Helpful Hints for a Successful
Brownfields Proposal
October 2003
Vol. 1 No. 3
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EPA's Brownfields Program is designed
to empower states, communities and
other stakeholders in economic redevel-
opment to work together to prevent, as-
sess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse
brownfield properties. Grants are available for
assessment, cleanup, establishing revolving loan
funds and job training. Grants are awarded on a
competitive basis. The following hints may be
helpful to applicants when organizing information
to write a grant proposal. Complete guidelines
and some frequently asked questions are
posted on our website: www.epa.gov/
brownfields
Applicant Eligibility
Eligible entities are States, local governments,
general purpose units of local governments, land
clearance authorities, redevelopment agencies, re-
gional councils, and Indian tribes. Nonprofit or-
ganizations may only apply for Cleanup grants.
Applying for More Than One Grant
You must meet the eligibility requirements for
each type of grant. You must also submit a sepa-
rate proposal for each type of grant.
Getting Started
•	First, focus on the target areas. Is there a
master plan? Does it fall within an Eco-
nomic Zone? Are there Main Street Pro-
grams in the area?
•	Engage your community early and often in
the planning phase.
•	Decide what you want the project to ac-
complish.
•	Identify key partners and resources.
•	Investigate site ownership, access, and eli-
gibility issues.
•	Consider how your plan fits with the sur-
rounding area.
•	Familiarize yourself with funding limits.
•	Decide what criteria will be used to meas-
ure success.
Special Requirements and Restrictions
•	Grant recipient may not be a Potentially R
sponsible Party (PRP). An owner is auto-
matically classified a PRP if ownership pr
ceded January 11, 2002.
•	To be eligible for Cleanup grants, the appl
cant must own the property.
•	Cleanup grantees and sub-grantees cannot
be liable under CERCLA 107.
•	Grant funds cannot be used for administra
tive costs (see guidelines).
Threshold Criteria
Basic threshold criteria determine whether or not
your proposal is eligible for consideration. Thresl
old criteria for Assessment, Cleanup, and Revolv-
ing Loan Fund (RLF) grants are:
•	Applicant eligibility
•	Site and property owner eligibility
•	Community notification
•	Letter from State or Tribe in whose jurisdi
tion the project area is located
•	Timely submission. All proposals must b(
received or postmarked by EPA on or be-
fore specified deadlines.
Additional RLF & Cleanup Threshold Criteria
•	Cleanup authority and oversight structure
•	20% cost share
•	RLF only: Legal authority to manage an
RLF grant
Basic Ranking Criteria (Assessment, Cleanup «
RLF)
Basic ranking criteria are the elements on which
your proposal will be ranked for funding. Rankin
criteria are:
•	Community need and involvement
•	Budget
•	Sustainable reuse of the Brownfields prop
erty and its development potential
•	Creation or preservation of greenspace
•	Reuse of existing infrastructure
•	Leveraging of additional resources
•	Ability to manage grants
REGION 4

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Some things you should know before
submitting your grant application
Additional Ranking Criteria
•	Assessment: Site selection process, if no
sites were pre-selected
•	RLF: Description of target market; business
plan; management structure
Ranking Criteria for Job Training Grants
Ranking criteria for Job Training grants include in-
stitutional capacity, and training program objec-
tives and plans. Your Job Training proposal should
do the following:
•	Describe training objectives
•	Describe how applicants will be screened
•	Provide a course outline with needed train-
ing tools and materials
•	Describe local incentives and employers'
commitment to hire
Getting Assistance With Preparation of Your
Proposal
You may consult with EPA Brownfields staff with
questions pertaining to applicant and site eligibility,
activities for which funding may or may not be
used, terminology, budgets, and other clarification
issues. EPA cannot review drafts or coach appli-
cants. However, you may contact your State or
Tribal Environmental Agency for assistance and
the required State letter.
Some Dos and Don'ts
•	Be concise.
•	Don't overwhelm reviewers with volumi-
nous proposals.
•	Don't ignore any criteria. If something is
not applicable, say so and explain why.
•	Minimize acronyms, hyperbole, and techni-
cal/cultural jargon.
•	Summarize all attachments in the body of
the proposal.
•	All pictures and maps should copy well in
black and white and fit letter-size paper.
•	Adhere to a single-sided page limit using a
12-point font.
•	Use "white space" and do not exceed page
limits.
•	Your proposal should not exceed 15 pages,
not including a cover letter and attachments.
(See guidelines for exceptions.)
•	Do not bind your proposal.
Some Common Elements of Unsuccessful Pro-
posals
•	Missed deadlines
•	Budgets too high or confusing
•	Incomplete applicant information
•	No partnerships
•	No community input
•	No planned leveraging
•	Inappropriate use of funds
•	Failure to include the required letter from
the State or Tribal authority
Helpful Hints should not be construed as a compre-
hensive analysis of the grant application process.
For complete proposal guidelines, please consult
the EPA website: www.epa.gov/brownfields
Region 4 Contacts for Job Training and RLF
Job Training Program
Kathleen Curry
(404) 562-8660
Email: curry.kathleen@epa.gov
Revolving Loan Fund Program
Wanda Jennings
(404) 562-8682
Email: jennings.wanda@epa.gov
OCTOBER 2003

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