For Release: May 21, 2015

EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement to facilitate a robust dialogue and collaboration with EPA’s partners and stakeholders on pesticide safety programs for workers and handlers.  Meetings will focus on increasing understanding of regulations on pesticide applicator certification and protection of agricultural workers and handlers. They will also evaluate implementation and discuss potential improvements to pesticide safety programs in general.  The cooperative agreement covers the period of October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2020. 

The ultimate goal is to advance the protection of people, communities and ecosystems from the risk of pesticide poisoning, illness, and injury. EPA expects to provide an estimated $700,000 annually, depending on the agency’s budget, for up to a total of $2.5 million over five years (2015-2020). 

The cooperative agreement will provide financial assistance to eligible applicants to support meetings and workshops used to: 

• Establish new and utilize existing networks and partnerships;
• Collaborate on the design, development, review, and sharing of curricula, methodologies, practices, materials, presentations, policies, plans, programs, evaluation tools, or other resources for use by partners and stakeholders; 
• Identify and discuss current and emerging issues of importance to national, regional, tribal, and state partners and stakeholders; and 
• Collaborate on outreach and activities for the implementation of federal regulations such as the Worker Protection Standard.

With the upcoming regulatory changes to the agricultural Worker Protection Standard, which will be finalized this fall, and the proposed amendments to the Certified Applicator regulation, which will go out for public comment this summer, outreach and education will be more important than ever. The meetings and workshops supported by this agreement will be essential to EPA’s ability to conduct outreach and education in collaboration with EPA’s partners and stakeholders. EPA’s goal is to continue advancing the pesticide safety program for agricultural workers and their families, as well as to continue to address other emerging pesticide safety issues.  

EPA must receive proposals through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 5, 2015. Additional information on this solicitation is available on Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-OPP-2015-005.

If you have questions, please contact Carolyn Schroeder at schroeder.carolyn@epa.gov.