Emergency ICR

Sample Draft EJ Thriving Communities Subgrant Project Proposal Guidance Sheet
Notes on FIC Subgrant Project Proposal Guidance: In order that environmental justice work be done by frontline
communities, be led by community interests and goals, and advance the growth of community assets and opportunities,
it is essential that funding flow directly to communities that have been historically disadvantaged and
disproportionately impacted by pollution, climate change, and other environmental stressors. This is, effectively, a
structure to repair the harms created by systematic disenfranchisement and unjust design that removed communities
from their resources and from one another.
The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment for all people with an emphasis on assisting
those communities adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health harms and
risks. Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, EPA received
significant investments for environmental justice and in the health, equity, and resilience of these, and all communities,
to address past, current, and future environmental health and justice challenges. Additionally, the 2022 Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA) created the Environmental and Climate Justice block grant program in section 138 of the Clean
Air Act (CAA) and provided EPA with $2.8 billion in grant funding for the program for projects to benefit
disadvantaged communities. To maximize these significant investments, new and innovative strategies and approaches
for issues such as community engagement and participation in environmental programs, equitable distribution of
financial resources, capacity-building and outreach, and technical assistance and training to enhance access to financial
assistance opportunities and promote effective grants management and performance, are necessary. This is especially
true for underserved and disadvantaged communities that have, and continue to be, plagued environmental pollution
and health, and environmental justice, challenges.
The Flourishing in Communities (FIC) subgrant project proposal process is structured to be inclusive, transparent,
accessible, intersectional, and easy to use for members of the diverse communities that comprise Region 2 to advance
solutions for climate adaptation and community resilience. The FIC team has created the competitive project proposal
process based on other successful models such as the Community Project solicitation in NY Congressional District 15,
and after receiving feedback from two listening sessions in Puerto Rico (Aguadilla and Ceiba), two listening sessions in
New York, two community activation events and conversations and convenings with over over 250 individual
stakeholders including grassroots organizations, larger nonprofits, community leaders, institutions of higher education,
and policymakers and elected officials. The FIC Grantmaker accepts proposals on a rolling basis, with subgrant
determinations made quarterly by its Community Leadership Board, with support as needed from the Faculty Advisory
Committee that leverages distinguished experts from Fordham University. In addition to privileging accessibility,
transparency, collaboration, inclusivity and intersectionality in our process, the FIC team has created a project proposal
process that supports organizations that have not previously applied for federal funding or for large-scale grants to build
capacity and prepare not only for this proposal and subaward process but also build skills to identify and secure other
sources to fund environmental justice work as well as sources to sustain funded projects through the EJ Thriving
Communities Grantmaker program. These criteria and processes will be modified with input and feedback from the
EPA and other relevant stakeholders in 2023. The FIC team will provide the following programming and support to
subgrant applicants:
(1) Outreach Beginning in June 2024, each regional statutory partner will reach out immediately to the
organizations already identified and acquainted with the subgrant opportunity. The New York Immigration
Coalition, the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, ConPRmetidos, and the Community Foundation of
the Virgin Islands have particular expertise in conducting outreach to diverse and marginalized communities.
Outreach capacity already conducted at the time of application includes approximately 600 organizations in
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and over 1000 in New Jersey and New York; at least 30% of these are

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(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

