BOSTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making grants available for New England communities to support EPA’s “Back-to-Basics” agenda to reduce environmental risks, protect and improve human health, and improve the quality of life.

EPA New England’s Healthy Communities Grant Program is accepting applications for projects that will benefit one or more New England communities. EPA plans to award about 10 cooperative agreements, for a total of approximately $250,000, under this funding opportunity. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, May 28.

“EPA is very pleased to continue to make funding available for New England organizations to address local environmental health concerns in their communities,” said EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deborah Szaro.

“These projects can make a real difference protecting human health and the environment, and they are a great example of cooperative federalism in action.”

The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that can make positive differences by focusing on target “Back-to-Basics” investment areas. Eligible projects under this program must be located in or directly impact one or more of the three “target investment areas” – areas needing to create community resilience; environmental justice areas of potential concern; or sensitive populations – and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental or public health results in one or more of the four “target program areas” – clean, green, and healthy schools; community and water infrastructure resilience; healthy indoor environments; or healthy outdoor environments.

A full descriptions of the target investment and target program areas can be found in the 2019 Healthy Communities Grant Program Request for Applications, available online at: https://www3.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/grants_2019hc.html.

Also, to help answer questions from prospective applicants, the Healthy Communities Grant Program will host four webinars before the applications are due. The information sessions will be offered May 1, 7, 9 and 15. The information sessions are optional, but RSVPs are required. The registration form can be found in the Request for Applications available online.

Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and non-profit organizations, such as grassroots and community-based organizations.

Funding will be considered for a college or university to support a project with substantial community or tribal involvement.

For additional background on EPA’s New England Healthy Community Grants, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/hcgp.html.

Copy the Story Link