Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OECA OEJ 16 01
The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to help communities tackle environmental and public health challenges through coordinated, locally driven action. The program specifically supports projects that apply the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Model, which emphasizes building partnerships, organizing stakeholders around shared goals, and developing practical solutions that can be implemented on the ground. Rather than funding isolated activities, this opportunity is aimed at efforts that bring people and institutions together to solve real problems in communities experiencing environmental justice concerns.
At its core, the EJCPS program focuses on strengthening community-based organizations and giving them resources to convene and collaborate with a broad range of partners. The EPA highlights the value of partnerships that may include local or state government, industry, academic institutions, nonprofits, and other community stakeholders. The idea is that lasting change is more likely when community groups have the capacity to coordinate across sectors, align priorities, and combine technical knowledge with lived experience. Projects under this program are expected to address environmental issues, public health issues, or both, with an emphasis on solutions that operate at the local level and respond to local conditions.
A notable feature of the announcement is its encouragement for applicants to connect proposed project activities with neighborhood, local, city, or regional land use planning efforts. This means applicants are nudged to think about how environmental justice problems intersect with zoning, redevelopment, transportation planning, industrial siting, housing patterns, and other planning decisions that can shape exposure to pollution and access to healthy environments over time. In practice, a strong application would likely show how the project fits into or influences existing planning processes, community development plans, or regional initiatives, so that the work is not temporary but embedded in broader decision-making structures.
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that the EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project compared to a standard grant. While the specific roles and responsibilities would be spelled out in the full announcement, cooperative agreements commonly involve coordination with the agency on project oversight, deliverables, and technical direction. The funding activity category is environment, and the assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 66.306.
The opportunity is identified as EPA OECA OEJ 16 01 and was created on October 23, 2015, with an original closing date of February 12, 2016. The program anticipated making about 10 awards, with an award ceiling of $120,000 per award. Eligibility is summarized in the source information as "Others," and the announcement directs applicants to Section III for the detailed eligibility rules. In general terms, the program is framed to support community-based organizations, but the official eligibility requirements and any restrictions would be determined by that section of the formal solicitation.
Overall, the EJCPS Cooperative Agreement is structured to fund community-centered projects that use collaboration as the main tool for reducing environmental and health burdens. It is less about one-time events or narrow studies and more about building partnerships, developing shared strategies, and implementing concrete, locally relevant solutions that can connect to broader planning and policy efforts in the community.Apply for EPA OECA OEJ 16 01
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement" 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 2015-10-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-02-12. (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.
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Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement - FAQs
1. What is the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement?
The EJCPS Cooperative Agreement is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intended to help communities address environmental and public health challenges through coordinated, locally driven collaboration. It supports projects that use the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Model, which centers on building partnerships, organizing stakeholders around shared goals, and implementing practical solutions on the ground.
2. What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to support community-centered efforts that reduce environmental and/or public health burdens by strengthening partnerships and coordination across local stakeholders. The program emphasizes collaborative problem-solving rather than isolated or one-off activities.
3. What type of funding mechanism is EJCPS?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement. In general, a cooperative agreement indicates that EPA expects to have substantial involvement in the project compared to a standard grant, often including coordination on oversight, deliverables, and technical direction (as defined in the full announcement).
4. What kinds of issues can EJCPS projects address?
Projects are expected to address environmental issues, public health issues, or both, particularly in communities experiencing environmental justice concerns. The emphasis is on solutions that work at the local level and respond to local conditions.
5. What is the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Model?
It is a project approach emphasized by this program that focuses on building partnerships, convening and organizing stakeholders around shared goals, and developing practical solutions that can be implemented locally. The model prioritizes coordinated action across community organizations and other institutions rather than standalone efforts.
6. Who is this program intended to support?
The program is framed to support community-based organizations by providing resources to convene partners and coordinate collaborative work. However, the source information notes that detailed eligibility rules are located in Section III of the formal solicitation.
7. What does the eligibility category "Others" mean here?
The opportunity lists eligibility in the source information as "Others" and directs applicants to Section III for detailed eligibility requirements. Based on the summary provided, the program is generally oriented toward community-based organizations, but the definitive eligibility requirements and any restrictions would be specified in Section III of the announcement.
8. What kinds of partnerships does EPA encourage under EJCPS?
The EPA highlights the value of partnerships that can include local or state government, industry, academic institutions, nonprofits, and other community stakeholders. The underlying idea is that durable change is more likely when groups combine lived experience with technical and institutional capacity.
9. Does EJCPS fund isolated activities or one-time events?
This opportunity is described as being less about isolated activities and more about bringing people and institutions together to solve real problems. Successful projects are expected to be collaborative, strategic, and oriented toward implementable solutions.
10. Are applicants encouraged to connect projects to land use planning efforts?
Yes. The announcement encourages applicants to connect project activities with neighborhood, local, city, or regional land use planning efforts. This includes considering how environmental justice challenges intersect with zoning, redevelopment, transportation planning, industrial siting, housing patterns, and other planning decisions that influence exposure and long-term community health.
11. Why does the opportunity emphasize land use planning connections?
The summary explains that linking activities to planning processes can help ensure the work is not temporary and can be embedded in broader decision-making structures. Strong proposals would likely show how the project fits into or influences existing planning processes or community development plans.
12. What is the program's approach to achieving lasting change?
The approach is to build capacity for coordination across sectors, align priorities among stakeholders, and implement locally relevant solutions. The program emphasizes collaboration and integration with broader planning and policy efforts so changes can persist beyond short-term project timelines.
13. What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is environment.
14. What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 66.306.
15. What is the opportunity identifier?
The opportunity is identified as EPA OECA OEJ 16 01.
16. When was this opportunity created and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on October 23, 2015, and the original closing date was February 12, 2016.
17. How many awards were anticipated?
The program anticipated making about 10 awards.
18. What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $120,000 per award.
19. What does "discretionary funding opportunity" mean in this context?
The opportunity is described as discretionary, meaning it is a competitive funding opportunity offered by the agency under its program priorities, rather than an entitlement or formula-based allocation.
20. What is the role of the EPA in a cooperative agreement like this?
The summary notes that cooperative agreements generally indicate substantial involvement by EPA during the project compared to a standard grant. The exact roles and responsibilities would be described in the full announcement and may include coordination on project oversight, deliverables, and technical direction.
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