located in rural, remote, or coastal communities. The FIC team will work through all partners who have
indicated interest and support, through the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers in the Region 2
(WE ACT and Universidad Interamericana); through local, state and federal partners and elected officials, and
through the members of our Community Leadership Board and Faculty Advisory Committee to raise awareness
of the grantmaker opportunity. We will conduct a multilingual community level social media and
communications campaign to raise awareness among rural, remote, coastal and other hard to reach community
leaders, activists, and organizers, partnering with credible messengers, identified in letters of support, such as
like YMPJ, Friends of Puerto Rico, APRODEC, Make the Road, the Shinnecock Indian Nation, and the Seneca
Nation of Indians. All outreach materials will be disseminated in English and in Spanish; additional languages
will be utilized in outreach materials in specific regions depending on language needs. Outreach efforts will be
led by Regional Program Associates hired with considerable acumen for community organizing and
communication with diverse stakeholders.
Informational Sessions Each Regional Hub statutory partner will host no fewer than 12 informational sessions
each year (at least one per month), both online and in person, throughout Region 2, to acquaint eligible subgrant
recipients with the project proposal process, the requirements of the projects, the rolling application process, the
time to award, and the compliance requirements on the part of the subgrant recipient and on the part of the
grantmaker. As the FIC team learned in our listening sessions, many smaller organizations are concerned about
the burden of compliance and feel that larger organizations are prioritized by decision-makers for awards, about
the necessity to match funding or to take on large-scale projects that are reimbursable but with long onramps to
award. These informational sessions will respond to these concerns and demonstrate that the FIC grantmaker
has a different structure that controls these issues that have historically precluded many organizations from
receiving funding from federal sources. Sessions will be led by Regional Program Associates, statutory partner
team members, and community leaders with successful experience in leading community EJ projects; over the
course of the grant project, successful subgrant project teams will share their experiences with applicants during
info sessions.
Project Proposal Workshops Sessions In addition to informational sessions, Fordham and FIC regional hub
partners will host Project Proposal Workshops monthly beginning in July 2024, both online and in person.
These workshops offer multilingual support and culturally competent technical assistance to understand the
application process, answer questions, and direct applicants to resources. They will be supported with
community, faculty, and graduate assistant team staff members, laptops and tablets, paper applications, internet
connectivity, and resource materials to facilitate a smooth application process.
Technical Assistance for Applicants Fordham will support the grantmaker process with a digital platform and
app, application website, and project management tracker, and subgrant sustainability solutions. The FIC team
will also connect subgrant recipients with the EJ Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC)
call center and a referral network hosted by WE ACT and the educational and training modules on EJ TCTAC
EPA core areas for collaborative problem-solving and leadership, hosted by the Universidad Interamericana, as
well as FIC partner NJIT NJ Brownfields Assistance Center for pro bono legal support, funding and financing
sources, guidance through environmental regulatory processes and redevelopment strategies.
Translation Services The project proposal guidelines will be available online and in hard copy in the 15 most
commonly spoken languages spoken in Region 2 in addition to English and Spanish (Chinese, Tagalog,
Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French, Urdu,
Portuguese). Applications submitted in any of these languages will be translated into English and Spanish for
review by the FIC grants staff, the Community Leadership Board, and the Faculty Advisory Committee.

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State or Territory

Info Session Locations

Project Proposal Workshop Locations

New York

Fordham University (Bronx County); Le Moyne College
(Syracuse); Canisius College (Buffalo); Shinnecock Indian Nation
(Suffolk County); Seneca Nation of Indians; NYIC Offices and
Partners (Statewide - locations in NYC, Hudson Valley, Buffalo,
Long Island, Syracuse)

Fordham University (Bronx County); Le
Moyne College (Syracuse); Canisius College
(Buffalo); Shinnecock Nation (Suffolk
County); Seneca Nation of Indians

New Jersey

Rowan University (Glassboro); NJIT (Newark); New Jersey
Alliance for Immigrant Justice (Statewide), Hispanic Family
Center of Southern New Jersey (Camden); Make the Road
(Elizabeth)

Rowan University (Glassboro); NJIT
(Newark); Make the Road (Elizabeth)

Puerto Rico

Friends of Puerto Rico (Aguadilla): APRODEC (Ceiba);
ConPRmetidos (Island-wide); UPR Mayaguez

Friends of Puerto Rico (Aguadilla):
APRODEC (Ceiba); UPR Mayaguez

Virgin Islands

Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas; St.
John; St. Croix); Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (St.
Thomas); My Brother’s Workshop (St. Thomas, St. Croix)

Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
(St. Thomas; St. John; St. Croix)

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Flourishing in Community Application
A Thriving Communities Grantmaker Program
Welcome to the Flourishing in Community Grantmaker, a regional program under the Environmental Protection
Agency’'s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaker program that serves New York, New Jersey,
Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Our mission is to fuel the transformation of underserved areas into vibrant
communities, equipped to take on past, current, and future environmental and public health challenges. The FIC
Grantmaker understands the dire need to address climate change, curb pollution, champion racial equality, and uplift
disadvantaged communities and works to redress previous harms by ensuring environmental justice, promoting fair
treatment, and facilitating meaningful participation of all individuals in decisions impacting their environment and
health. We focus especially on communities that have been historically marginalized and underserved.
Frontline communities and the organizations that serve them have a profound understanding of the challenges they face
and possess the most promising solutions for the glaring environmental justice issues of our time. But the organizations
striving to serve these communities often face hurdles in acquiring federal funding.
The FIC Grantmaker is here to bridge this gap, by offering funding, technical support, capacity development, programs,
and research opportunities to projects led by community organizations, nonprofits, and other entities championing
environmental justice initiatives in Region 2: New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and eight
federally recognized Indian Nations. This initiative aligns deeply with Executive Orders (EO 14008 and EO 13985)
from the Biden Administration and is funded and supported by the EPA. For questions reach out to:
[email protected].
Eligibility Requirements The entity applying for a project must belong to one of the following categories in order to
be eligible for FIC grant funding:
● Nonprofit organizations (incorporated in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands), state or
federal;
● Community-based and grassroots nonprofit organizations;
● Philanthropic and civic organizations with nonprofit status;
● Tribal governments (both federally recognized and state-recognized) and intertribal consortia (i.e., a partnership
between two or more tribes that work together to achieve a common objective);
● Native American organizations (includes Indian groups, cooperatives, nonprofit corporations, partnerships, and
associations that have the authority to enter into legally binding agreements) spatially located in the EPA’s Region
2 (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands);
● Institutions of higher education (e.g., private and public universities and colleges, including community colleges);
● Local governments (as defined by 2 CFR 200.1 – includes cities, towns, municipalities, and counties, public
housing authorities and councils of government);
● The governments of Puerto Rico and of the US Virgin Islands.
The Flourishing in Community Grantmaker, the Region 2 arm of the EPA’s EJ Thriving Communities
Grantmaker program, calls for project proposals in the amounts of $150,000, $250,000, and $350,000. This
funding will support community-led projects in Region 2 (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, US Virgin
Islands, Eight Federally Recognized Indian Nations) that aim to evaluate climate change and environmental
justice concerns, design community plans in response to these issues, and execute these projects and plans at the
community level to boost the growth and success of historically disadvantaged communities.

