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Healthy Communities Grant Program
Target Investment Areas and
Funds for all projects should support activities to provide education, outreach, or training, in the Target Program Areas.
The Regional Office will only accept submissions for projects that affect the States, Tribes, and Territories within the six New England States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Projects that are National in scope are not eligible for funding under this Regional Program.
The statutory authorities for this program restrict the use of assistance agreements to support the following activities: conducting or promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and elimination of water pollution.
Demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, and it is encouraged that the results of these projects will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained.
A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project.
Funding Priority Fiscal Year 2015:
The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health and improve the quality of life.
The Healthy Communities Grant Program will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that: target resources to benefit communities at risk [areas at risk from climate change impacts, environmental justice areas of potential concern, sensitive populations (e.g.
children, elderly, tribes, urban/rural residents, and others at increased risk), and Southeast New England coastal watersheds; assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks; increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects; build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems; Advance emergency preparedness and ecosystem resilience; and achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits in one or more of the following areas:
Capacity Building on Environmental and Public Health Issues: Projects that focus on providing training, education, outreach, and/or engagement on the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of one or more of the following environmental and public health issues: indoor/ambient air quality, lead, asthma, pesticides, chemical risks, recycling, energy efficiency and/or conservation, pollution prevention, food waste minimization or diversion, and/or renewable energy.
Clean, Green and Healthy Schools: Projects that focus on creating clean, green and healthy school environments by promoting EPA's State School Environmental Health Guidelines, EPA's Voluntary Guidelines for Selecting Safe School Location and/or implementing replicable programs across New England serving children's environmental health at K-12 schools.
Community and Water Resource Resilience: Projects that advance the emergency preparedness and resilience of communities and water infrastructure: stormwater, wastewater and/or drinking water.
Healthy Indoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing childhood lead poisoning, reducing asthma triggers, promoting integrated pest management; reducing childhood exposure to one or more toxins (PCBs, dioxin, mercury, lead, pesticides, etc.), promoting comprehensive healthy homes and/or other indoor environments.
Healthy Outdoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing exposure to toxics in the air, soil and/or water by addressing the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of pollution in rivers and/or other natural resources.
Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration: Large-scale projects that focus on regional, bi-state, or watershed approaches to integrate habitat, water quality, and physical processes; facilitate a vision to address complex problems across political boundaries, including next steps for project implementation and maintenance; organize effective and sustainable partnerships for action; accelerate reduction or prevention of nutrient impacts, and promote innovations and efficiencies through integrated ecosystem management.
All projects should describe the potential for transferability to other areas located within the Southeast New England Coastal Watershed region.
Specific appropriation language in FY15 authorizes implementation activities to support Southeast New England Coastal Watershed Restoration priorities.
Please note: Applicants that identify this Target Program Area are required to identify the 'Southeast New England Coastal Watersheds' as a Target Investment Area for the proposed project.
In addition, projects identifying this Target Program Area are restricted from selecting additional Target Program Areas and/or Target Investment Areas as part of the proposal.
Funding Priority Fiscal Year 2016:
The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health and improve the quality of life.
The Healthy Communities Grant Program will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that: target resources to benefit communities at risk [areas at risk from climate change impacts, environmental justice areas of potential concern, sensitive populations (e.g.
children, elderly, tribes, urban/rural residents, and others at increased risk), and Southeast New England coastal watersheds; assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks; increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects; build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems; Advance emergency preparedness and ecosystem resilience; and achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits in one or more of the following areas:
Clean, Green and Healthy Schools: Projects that focus on creating clean, green and healthy school environments by promoting EPA's State School Environmental Health Guidelines, EPA's Voluntary Guidelines for Selecting Safe School Location and/or implementing replicable programs across New England serving children's environmental health at K-12 schools.
Community and Water Resource Resilience: Projects that provide education, outreach, and training to manage facilities at which hazardous substances are located, advance the emergency preparedness and resilience of communities and water infrastructure through training related to the safe handling and removal of hazardous waste.
