As shared in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s July newsletter: More than $20 million in funding and technical assistance is available for state, local, and tribal governments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Funders’ Network, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Department of Agriculture (USDA) that can be used to support climate and energy initiatives, including economic development, sustainable communities, green infrastructure, and water efficiency. For full eligibility and application details, please visit the links provided below.
In addition, please visit the calendar of 2016 EPA grant opportunities that may be of particular interest to communities.
EPA Building the Capacity of Tribes to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change Program – $600,000
- Applications Due: July 15, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments
EPA is making available funding to increase tribal capacity to understand the health effects of climate change and plan for new and changing tribal community health needs as the climate changes. Proposals must address each of the following four areas: tribal climate and health curriculum development, refining the curriculum by conducting pilot trainings with select tribes, making curriculum available online, and conducting climate change and tribal health outreach. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
Funders’ Network Partners for Places Round 9 Grant Program – $500,000
- Applications Due: July 25, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Local governments
The Funders’ Network announced funding to develop partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy, and well-being for all residents. Eligible projects must create either a community-focused sustainability/climate action plan or a multi-issue plan endorsed by a major or city manager. All of these plans must address sustainability, as well as balance economic development, environmental quality, and equity. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
NOAA Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Program – $8.5 million
- Applications Due: August 16, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State, local, and tribal governments
NOAA announced funding for projects that improve or restore coastal habitat by strengthening the resilience of U.S. marine and coastal ecosystems, decreasing the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather, and supporting sustainable fisheries. Projects should identify an issue limiting the resiliency of U.S. marine and coastal ecosystems to extreme weather events or changing environmental conditions, identify the proposed project’s outcome, describe the actions and on-the-ground restoration to be undertaken to enhance resiliency and reduce risk, and describe the measurable impact on the ecosystem and communities. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
BIA Program to Identify and Address Tribal Climate Change Science Needs – $1.1 million
- Applications Due: August 19, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Tribal governments and non-profit organizations
BIA is making available funding to hire of five to seven tribal climate science liaisons to address tribal climate change science needs in U.S. Department of Interior’s North Central, Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest Climate Science Centers. Successful organizations should have relevant regional and/or national knowledge, functional expertise in areas that are or may be affected by climate change, and broad tribal membership regionally or nationally. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
EPA Tribal Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program – $1 million
- Applications Due: August 23, 2016
- Eligible Entities: Tribal governments
EPA announced funding to tribal projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions, particularly from fleets operating at or servicing goods movement facilities located in areas designated as having poor air quality. Eligible emission reduction activities include cleaner fuel use (such as biodiesel), idling reduction technologies (such as electrified parking spaces to provide power for truck heating and cooling systems), improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, and using energy efficiency and renewable energy to reduce emissions. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program – $8.4 million
- Climate and Land-Use Letter of Intent Due: September 14, 2016
- Climate Masters Outreach and Extension Application Due: September 14, 2016
- Eligible Entities: State agricultural experiment stations, research institutions
USDA is making available funding to support research to facilitate the adaptation of agroecosystems and natural resource systems to climate variability and the implementation of mitigation strategies. Applicants can apply to two program areas: “Climate and Land-Use,” which aims to develop agricultural programs resilient to the effects of climate change, and “Climate Masters Outreach and Extension,” which aims to conduct community-based educational outreach for better understanding of climate, extreme weather events, energy, conservation, preparedness, and the impact of informed decision-making. For more information, visit the funding opportunity description.
State and local officials interested in additional information about developing and implementing cost-effective climate and energy strategies that help further environmental goals and achieve public health and economic benefits may visit EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program site.