EPA Publishes Exchange Network Grant Solicitation Notice – With New Applicant Guidance Tools
The FY 2020 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice is now available at https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/fy-2020-exchange-network-grant-solicitation-notice. Applications are due to EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Information on stakeholder webinars will be provided shortly.
The primary outcome expected from Exchange Network (EN) assistance agreements is improved access to, and exchange of, high-quality environmental data from public and private sector sources. With this outcome in mind, an application’s project goals and outputs should align with and support one or more EN program priorities. Applicants are also highly encouraged to review the new FY20 Solicitation Notice in full, as updates have been made throughout the document. Applicants should also note that optional templates for the cover letter, project narrative, and budget narrative have been provided in the appendices.
In FY 2020, EPA expects to award over $8 million for 20-30 assistance agreements for EN projects. Most awards will be in the $50,000 to $300,000 range. Awards for an individual assistance agreements cannot exceed $200,000. EPA may make a limited number of awards to qualifying collaborative, partnership assistance agreements, with project budgets of $400,000 or less. The exact number of assistance agreements will depend on the final amount of EPA’s appropriation for the EN grant program, the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the budget amounts requested, and the outcome of application reviews.
EPA only accepts project proposals for EN assistance agreements submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions in or around August 2020, and tentatively plans to issue awards by September 30, 2020.
For more information, please contact Erika Beasley, EN Grants Program Manager at beasley.erika@epa.gov.