Healthy Indoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing childhood lead poisoning through compliance assistance, outreach, and/or education on lead-based paint regulations and/or small drinking water systems, reducing asthma triggers, promoting integrated pest management; promoting recycling, energy efficiency and/or conservation, pollution prevention, food waste minimization and/or diversion, and/or renewable energy; reducing childhood exposure to one or more toxins (PCBs, dioxin, mercury, lead, pesticides, etc.), promoting comprehensive healthy homes and/or other indoor environments for children or other sensitive populations.
Healthy Outdoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing exposure to toxics in the air, soil and/or water by addressing the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of pollution in rivers and/or other natural resources.
Tribal Youth Environmental Program: Projects that focus on creating and conducting Tribal youth education programs for federally recognized Tribes in EPA Region 1 that build future tribal environmental leaders by improving tribal community health and sustainability through pollution prevention/source reduction for ecosystems, land, and water.
Programs must address protecting ecosystem functions, goods and services; supporting ecologically sensitive land management and development; and sustaining water resources to ensure quality and availability for desired uses.
The projects must prioritize and incorporate use and understanding of Tribal Environmental Knowledge and help native youth better understand their relationship to the environment, community sustainability, and community health from a landscape prospective.
Projects must include a form of camp or programming for high school and/or middle school tribal students, an environmental health summit emphasizing youth initiatives and projects, and establish and/or utilize a living classroom (e.g.
greenhouse, garden, etc.) on Tribal lands in partnership with one or more federally recognized Tribes in Region 1.
Funding Priority Fiscal Year 2017:
The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health and improve the quality of life.
The Healthy Communities Grant Program will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that: target resources to benefit communities at risk [areas needing to create community resilience, environmental justice areas of potential concern, sensitive populations (e.g.
children, elderly, tribes, urban/rural residents, and others at increased risk), and Southeast New England coastal watersheds; assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks; increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects; build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems; Advance emergency preparedness and ecosystem resilience; and achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits in one or more of the following areas: Clean, Green and Healthy Schools: Projects that focus on creating clean, green and healthy school environments by promoting EPA?s State School Environmental Health Guidelines, EPA?s Voluntary Guidelines for Selecting Safe School Location and their design, construction, and renovation, and/or implementing replicable programs across New England serving children?s environmental health at K-12 schools.
Community and Water Infrastructure Resilience: Projects that provide education, outreach, and training to manage facilities at which hazardous substances are located, advance the emergency preparedness and resilience of communities and water infrastructure through training related to the safe handling and removal of hazardous waste.
Energy Efficiency: Projects that promote energy efficiency and/or conservation by providing education, outreach, and technical assistance on energy systems, weatherization and/or energy best management practices and policies.
d.
Healthy Indoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing childhood lead poisoning through compliance assistance, outreach, and/or education on lead-based paint regulations and/or small drinking water systems, reducing asthma triggers, promoting integrated pest management; promoting recycling, pollution prevention, food waste minimization and/or diversion, and/or renewable energy; reducing childhood exposure to one or more toxins (PCBs, dioxin, mercury, lead, pesticides, etc.), promoting comprehensive healthy homes and/or other indoor environments for children or other sensitive populations.
Healthy Outdoor Environments: Projects that focus on reducing and/or preventing exposure to toxics and pollutants in the air, soil and/or water by addressing the causes, effects, extent, reduction, prevention and/or elimination of pollution in rivers and/or other natural resources.
f.
Tribal Youth Environmental Program: Projects that focus on creating and conducting Tribal youth education programs for federally recognized Tribes in EPA Region 1 that build future tribal environmental leaders by improving tribal community health and sustainability through pollution prevention/source reduction for ecosystems, land, and/or water.
The projects must raise awareness and understanding of pollution prevention/source reduction, toxics reduction, and/or improvements to water quality to help native youth better understand their relationship to the environment and improve local environmental conditions.
Projects must directly engage, involve and support Tribal youth who are members of federally-recognized tribes in New England.
Partnership with one or more federally recognized Tribes in Region 1 is strongly encouraged.
Fiscal Year 2016: ? Conduct a ?cleaning for health program?, promoting procurement of safer cleaners and disinfectants and developing cleaning policies and procedures for programs that are tenants of public schools and other spaces.
? Design training and education to remove potential hazards to human health presented by facilities which handle, store and/or contain hazardous waste.
? Conduct an education and outreach campaign to increase food recovery rates in an urban area (i.e., Food Too Good to Waste).
? Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to address stormwater overflows and poor water quality.
? Develop and conduct a week-long program that provides an opportunity for tribal high school and/or middle school students in Region 1 to work one on one with western science professionals and Cultural Knowledge Keepers on a specific environmental topic.
Fiscal Year 2017: ? Create and deliver educational curricula for 25-50 Tribal high school, middle school, primary school, and/or college students in Region 1 to increase awareness and understanding of pollution prevention/source reduction for ecosystems, land and/or water.
? Design and conduct an education and outreach campaign to identify housing at risk for lead and/or other toxins and provide in-home education to families to improve children?s environmental health, such as a reduction of asthma triggers.
? Provide outreach opportunity to disseminate educational material on residential energy efficiency and weatherization.
? Design and conduct a training for state, local or other personnel to support safe handling of hazardous waste at facilities and/or increase safe handling practices to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment.
? Develop and/or promote site specific environmental health assessments, which can be used by schools to determine their environmental health baselines, identify issues of concern, and help schools prioritize which environmental health problems to address and promote utilizing EPA developed guidelines to address environmental issues in schools.
Fiscal Year 2018: No Current Data Available
The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.
Sandra Brownell, US EPA Region I, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02109.
Phone: 617-918-1797.
Toll Free: 888-372-7341.
TTY: 617-918-2028.
Fax: 617-918-0797.
E-Mail: brownell.sandra@epa.gov.
Selected Recipients for this Program
| Recipient | Amount | Start Date | End Date | |
| University Of Massachusetts | $ 29,956 | 2021-10-01 | 2023-09-30 | |
| Cumberland County Soil And Water Conservation District | $ 29,977 | 2021-10-01 | 2023-09-30 | |
| Ecology Action Of Santa Cruz | $ 29,832 | 2021-10-01 | 2023-09-30 | |
| Berkshire Regional Planning Commission | $ 28,021 | 2021-10-01 | 2023-09-29 | |
| Health Resources In Action, Inc. | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 | |
| Third Sector New England, Inc. | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 | |
| Mass. Coalition For Occupation Safety & Hlth., Inc. | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 | |
| Groundwork Lawrence Inc | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 | |
| Center For Ecotechnology, Inc. | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 | |
| Center For Ecotechnology, Inc. | $ 30,000 | 2021-10-01 | 2022-09-30 |
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2016: Forty-three initial proposals were received, 38 proposals were invited to submit a full proposal and 12 projects, worth $287,440 were competitively selected through the 2016 Healthy Communities Grant Program. Fiscal Year 2017: Seventy initial proposals were received, 38 proposals were invited to submit a full proposal and 13 projects, worth $299,643 were competitively selected through the 2017 Healthy Communities Grant Program. Fiscal Year 2018: No Current Data Available
Uses and Use Restrictions
- Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information.
Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: http://geodata.epa.gov.
- Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or government-owned vehicles, or while driving privately-owned vehicles when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government.
Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to conduct initiatives of the type described in section 3(a) of the Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving Executive Order that was signed on October 1, 2009.
Generally this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis.
For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Assistance under this program is available to State, Local, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions/organizations, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, K-12 schools or school districts; and non-profit organizations (e.g.
grassroots and/or community-based organizations).
Funding will be considered for a college or university to support a project with substantial community involvement.
Private businesses, federal agencies, and individuals are not eligible to be grant recipients; however, they are encouraged to work in partnership with eligible applicants on projects.
Applicants need not be located within the boundaries of the EPA regional office to be eligible to apply for funding but must propose projects that affect the States, Tribes, and Territories within their Region.
For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
Beneficiary Eligibility
State, Local, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions/organizations, anyone/general public.