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A wide range of projects that support communities to thrive are eligible for funding. Here are some examples potential
projects community organizations and other eligible entities can propose for grant funding; many other projects are also
eligible for funding:
1. Research and Monitoring:
Air quality & asthma
Fence line air quality monitoring
Monitoring of effluent discharges
from industrial facilities
Water quality & sampling
Lead and asbestos contamination
Pesticides and other toxic substances
Research that is incidental to the
project design
Sampling, testing, and monitoring
Investigations
Surveys and studies
2. Emergency Preparedness:
Emergency preparedness and disaster
resiliency
Recovery and prevention measures
Managed retreat initiatives
3. Education and Outreach:
Public education
Environmental justice youth training
Education pipelines and pathways

Public outreach and education
Illegal dumping activities, such as
education, outreach, and small-scale
clean-ups
Training activities for community
organizations and members
4. Infrastructure and
Environmental Improvements:
Small cleanup projects
Improving food access to reduce
vehicle miles traveled
Stormwater issues and green
infrastructure
Healthy homes that are energy/water
use efficient and not subject to indoor
air pollution
Projects and activities to spur
community involvement (e.g.,
cleanups of vacant lots)
5. Planning and Development:
Partnership-building
Coordination with community

stakeholders to address
environmental issues
6. Project Development:
Blueprints for construction or cleanup
projects, schematics, and technical
development
Work to get permits in place directly
related to an environmental project
Implementation of project plans
7. Land and Asset Acquisition:
Smaller land purchases and
acquisitions that require less than half
of the total amount of subgrant
funding for the purpose of carrying
out other eligible grant activities
8. Job Training:
Environmental job training for
occupations that reduce greenhouse
gasses and other air pollutants
Workforce development initiatives,
microcredentials, certification, and
partnerships

Priorities and Results: Your project should respond to the most pressing environmental justice concerns facing your
community, which you are best equipped to take on. These will be different from community to community throughout
Region 2. Here are some of the areas of priority in Region 2 to help you identify your project: 1) Workforce
development and student success to support the green economy; 2) Capacity-building for grassroots CBOs and other
organizations; 3) Public and environmental health, with a particular emphasis on air quality and its short- and long-term
impacts; 4) Intersectional projects that advance transit solutions, affordable and sustainable housing, food security,
racial justice, and financial security; 5) Recovery, coastal resilience and managed retreat; 6) Community access to and
revitalization of green spaces, waterways, and underutilized areas; 7) Clean energy transitions; 8) Biodiversity and
conservation; 9) Sustainable transportation; and 10) Sustainable agriculture, food systems and food security. These are
not the only important areas for environmental work in Region 2 and other areas of focus will also be considered for
funding.
Priority Organizations
Your application will be prioritized for funding if it is made on behalf of an organization that falls within one of the
following categories:
● Communities that appear as disadvantaged in the EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities map. This tool can be
used to determine whether a community is disadvantaged for the purposes of implementing programs under the
IRA.
● Minority serving institutions (Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Tribal Colleges and Universities
(TCUs); Hispanic-Serving Institutions; Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving
Institutions; Predominantly Black Institutions)

