EPA Community Change Grants Brief  What is the Opportunity?  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a call for grant proposals or "Notice of Funding Opportunity" (NOFO) fori its Environmental and Climate. Justice Community Change Grants Program. This program has a collective budget of over $2 billion which EPA expects to award in two Track 1: Community-Driven Investments for Change" focuses on projects to improve the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities. The EPA expects to fund roughly 150 projects int thist track with awards ranging in value from $10-20 million, with a maximum award value Track 2: Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance" focuses on efforts to engage disadvantaged communities in governmental processes to advance environmental and climate justice. The EPA expects toi fund roughly 20 projects ini this track with awards ranging in value from $1-3 million, with a maximum  tracks:  of $20 million.1  award value of $3 million.  The EPA describes the objectives for Track 1 projects as: Increase community resilience through climate action activities Reduce local pollution to improve public health Center meaningful community engagement Build community strength Reach priority populations Maximize integration across projects Possible projects could first address:  Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based: Solutions  Mobility and Transportation Options for Preventing Air Pollution and Improving Public Health  and Climate Resilience Community Resilience Hubs  Energy-Efficient, Healthy, and Resilient Housing and Buildings Microgrid Installation for Community Energy Resilience  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  Int tandem with one of the strategies above, projects should also address one of the follow:  Indoor Air Quality and Community Health Improvements Outdoor Air Quality and Community Health Improvements Safe Management and Disposal of Solid and Hazardous Waste The EPA has offered some oft the following as examples of possible projects:  Clean Water Infrastructure to Reduce Pollution Exposure and Increase Overall System Resilience  Mitigate urban heat islands through reflective surfaces and shade trees or other vegetation, including preparing planting sites and establishing and caring fori trees and other vegetation. 1This brief focuses primarily on Track 1 because ofi it represents the vast majority of funding tol be awarded.    Implement "Complete Streets" projects to improve walkability, bike-ability, and transit use, including improved access for people with disabilities. projects to improve walkability, bike- ability, andi transit use, including improved access for people with disabilities that reduce vehicle Install or retrofit homes or multi-family housing with higher-efficiency, electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems (e.g., heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric and induction stoves, Assess the most acute climate risks facing a community (e.g., extreme heat, flooding, wildfire), identify where the community has gaps in its resilience strategy, then design a plan to mitigate specific risks by creating or upgrading community facilities to serve as resilience hubs that Build and/or upgrade existing structures and: sites to improve community use while reducing Implement a community-scale composting program to reduce emissions from food waste that includes an educational campaign to inform Project Area residents about climate benefits of Propose workforce development programs that will help reduce GHG emissions and other air  miles traveled and related air pollution.  electric clothes dryers).  Install microgrids with onsite renewable energy generation and storage.  remain operable during an emergency. GHG emissions and/or improving climate resilience.  reducing food waste.  pollutants to benefit disadvantaged communities.  Which Organizations Can Apply?  Inc order to be considered for funding under this program, the project must be submitted bya partnership oft two organizations, led by a Community Benefit Organization (CBO). A CBO isa a nonprofit organization which exists "mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit." It must be able to provide documentation from the Internal Revenue Service that iti is "exempt fromi taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code." It must also be able to demonstrate the relationship it has in/tot the community it serves. The second organization int the partnership may be another CBO; a unit ofl local government includinga county, municipality, school district, or public authority; ori institution of higher education. The project the applicant proposes must benefit an EPAI IRAI Disadvantaged Community, the GIS Tool documenting which can be found EPAI IRA Disadvantaged Communities (arcgis.com). The EPA's map includes all disadvantaged community census tracts determined through the White House'sJustice40  Initiative.  What are Important Considerations for Applicants?  Though not explicitly phrased as suchi in the NOFO, the EPA is looking for "shovel ready" projects for fundings awarded particularly under Track 1. Funded projects are expected to begin within 120 days of Applicants interested in submitting a proposal may be able to receive technical assistance with the proposal from the EPAI by filing out a request form: Community Change Grants Technical Assistance Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through November 215t, 2024 (11/21/24). The EAP expects to begin funding the first awards in March of 2024 and therefore the first projects will be  the award. All projects must complete within 3 years (end date 11/21/26)  Request Form LUSEPA.  underway by May or. June of 2024.    To submit an application, applicants must do so through grants.gov and must have SAM.gov account as well. This can be at time-consuming process and even text within the NOFO stresses the need not to wait  for the last minute for account creation and application submission.  Where is there More Information? Funding Opportunity November 2023  Thei full Notice of Funding Opportunity can be found here: EPA Community Change Grants Notice of Additional information can bei found through this webinar, published by the EPA: Community Change  Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity Webinar December 7,2023- - YouTube