Grantmaker C_Application for Competitive Award

OMB Control Number = 2035.NEW, Expiration Date = mm/dd/yyyy

Project Application
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Cover Page (1 page) OR First Application Page (web)
Name of Organization or Government Entity
Email
Organization/Government Entity Legal Address
EIN (if applicable)
Project Title
Address of the Proposed Project
In which State or Territory is the project located: (
Project Phase (Phase I, Phase II, Phase III)
Community Partners (optional)
You may choose to work with other organizations, municipalities, nations, or entities. If you do, please list them here.
Are you a member of a Priority Organization or Community? Please describe your area of priority and offer any
supporting information you can provide. (For instance, federal designation; population; location; demographic
information)
What is the target area and general characterization of the community your project will impact? Please submit
a map of the project area using the “EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities" tool, showing whether or not the
community or communities are disadvantaged.
Project Narrative (10 pages OR Video Essay)
Please provide a short narrative description of your project. This can be in written form (maximum of ten pages) or in
video essay form (maximum of ten minutes). Your narrative or video does not need to be lengthy to be effective. It
should clearly communicate the project you plan to undertake with grant dollars, and should answer the questions
below. If you choose the video essay option,the video essay does not need to be of professional production quality. That

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a simple video recorded on a phone or computer which answers all the questions is acceptable. Narratives or videos
will be scored based on their content, not production quality or writing style.
Guiding Questions
● Please provide a general description of the project and why it is needed.
● Please give a short description of your organization. Please include your history of involvement with the
underserved community, including the duration of involvement and circumstances that led to your
organization’s involvement. Please share the extent to which the team has had any previous collaborations with
the listed project partners.
● Estimated Project Start Date
● Estimated Project End Date
● Why does this project respond to a community environmental justice priority? Please discuss your
organization's connection with the community and to explain how the proposed project aligns with the
community's needs and priorities. Please tell us about the community that is being affected more than others by
environmental issues or health dangers. Explain who makes up this community and how these problems are
impacting them. In other words, who are the people in this community and what kinds of environmental or
health problems are they facing more than others?
● Sustainability Please address how you will ensure the sustainability of your project after the grant period has
ended. What tools or resources will you need?
Budget Narrative (2 page maximum, OPTIONAL for Phase I)
● Please write a short narrative that describes how the funding ($150,000, $250,000 or $350,000) will be used to
carry out your planned activities for your project. If you find it helpful, you may also fill out a supplemental
budget worksheet; this is not required to have a successful application.
● Please list any other funding sources you have for this particular project, or any other applications you are
putting forward to fund this project.
● Can all of the funds be spent within the award timeframe (1 year for Phase I, 2 years for Phases II and III)? If
not, how long would it take to spend the award?
Impact (1 page maximum)
● Describe communities within the target area. What are the area’s primary environmental justice challenges?
Using the EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities tool, what kinds of environmental and health burdens does the
community face?”
● Please describe the short and long term impact that your project will have. How will you know your
project has been successful? What do you want it to accomplish? For example, short-term impact might be an
increase in the number of community members who know about threats posed to them by coastal erosion.
Longer-term impacts might be the number of community members with an emergency preparedness plan and an
increase in the emergency preparedness capacity of local nonprofits and community organizations. Please
provide an approximate quantification of the expected short-term and long-term impacts, where possible.
Supplemental Materials
These materials are optional. You do not need to include them to have a successful application.
You may want to include them if they will help to understand the importance of your project and your impact.
● Community Partners Please provide letters of commitment, CVs and job descriptions as supplemental materials
from community partners involved in the project.

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● Project Evidence Please provide evidence of the necessity of this project in your community. This may include
letters of support from community validators, including but not limited to local elected officials, community leaders,
faith leaders, among others, new clippings that demonstrate need for your project, research findings, studies,
testimonials or any other evidence.
Community Planning
For Phase II
Please share a description of the assessment, community engagement, or other information-gathering that your
organization has undertaken, and describe how these findings contribute to the plan or the project that you are
recommending. (1 page maximum)
For Phase III
Please share a description of the community planning process you have already undertaken, the outcomes of
the process, and describe how these outcomes will allow you to implement an impactful project on the ground.
Please cite previous planning documents, projects, research and dissemination and other evidence. (1 page
maximum)
For Phases II and III
Evaluation Plan
Please provide an evaluation plan for the project which lays out grant activities, outputs, and outcomes. (2 page
maximum) (Activities: These are the actions taken or work performed through which inputs, such as funds, technical
assistance, and other types of resources, are mobilized to produce specific outputs. In the context of the subgrants you
mentioned, activities could include public outreach, research, partnership-building, cleanup projects, and obtaining
permits for environmental projects. Outputs: These are the direct and tangible products from program activities. They
are often quantitative. For the grant projects, outputs could be the number of community meetings held, the number of
partnership agreements signed, the amount of data collected and analyzed, or the number of permits obtained.
Outcomes: Outcomes refer to the changes or benefits that result from your program or intervention. They can be
short-term or long-term and could include changes in knowledge, skills, behavior, condition, or status. For your
projects, outcomes could be improved air or water quality, increased community engagement in environmental issues,
successful implementation of a cleanup project, or reduction in environmental health risks. A logic model is not
required but may be a useful tool to you here.)
Project Application Checklist
Requirements

