oEPA Gulf Coast Environment Justice Listening Sessions Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q. Are entities outside of the MS coastal COUNTIES eligible to apply for these grants? A. The following will be eligible to apply when the Request for Applications (RFA) opens: state agencies, interstate agencies, Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, local governments, institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities), and non-profit organizations as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200. Flowever, the place of performance (location of where the project work must take place) will be the coastal counties in each Gulf of Mexico State (FL, AL, MS, LA, or TX). A map of eligible counties will be included in the RFA. Q. How much will be allocated to each Gulf of Mexico State (FL, A L, MS, LA, or TX)? A. A total of $2.5 million will be allocated to each of the Gulf of Mexico States. The total estimated investment in the Environmental Justice Request for Applications will be $12.5 million. Q. Will scoring criteria be provided for grant application? A. Yes, the scoring criteria will be included in the grant application. Q. Will the RFA require an applicant to address all 4 areas i.e., Habitat Restoration, Environmental Education & Outreach, Community Resilience, and Water Quality or only one of the four. How many projects will be awarded? How much would each awardee receive? A. We anticipate multiple awards in each Gulf of Mexico State. EPA expects funding for each subaward to range from $25,000 to $250,000. Many projects will touch on more than just one measure, but there is no requirement to address all four. Q. Would you consider collaborative applications between multiple organizations doing similar work/ projects? Not necessarily a fiscal sponsorship, but a joint grant application? This could allow for smaller grassroots organizations without a dedicated grant writer or fundraiser (or financial history) to partner with established organizations that have the capacity to write and manage a federal grant. A. Collaboration is always encouraged when applying for a Gulf of Mexico grant. Q. Who is the contact person for justice initiative? A. Please send questions or input to gcejls_gmd@epa.gov. Q. Will the RFA require a compulsory outreach component? A. It is anticipated the RFA will require compulsory outreach. ------- |