Energy Offices. FUNDING OVERVIEW: The BIL appropriated $40 million in funding to be issued through a competitive Grant program. DOE may issue one, multiple, or no awards. Individual awards may vary between $200,000 and a maximum of $2,000,000. DOE anticipates making approximately twenty (20) to thirty (30) awards under this FOA. In accordance with the BIL Section 40503(d)(1) the amount of a Grant awarded to an eligible State shall be determined by the Secretary, taking into account the population of the eligible State. DOE reserves the right to determine the final award amount of selected eligible States. COST MATCHING: Cost match is not required for these awards. DOE encourages states to consider how they could leverage philanthropic and private sector funding to advance their goals and amplify the impact of the BIL funding. To view the full FOA Document, visit https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022: State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Competitive Grant Program: The State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, also known as the Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) Program, seeks to accomplish three goals: (1) reduce the cost of training contractor employees by providing workforce development tools for contractors, their employees, and individuals including, but not limited to, subsidizing available training, testing certifications, and licenses for high-quality jobs; (2) provide testing and certifications of contractors trained and educated to install home energy efficiency and electrification technologies and deliver residential energy efficiency and electrification improvements; and (3) fund states to partner with nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a State sponsored workforce program that attracts and trains a diverse set of local workers to deliver the influx of new federally-funded energy efficiency and electrification programs—including the IRA-funded Home Efficiency Rebates Program, Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program (Home Energy Rebates Programs); and Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Credit. This program was established by Section 50123 of the Inflation Reduction Act. For this competitive program, DOE is making up to $40 million in TREC funds available to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to complement the previously announced TREC formula funding. Topic Area Description Topic Area 1: Training Small Contractor Firms State Energy Offices may use topic area one funding to train and certify small contractor firms and their employees to deliver energy efficiency and electrification improvements. DOE will fund States to support existing small contractor firms through training and certifications so that the contractor firm employees can deliver energy efficiency and electrification improvements eligible for rebates under the Home Efficiency Rebates Program or the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates Program. Topic Area 2: Innovative, Effective, and Equitable Workforce Development Programs State Energy Offices may use topic area two funding to implement innovative, effective, and equitable workforce development program models that deliver contractor training program curriculum. States can collaborate with nonprofit organizations to design/enhance and implement workforce development, training, certification, and employment programs that train, test, and certify underrepresented populations, new entrants to the workforce, youth ages 17-25, incumbent workers, displaced workers, and contractors to conduct home energy efficiency and electrification improvements under the Home Energy Rebates Programs. To view the full FOA Document and to register to apply for the FOA, go to Infrastructure eXCHANGE at https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov, the online application portal for the DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP).
MGFSP assists agricultural agencies or departments in eligible states and territories to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food insecure communities through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations by competitively distributing subawards to eligible entities.USDA promotes climate-resilient landscapes and rural economic systems, including tools to support agriculture, forests, grazing lands, and rural communities. AMS encourages applicants to consider including goals and activities related to reducing and stabilizing the levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere or adapting to the already occurring climate change in their project’s design and implementation.
The purpose of RCORP – Impact is to improve access to integrated and coordinated treatment and recovery services for substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), in rural areas. Ultimately, RCORP-Impact aims to address the SUD/OUD crisis in rural communities and promote long-term, sustained recovery.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to award grants to eligible State departments of agriculture to carry out projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The SCBGP assists State departments of agriculture in the 50 States, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by— (1) leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; (2) assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; (3) expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and (4) addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). A State department of agriculture is the agency, commission, or department of a State government responsible for agriculture within the State.
This program provides grants to qualified private, non-profit entities to capitalize revolving funds for the purpose of providing financing to eligible entities for pre-development costs associated with proposed water and wastewater projects or with existing water and wastewater systems, and short-term costs incurred for replacement equipment, small-scale extension of services, or other small capital projects that are not part of the regular operations and maintenance activities of existing water and wastewater systems.
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-24-NOFO0001354
Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 2024.
Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2024 notices of funding opportunity (NFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPPAFA-24-NOFO0001355.
The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services.
Using guidance contained in this notice, partners propose projects that generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource concerns in a state or multistate area by addressing one or more priority resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA). NRCS and partners collaborate to design, promote, and implement RCPP projects on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Through RCPP, NRCS may provide both financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds to project partners and agricultural producers for implementing projects. RCPP proposals are evaluated through a competitive proposal process based on three criteria: impact, partner contributions, and partnership and management.
Up to $1.5 billion is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement, which includes $300 million of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding and $1.2 billion of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS will prioritize using IRA funds for projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation activities as described in section F.(3)a. of this announcement.
Up to $100 million is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2024 AFA announcement. Any unused funds may be available for other partnership agreements.
Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below.
For More Information: Applicants are expected to contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservation questionnaire to record the results of this conversation. Proposals without a completed questionnaire may have their score and ranking reduced.
A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement’s posting) is on the NRCS How to Apply to RCPP web page.
Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.
2024 RCPP NFO Applicant Outreach Webinar
This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The same material will be covered at both webinars followed by a question-and-answer section. Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)
April 23, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link – 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/e2f45f75-7ea4-410b-b1c9-56…
May 30, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link – 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/226dcb51-0b57-43b1-b340-95…
NRCS will schedule additional webinars on RCPP easements and providing outreach to tribal applicants. Information on all webinars will be posted to the RCPP how to apply page.
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2024
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPPAFA-24-NOFO0001355
Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 2, 2024.
Note: The RCPP AFA and Classic FY 2024 notices of funding opportunity (NFO) will run concurrently. For information on Classic proposals please see USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-24-NOFO0001354.
The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value‑added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services.
Using guidance contained in this notice, partners propose projects that generate conservation benefits by addressing specific natural resource concerns in a state or multistate area or by addressing one or more priority resource concerns within an NRCS-designated critical conservation area (CCA). NRCS and partners collaborate to design, promote, and implement RCPP projects on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Through RCPP, NRCS may provide both financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds to project partners and agricultural producers for implementing projects. RCPP proposals are evaluated through a competitive proposal process based on three criteria: impact, partner contributions, and partnership and management.
Up to $1.5 billion is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2024 Classic announcement, which includes $300 million of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) funding and $1.2 billion of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. Proposals will be accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS will prioritize using IRA funds for projects that will implement climate-smart agriculture and forestry conservation activities as described in section F.3.a. of this announcement.
Up to $100 million is being made available specifically for NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2024 Classic announcement. Any unused funds may be available for other partnership agreements.
RCPP AFAs are intended to support project structures and approaches that cannot be carried out as effectively through the RCPP Classic NFO. RCPP AFA applicants must describe the innovative nature of the conservation approach they are proposing to justify potential funding through an RCPP AFA NFO rather than an RCPP Classic NFO. Moreover, applicants should consider the additional administrative and technical assistance responsibilities that accompany receipt of an RCPP AFA award.
The 2018 Farm Bill provides the following examples of project types that might be implemented through RCPP AFA:
projects that use innovative approaches to leverage the Federal investment in conservation;
projects that deploy a pay-for-performance conservation approach; and
projects that seek large-scale infrastructure investments that generate conservation benefits for agricultural producers and nonindustrial private forest owners.
Although RCPP AFA provides flexibilities to partners, these projects share the overarching focus of RCPP, which is to engage with producers and landowners to implement conservation practices, systems, and approaches on (or for the benefit of) agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands.
NRCS can make up to 15 awards through this funding opportunity through Farm Bill funding. This limit does not apply to projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act.
Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential. Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below.
For More Information: Applicants are expected to contact the appropriate state conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a state conservation questionnaire to record the results of these conversations. Proposals without a completed questionnaire may have their score and ranking reduced.
A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement’s posting) is on the NRCS How to Apply to RCPP web page.
Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The NRCS RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.
2024 RCPP NFO Applicant Outreach Webinar
This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The same material will be covered at both webinars followed by a question-and-answer section. Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)
April 23, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link – 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/e2f45f75-7ea4-410b-b1c9-56…
May 30, 2024, RCPP Applicant Outreach Webinar Registration Link – 2pm to 4pm EDT - https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/226dcb51-0b57-43b1-b340-95…
NRCS will schedule additional webinars on RCPP easements and providing outreach to tribal applicants. Information on all webinars will be posted to the RCPP how to apply page.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) seeks to support a Research Training Program for college and university students. The objective of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to support the training of undergraduate and graduate students on site at EPA’s research facility located in Ada, Oklahoma. ORD conducts timely, mission-relevant, solution-oriented research based on the principles of integrity, sustainability, and responsiveness to the needs of the Nation. The Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program (ERAP) for College and University Students is designed to increase both the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists and technicians by allowing trainees to collaborate with senior EPA-ORD scientists. The overall goal is to train the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) scientists and engineers to further the Agency’s mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage chemical risks, protect, and restore land, and protect America's water. The training will be conducted at EPA’s facilities in Ada, Oklahoma. Some examples of the fields of study for desirable trainees include (but are not limited to) those majoring in environmental science, water policy, chemistry, engineering, computer science, ecology, and physical and biological sciences.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD), as part of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program and in collaboration with the Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE) research program, is seeking applications proposing community-engaged research in underserved communities to advance the use of air pollution data and communication of air quality information for empowering local decisions and actions that address community-identified air pollution concerns. Specifically, this funding opportunity is soliciting research projects that involve substantial engagement with communities, community-based organizations, and/or Tribes to address both of the following priorities:
methods and tools for data integration and analysis to characterize community exposures to air pollution in underserved communities
effective communication of air quality information to communities and decision makers to support actions to address air pollution concerns in underserved communities
This research solicitation supports the Administration’s priorities to address environmental justice (EJ), such as described in the following Executive Orders:
Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
Executive Order 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All