Current Funding Opportunities

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant - Rolling Applications Until November 21, 2024

Link to NOFO

Background: Inflation Reduction Act and Executive Orders

The Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant program (Community Change Grants) – the subject of this NOFO – offers an unprecedented opportunity to transform disadvantaged communities across the United States into healthy, climate resilient, and thriving communities for their current and future residents. The Community Change Grants will fund community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. The historic levels of support provided by these grants will enable communities and their partners to overcome longstanding environmental challenges and implement meaningful solutions to meet community needs now and for generations to come.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice Program (ECJP)—the largest investment in environmental and climate justice in U.S. history—when it was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. The ECJP is now contained in Section 138 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. § 7438. Under this program, EPA was provided $2.8 billion to award grants to help disadvantaged communities address a wide range of environmental and climate justice issues, and $200 million for technical assistance related to these grants. This historic investment advances Executive Order 13985,Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, which established a whole-of-government approach to advancing equity and opportunity, and Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which created the government- wide Justice 40 Initiative that established the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. Awards under the ECJP also support core goals of Executive Order 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, and Executive Order 14096, Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.

The Community Change Grants are the final and most comprehensive piece of EPA’s implementation of ECJP IRA funding. The Community Change Grants will complement grant programs that EPA launched in 2022 and 2023, including those for the Collaborative Problem-Solving, Government-to-Government, and Thriving Communities Grantmaker programs. Collectively, these programs will empower communities and their partners to design, develop, and implement multi-faceted community-driven projects. These programs will address the diverse and unique needs of disadvantaged communities by:

1. Reducing and preventing pollution;

2. Building resilience to climate change and mitigating current and future climate risks;

3. Enhancing meaningful involvement in government processes related to environmental and climate
   justice;

4. Expanding access to high-quality jobs and economic opportunity through workforce development;
   and

5. Bolstering community strength by ensuring that local residents receive the benefits of investments
   and have the opportunity to build on them for current and future generations.

Through the approximately $2 billion to be awarded under the Community Change Grants, and the technical assistance that will be available to eligible applicants related to the grants, EPA will advance the goals of these Executive Orders (EO) and the agency’s environmental and climate justice priorities. Environmental justice, as defined by EO 14096, means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability, in agency decision-making and other federal activities that affect human health and the environment so that people:

• Are fully protected from disproportionate and adverse human health and environmental effects (including risks) and hazards, including those related to climate change, the cumulative impacts of environmental and other burdens, and the legacy of racism or other structural or systemic barriers; and

• Have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.

NOFO Competition Features

EPA anticipates awarding approximately $2 billion in funding through this NOFO, depending on funding availability, quality of applications received, EPA priorities, and other applicable considerations. EPA will consider applications under two separate tracks.

• Track I applications – Community-Driven Investments for Change will focus on multi-faceted applications with Climate Action and Pollution Reduction Strategies to meaningfully improve the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities. Awards under Track I are expected to be $10-20 million each and cannot exceed $20 million. EPA expects to award approximately $1.96 billion for approximately 150 Track I awards, including those under the Target Investment Areas described in Section II.B.

• Track II applications – Meaningful Engagement for Equitable Governance will facilitate the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes to advance environmental and climate justice. Awards under Track II are expected to be $1-3 million each and cannot exceed $3 million. EPA will award approximately $40 million for approximately 20 Track II awards.

Eligible Applicants

Consistent with CAA §138(b)(3) and Assistance Listing 66.616, applicants eligible to apply and receive grants under this NOFO are (1) a partnership between two community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs) as defined below, or (2) a partnership between a CBO and one of the following: a federally recognized Tribe, a local government, or an institution of higher education. These types of partnerships for eligibility purposes are known as Statutory Partnerships.

For information or questions about this NOFO, please email: CCGP@epa.gov

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program 

(Community Forest Program) of the Forest Service 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, is requesting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). CFP is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land. 

The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. Public access is required for all projects.  

To apply, interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester where the property is located. Tribal applicants must submit applications to equivalent Tribal government officials. All applications must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by January 13, 2025.  

State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by February 10, 2025.  

Link to Call for Proposals: Community Forest Program website

Projects must conform to laws and authorities in Section 7A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act ([16 U.S.C. 2103d] Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program) as amended.  

Grantor Contact Information: If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: Margaret Haines National CFP email inbox

Eligible Applicants:

Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

City or township governments

Additional Information on Eligibility:

Eligible local governments are any municipal government, county government, or other local government with jurisdiction over local land use decisions. Eligible Indian Tribes are federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. Qualified nonprofit organizations eligible for this opportunity are organizations that are consistent with Section 170(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and operates in accordance with one or more of the conservation purposes.

Please review section 230.4 of the Final Community Forest Program Rule and Section 4 of the current Request for Applications for additional information regarding application requirements. The current RFA, scoring guidance, map guidance, and other resources are available on the CFP website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest/program

If you are interested in applying to this program, please contact your regional program manager:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/contact-us/community-forest-regional-coordinators