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Cover page

X

X

X

Project Narrative or Video Essay

X

X

X

Budget Narrative

(Optional)

X

X

Impact Statement

X

X

X

(Optional)

(Optional)

(Optional)

Supplemental Materials

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Evaluation Plan

X

X

Community Planning

X

X

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Scoring Process and Criteria
When it is submitted, your project proposal will be evaluated on a rolling basis by members of the Community
Leadership Board, a group of community leaders who are familiar with work in your project area, using the below
criteria and areas of prioritization shared above. You may be invited to an interview process with select members of the
review groups to answer questions and clarify project components and respond to any concerns that the project
evaluation committee may have. If you are invited to interview, your score will be revised based on the additional
information you provide in the interview. Decisions will be made within four months upon receipt of your application,
with funds to be disbursed no later than two months after that (six months from the time of application submission),
pending negotiations and compliance requirements. In the event of an emergency declaration, there may be an
adjustment in the evaluation cycle for impacted areas.
Scoring Criteria
Phase I projects will be scored out of a possible 60 points. Phase II and III projects will be scored out of a possible 80
points. Project scores will be compared among projects proposed for funding by the same phase; that is, point values
for Phase I projects will not be compared against point values for Phase II and Phase III projects.
Phase I, Phase II and Phase III Projects
Project Objectives (24 points)
a. Project Description The project narrative clearly communicates the project goals and objectives and relates
them to the environmental justice goals of the community it proposes to engage. (4 points)
b. Organizational Background The organization and partnership team, if applicable, has a relevant history and
strong connections with the underserved community, with priority for projects led by organizations based in the
community it proposes to serve(4 points)
c. Alignment with Environmental Justice Priorities The project responds effectively to a community
environmental justice priority. The organization shows a strong connection with the community, and the project
aligns well with the community's needs and priorities. (4 points)
d. Community Impact: The proposal provides a compelling description of the expected short-term and long-term
impacts. These impacts are measurable and significant to the community. (4 points)
e. Budget/Funding Narrative: The proposed funding is reasonable and aligns well with the planned activities.
The proposal convincingly shows how the funds will be used to achieve the project's objectives. (4 points)
f. Sustainability: The organization provides a clear plan for maintaining the project's impacts after the grant
period has ended. (4 points)
Project Feasibility (8 points)
a. The applying organization or agency has a track record of success that is relevant to the proposed project. (4
points)
b. The timeline provided is realistic and achievable, considering the project's scope and objectives. (4 points)
Project Need (6 points)
a. The project is necessary in the particular geographic region for which it is proposed. (2 points)
b. The project offers a unique perspective, underutilized strategy, or otherwise fills a demonstrated gap. (2 points)
c. The project meets a unique need or goal of Region 2. (2 points)
Participatory/Community Leadership (6 points)
a. There is demonstrable and strong community support for the project. (2 points)

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b. The project is responsive to and crafted by community members who are impacted by the environmental or
climate issue they are working to assess and resolve. The organization's leadership reflects the community they
serve (2 points).
c. The project subscribes to an asset-based participatory governance model which incorporates community
feedback and centers the goals and resources of the impacted community. (2 points)
Other Funding Sources (4 points)
a. The applicant discloses all other funding sources for this project. (2 points)
b. The applicant specifies whether there are other pending applications for funding related to this project. (2
points)
Award Timeframe (4 points)
a. The proposal demonstrates that the requested funds can be effectively spent within the given award timeframe.
Supplemental Materials - Community Partners (4 points)
a. Letters of commitment from community partners are provided, demonstrating their dedication and involvement
in the project. CVs and job descriptions of community partners reveal their qualifications and roles in the
project.
Supplemental Materials - Project Evidence (4 points)
a. The proposal provides evidence supporting the need for the project in the community. (2 points)
b. The evidence presented clearly demonstrates the local community's engagement with and need for the project.
(2 points)
Phase II and Phase III Projects
Budget (8 points)
a. The proposal offers a detailed budget breakdown, showing how funds will be allocated towards various project
activities. (4 points)
b. The budget breakdown aligns with the project's objectives and proposed activities. (4 points)
Evaluation plan (for Phase II and III) (6 points)
a. The proposal provides a clear and comprehensive evaluation plan, laying out activities, outputs, and outcomes.
(2 points)
b. The plan clearly articulates how these elements contribute to achieving the project's objectives. (2 points)
c. The evaluation plan specifies both quantitative (outputs) and qualitative (outcomes) measures of success. (2
points)
Assessment and community engagement (for Phase II) (6 points)
a. The proposal describes prior assessments, community engagement activities, and other information-gathering
exercises conducted by the organization. (3 points)
b. The proposal provides evidence for how these activities inform the current project proposal and contribute to its
design and implementation. (3 points)
Community planning process (for Phase III) (6 points)
a. The proposal provides a clear narrative of the community planning process already undertaken. (2 points)

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b. The outcomes of the planning process are presented and linked to the proposed project's design and
implementation. (2 points)
c. The proposal provides evidence (like planning documents, previous projects, research, etc.) supporting the
planning process and its outcomes. (2 points)

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