Credentials/Documentation
Tribes may be asked to demonstrate that they are federally recognized. Interstate organizations may be asked to provide a citation to the statutory authority, which establishes their status. Intertribal consortia may be asked to provide documentation that they meet the requirements of 2 CFR 200 Subpart E. Non-profit applicants are not required to have a formal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) non-profit designation, such as 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4); however they must present their letter of incorporation or other documentation demonstrating their non-profit or not-for-profit status. This requirement does not apply to public agencies or Federally Recognized Indian Tribes. Failure to enclose the letter of incorporation or other documentation demonstrating non-profit or not-for-profit status will render full proposal submissions incomplete and they will not be reviewed. Applicants who have an IRS 501(c)(4) designation are not eligible for grants if they engage in lobbying, no matter what the source of funding for the lobbying activities. For-profit enterprises are not eligible to receive sub-grants from eligible recipients, although they may receive contracts, subject to EPA's regulations on procurement under assistance agreements, 2 CFR 200 Subpart E. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
For competitive awards, an initial project summary format is provided in the competitive announcement.
Applicants invited to submit a full proposal are required to submit the SF 424, 424A, 424B, and the pre-award compliance report.
Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement.
For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as 'Information Contacts' or see Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Interested applicants should review information on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/eco/uep/hcgp.html.This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.
12372, 'Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.' An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.
12372, 'Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.' An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedures
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The Healthy Communities Grant Program has a two step process for evaluating competitive applications which is described in the annual Request for Initial Proposals. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 2 CFR 200 and 1500, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards must be used for this program. Application forms are available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/index.htm and by mail upon request to the Grants and Interagency Agreements Management Division at (202) 564-5305. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through http://www.grants.go
Award Procedures
For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442(a)&(c); Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act; Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3); Marine Protection, Research, & Sanctuaries Act, Section 203; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20; Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3); Robert T Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act(1974); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (1980), Section 104 and 105; Pollution Prevention Act of 1990; Fiscal Year 2015 Omnibus, Consolidation and Further Appropriations Act, Public Law 113-235.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Applicants will generally be notified within 60 days of receipt of submission for funding.
Appeals
Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as 'Information Contacts.' Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.
Renewals
All competitive grant awards should be prepared and submitted as new projects, which will be evaluated based on criteria specified in the annual competitive funding announcement. Renewals or extensions of existing projects may be available.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching Requirements: The grant program requires a match of 5% of the total budget as part of their proposal. Any exceptions will be identified in the annual competitive funding announcement. Award recipients can use contributions from entities other than themselves as a match. However, other Federal money cannot be used as the match for this grant program. Matching funds are considered grant funds. They must be used for the reasonable and necessary expenses of carrying out the assistance agreement work plan. Any restrictions on the use of grant funds (e.g., prohibition of land acquisition with grant funds) also apply to the matching funds. This program has no statutory formula. This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Assistance agreements are normally funded on a 12 (annual) or 24 month basis, at the discretion of the applicant. There is no restriction placed on the time permitted to spend the money awarded as long as the money is spent within the budget and project periods of the award specified in the workplan and the budget worksheet in the SF 424. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
No program reports are required.
No cash reports are required.
EPA includes reporting requirements for cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements.
Cooperative agreements require quarterly and final progress and expenditure reports; program evaluations and other reports as detailed by the specific terms and conditions of the agreements.
Progress reports are required on a quarterly basis.
No expenditure reports are required.
No performance monitoring is required.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialis tmay occur each year. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-federal entities that expend $750,000 or more in a year in Federal awards shall have a single or a program specific audit conducted for that year. Non-federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503.
Records
Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes to each grant must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0108-0-1-304.
Obigations
(Project Grants) FY 16 $270,566; FY 17 est $299,643; and FY 18 Estimate Not Available - FY15 $1,753,405; FY16 $270,566; FY17 $299,643. The Healthy Communities Grant Program combines resources across contributing regional and national programs and varies annually.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$15,000 to $25,000/fiscal year; $22,754/fiscal year.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
Grants and cooperative agreements awarded under the Healthy Communities Grant Program are subject to EPA's General Grant Regulations, and Procedures (40 CFR Parts 30 and 40 CFR Parts 31). Costs will be determined on accordance with OMB Circular A-87 for State and Local governments and Indian Tribes, OMB Circular A-21 for educational institutions and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit institutions.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. Sandra Brownell, US EPA Region I, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02109. Phone: 617-918-1797. Toll Free: 888-372-7341. TTY: 617-918-2028. Fax: 617-918-0797. E-Mail: brownell.sandra@epa.gov.
Headquarters Office
Sandra Brownell US EPA Region I 1 Congress Street, CPT, Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Email: brownell.sandra@epa.gov Phone: 617-918-1797
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement.
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