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●
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Native American and Tribal Nations
Rural or remote community organizations and agencies
Coastal community organizations and agencies
Women, minority, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ led organizations and agencies
Organizations serving climate-impacted communities, including communities recovering from storms and
natural disasters
● Organizations serving communities with increased health risks due to pollution and environmental stressors
● Organizations that take an intersectional approach to environmental justice (for instance, advancing housing
justice, transit justice, racial justice)
● Organizations that demonstrate high levels of cross sector (public-private-civic) collaboration
● Organizations who have conducted EJ work for a minimum of 5 years in the community and have a proven
track record of accomplishments
● Organizations that are place-based, e.g. they are directly based in the community/island/neighborhood that they
are serving
Preference will be given to projects in which the majority of the funds are going to capacity-limited organizations and
groups. Eligible applicants with annual budgets greater than 5 million dollars are highly encouraged to provide a
partnership letter with a CBO or capacity-constrained organization. Partnership letters should detail specific resource
allocation proposed between the partner organizations or entities.
Grants are available for funding in the following phases:
Phase I = Assessment projects for up to $150,000 for a one-year project period
Phase II = Planning projects for up to $250,000 for a 1-2 year project period, and
Phase III = Project Development projects for up to $350,000 for a two-year project period.
$150,000 awards may be made to organizations that offer a plan for engagement, capacity building, or assessment but
do not provide a fully itemized budget (fixed amount awards). $250,000 and $350,000 awards must provide an
itemized budget as well as a timeline for spending.
Assessment Projects Phase I Assessment Projects are starter funds for local groups or new groups who need support
with environmental or public health problems and must begin by assessing or studying the problem. These funds might
be used to measure air quality, water contamination, or the prevalence of toxic substances in a particular area, or funds
can be used to understand how well a group of people in a community or geographic area understand a particular
environmental issue. Groups receive funding of $150,000 for one year to help understand the most pressing issues
facing their community and to prepare for an action plan. They can use the money for different tasks like research,
sampling, testing, monitoring, surveys, or even educating the public about the problems. The main goal is to support
communities in understanding EJ problems facing them, to prepare to make a plan to address those issues. Grant
recipients at this phase may be paired with faculty research support at participating universities and colleges to support
their assessment activities if it would be useful to the proposed projects. These are examples of possible funded
projects; other projects are also eligible for funding.
Planning Projects Phase II Planning Projects are designed for groups in the community, or other qualified parties, that
have a good understanding of their local environment and public health issues. They should be ready to come up with a
detailed plan to solve these problems. These projects can be run by a single group or by a team of partner organizations
working together. Usually, a Phase II subgrant offers up to $250,000 for a project that lasts 1 to 2 years.This money can
be used for several activities like creating the project plan, building partnerships, educating and reaching out to the
public, coordinating with community stakeholders, and training for community groups and members, including
workforce development programs and education programs. The funds can also support community projects like

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cleaning up empty lots and buying small pieces of land, as long as these purchases don't use up more than half of the
total grant money. These are examples of possible funded projects; other projects are also eligible for funding.
Project Development Projects Phase III Project Development Projects are aimed at community-based nonprofits and
other eligible recipients who have a good understanding of their local environmental and public health problems. These
groups should already have a plan to address these issues and are ready to start the critical work of the project. Building
strong partnerships with people in the community is a crucial part of creating a plan and putting that plan into action.
Typically, a Phase III subgrant provides up to $350,000 for a 2-year project period. There are many activities that might
be funded under these subgrants, such as developing the project, creating construction or cleanup plans, working on
permits needed for an environmental project, buying small lands that cost less than half of the total grant, putting
project plans into action, or launching an education or workforce development program or project. These are examples
of possible funded projects; other projects are also eligible for funding.
Project Proposal Resources Grants are administered by Fordham University, and do not require any matching funds
or reimbursements. When you are getting ready to apply, you can access an information session at least four times each
month, one will be held each month in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. You can join
online, dial in, or come in person. When you are ready to apply, you can come to an application workshop held four
times a month where you can use a computer or tablet provided to you, receive free internet connectivity, and get
questions asked by a trained expert in English or in Spanish. If you are at home working on your application, you can
call our hotline to get your questions answered while you are working. These project proposal guidelines are available
in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, Bengali, Korean, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French, Urdu,
Portuguese, Hindi, and Gujarati. You can submit your application in any of these languages, and it will be translated
into English and Spanish for the reviewers.
Applications Your application will be submitted through an online application portal, which also has an app feature. If
you prefer, you may complete and submit your application via a paper application. Applications are accepted on a
rolling basis over the three-year time period. The FIC Grantmaker accepts proposals on a rolling basis over a three year
time period, with subgrant determinations made quarterly by its Community Leadership Board, which comprises EJ
and community experts from across Region 2.
Disaster and Extreme Weather Parts of Region 2 are disproportionately impacted by extreme weather, including
hurricanes. Proposal evaluations for a particular state, territory, or Nation will be paused in the event of a declaration of
emergency, and will be resumed upon its resolution. Organizations may continue to submit applications during this
time period, but evaluation will be paused in order to avoid placing key regions and organizations at a disadvantage to
receive funding.

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