The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to improve the environment and public health conditions of low-income communities and communities of color through the advancement of racial equity and environmental justice.

This funding announcement supports the priorities detailed in

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President Biden’s Executive Order 13985 titled Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and Executive Order 14008 titled Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.

EPA continues to make effective responses to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the climate crisis top priorities.

To address these multiple crises, this announcement places emphasis on projects focusing on COVID-19 impacts, as well as climate and disaster resiliency.

Additionally, EPA is emphasizing projects addressing diesel pollution in underserved communities living near ports and railyards as part of EPA’s Ports Initiative (see details further described in this solicitation).

Finally, to promote equitable accessibility to EPA grant funding and to assist small entities, approximately half of the total available funding under this announcement is intended to be reserved for small non-profit organizations with 10 or fewer full-time employees subject to the quality of applications received and other relevant considerations.

Under this solicitation, therefore, there will be two separate ranking lists developed- one for small non-profit organizations of 10 or fewer full-time employees and one for all other eligible applicants as further described in this solicitation.