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EPA Invites Eligible Non-Profit Groups and Tribal Communities to Apply for 2015 Environmental Justice Small Grants Program

Release Date: 10/06/2014
Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., Oct. 6, 2014) - EPA's Office of Environmental Justice announces the opening of its Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2015 Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program. The EJSG Program provides funding for eligible applicants for projects that address local environmental and/or public health issues within an affected community.

The EJSG Program is designed to help eligible non-profit organizations and Tribal communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks at the local level.

EPA recognizes the critical role of helping communities with localized strategies to avoid, lessen, or delay the risks and impacts associated with our changing climate. As a result, this year's EJSG Program will have a special emphasis on proposals supporting community-based preparedness and resilience efforts (community climate resiliency). In an effort to ensure that support reaches new areas, the Agency also is prioritizing funding to organizations that have not recently received an award under the EJSG Program.

The total estimated amount of funding available for awards under this solicitation for fiscal year 2015 is approximately $1.2 million. EPA anticipates awarding up to four grants per EPA region in amounts of up to $30,000 per award for a two-year project period. For more information regarding the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program and to view the RFA, please visit the EPA website.

Interested parties in EPA Region 7 who may have questions about the application process may contact Althea Moses, EPA Region 7’s Environmental Justice Program Manager, at 913-551-7649, or moses.althea@epa.gov.

To learn about community successes from previous small grants, check out EPA’s Emerging Tools for Local Problem-Solving, as well as these recent stories from the Agency’s EJ in Action blog:

• Environmental Coalition of South Seattle: Opening Immigrants' Eyes to Environmental Health in American Homes
• Groundwork New Orleans: Restoring a Watershed One Community at a Time
• ReGenesis, Inc.: A Dream Realized: Community Driven Revitalization in Spartanburg
• Community In-Power and Development Association: Port Arthur, Texas - Climate Justice Hits Home