Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OP OEJ 20 01
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding opportunity designed to help community-based organizations work hand-in-hand with local partners to solve environmental and public health problems in communities that have been historically overburdened and underserved. The program is built around the idea that the most durable solutions come from the community itself, supported by a practical collaboration structure that brings multiple local stakeholders to the table, such as local businesses and industry, municipal or county government, health and medical service providers, and colleges or universities. Rather than funding isolated activities, EJCPS emphasizes coordinated, community-driven action that targets real, documented harms and risks affecting residents.
A central requirement of this opportunity is that projects must clearly use the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model during the award period. In practice, this means applicants are expected to show a structured approach to partnership-building, shared planning, and implementation that reflects collaborative problem-solving principles, not just general outreach. Another key expectation is that the applying organization has a direct connection to the underserved community described in the workplan, meaning the applicant should be rooted in, accountable to, and credibly representative of the people experiencing the environmental and health burdens the project aims to address.
For this solicitation, an "underserved community" is defined broadly to include communities with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations. The EPA specifically highlights minority, low-income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and homeless populations as examples of communities that may fall under this definition. The intent is to support places where cumulative environmental and health challenges are often paired with limited access to resources, political influence, or technical capacity to address those challenges without targeted support.
The long-term goals of EJCPS focus on capacity and sustainability. Beyond producing near-term improvements, the program aims to strengthen local ability to understand environmental conditions, organize partnerships, and continue improving community health and environmental quality after federal funding ends. The desired outcome is self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that persist and remain effective over time, creating a foundation for ongoing local progress.
Administratively, this opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement, which generally indicates EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project compared with a standard grant. The funding activity category is environment, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 66.306. The opportunity was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under Funding Opportunity Number EPA OP OEJ 20 01. The posting lists an award ceiling of $120,000 and an anticipated total of about 10 awards. The opportunity record shows a creation date of November 12, 2019, with an original closing date of February 7, 2020, while also noting that applicants should consult Section IV of the solicitation for the official close date details. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with clarification referenced in the solicitation's eligibility section, indicating that interested applicants would need to confirm they meet the specific definition of eligible community-based organizations described in the full announcement.Apply for EPA OP OEJ 20 01
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.306.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 12, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 07, 2020 See Section IV of the solicitation for close date information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $120,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program - FAQs
1. What is the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program?
The EJCPS Cooperative Agreement Program is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity designed to help community-based organizations work with local partners to solve environmental and public health problems in communities that have been historically overburdened and underserved.
2. What types of problems is this program meant to address?
The program focuses on real, documented environmental and public health harms and risks affecting residents in underserved communities. It emphasizes tackling issues that are contributing to cumulative environmental and health challenges.
3. Who is this program intended to support?
This opportunity is intended to support community-based organizations that are directly connected to the underserved community described in the project workplan, and that can credibly represent and remain accountable to the people experiencing the environmental and health burdens being addressed.
4. How does EPA define an "underserved community" for this solicitation?
For this solicitation, an underserved community is defined broadly to include communities with environmental justice concerns and/or vulnerable populations. EPA highlights minority, low-income, rural, tribal, indigenous, and homeless populations as examples of communities that may meet this definition.
5. What is the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model, and is it required?
Applicants are required to clearly use the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model during the award period. This means the project must demonstrate a structured approach to partnership-building, shared planning, and implementation that reflects collaborative problem-solving principles, not simply general outreach activities.
6. What does the program mean by "community-driven" action?
EJCPS emphasizes solutions that come from the community itself. Projects are expected to be shaped by community needs and priorities, with implementation supported by an intentional collaboration structure that brings multiple local stakeholders to the table.
7. What kinds of partners are expected to be involved in an EJCPS project?
The program describes a practical collaboration structure that may include local businesses and industry, municipal or county government, health and medical service providers, and colleges or universities. The key expectation is coordinated involvement of multiple local stakeholders, rather than isolated efforts.
8. Does this opportunity fund isolated or one-off activities?
No. The solicitation emphasizes coordinated, community-driven action instead of funding isolated activities. The intent is to support structured collaboration that targets documented harms and risks affecting residents.
9. What does it mean that the applicant must have a "direct connection" to the community?
Based on the opportunity description, the applying organization should be rooted in the underserved community, accountable to it, and credibly representative of the people who experience the environmental and health burdens the project aims to address.
10. What are the long-term goals of the EJCPS program?
The long-term goals focus on capacity and sustainability. Beyond near-term improvements, EJCPS aims to strengthen local ability to understand environmental conditions, build and manage partnerships, and continue improving community health and environmental quality after federal funding ends.
11. What outcomes is EPA trying to achieve through this program?
The desired outcome is self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that continue after the funding period and remain effective over time, creating a foundation for ongoing local progress.
12. What kind of funding mechanism is this?
This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement. This generally indicates EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project compared with a standard grant.
13. What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category listed for this opportunity is environment.
14. What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number associated with this program is 66.306.
15. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA OP OEJ 20 01.
16. How much funding is available per award?
The posting lists an award ceiling of $120,000.
17. How many awards does EPA anticipate making?
The opportunity indicates an anticipated total of about 10 awards.
18. What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The record shows a creation date of November 12, 2019, and an original closing date of February 7, 2020.
19. Is the closing date definitive?
Not necessarily. The posting notes that applicants should consult Section IV of the solicitation for the official close date details.
20. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others," with clarification referenced in the solicitation's eligibility section. Interested applicants should confirm they meet the specific definition of eligible community-based organizations described in the full announcement.
21. Where should applicants look for the official eligibility requirements?
Applicants should review the eligibility section of the solicitation (as referenced in the posting) to confirm they meet EPA's specific definition of an eligible community-based organization.
22. What is the core emphasis of EJCPS compared to general community outreach projects?
A central emphasis is structured collaborative problem-solving using the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model during the award period. The program expects intentional partnership-building and shared planning tied to documented harms and risks, rather than general outreach alone.
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