JvEPA	Environmental Justice

Collaborative Problem-Solving
Cooperative Agreement

Program

(United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

xV

What is the CPS
Model?

The CPS Model represents a systematic,
community-based approach for
stakeholders to achieve lasting solutions
to local environmental and/or public
health issues or concerns. There are
seven elements in the CPS Model which
can be used in distressed communities
where people are committed to working
together to bring about positive change.
The seven elements are:

Element 1 - Issue Identification,
Community Vision, and Strategic Goal-
Setting

Element 2 - Community
Capacity Building and Leadership
Development

Element 3 - Consensus Building and
Dispute Resolution

Element 4 - Multi-Stakeholder
Partnership and Leveraging of
Resources

Element 5 - Constructive Engagement
by Relevant Stakeholders

Element 6 - Sound Management and
Implementation

Element 7 - Evaluation, Lessons
Learned, and Replication of Best
Practices

EJCPS Overview

In 2003, EPA's Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ) launched the first solicitation for the
Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement
Program. Since the Program's inception, EPA has funded over 40 projects to help
communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and
risks.

The EJCPS Program provides up to $120,000 in financial assistance over a two-year period to
enable community-based organizations to partner with stakeholders from across industry,
government, academia to develop and implement solutions that will significantly address
environmental and/or public health issues at the local level. Projects must use the CPS Model,
comprised of seven elements of a successful collaborative partnership, to address local
environmental and/or public health issues. Because EPA requires substantial involvement and
interaction between the applicant, EPA regions and OEJ, these awards will be made in the
form of cooperative agreements.

A cooperative agreement is an assistance
agreement that is used when there is
substantial federal involvement with the
recipient during the performance of an activity
or project. EPA awards cooperative agreements
for those projects in which it expects to have
substantial interaction with the recipient
throughout the performance of the project.

Is My Organization Eligible?

An eligible applicant MUST BE one of the following entities:

•	Nonprofit organization- including, but not limited to, environmental justice networks

•	Federally recognized tribal governments; or

•	Native American organizations (includes Indian groups, cooperatives, partnerships,
associations)

Organizations claiming nonprofit status must be either a nonprofit as designated by the
Internal Revenue Service or a nonprofit organization recognized by the state, territory,
commonwealth or tribe in which it is located. Applicants must be located within the same
state, territory, commonwealth, or tribe in which the proposed project is located. In
addition, eligible applicants must demonstrate that they have worked directly with the
affected community. An "affected community," for the purposes of EJCPS, is defined as a
vulnerable community that may be disproportionately impacted by environmental harms
and risks and has a local environmental or public health issue that is identified in the
applicant's proposal. For more information about this program, visit https://
www.epa.gov/environmental-justice/environmental-justice-collaborative-
problem-solving-cooperative-agreement-0

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Environmental Justice


-------