Promoting Readiness and Enhancing Proficiency to Advance Reporting and Data (PREPARED) Cooperative Agreement
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EPA is seeking proposals for expert evaluators to support the data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity of EPA grant funding recipients. Interested applicants are encouraged to view the Request for Application notice on www.grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Announcement EPA-I-R-OCFO-02. Applications are due on 7/29/2024, at 11:59 PM (EST).
Overview of PREPARED
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EPA has launched PREPARED to provide technical assistance to EPA grant recipients representing small, underserved, and/or tribal communities to enhance their capacity to meet data and reporting requirements and improve their ability to generate the information necessary to evaluate and improve grant outcomes. EPA intends to award up to $4 million over 3 years to as many as 8 recipients. A brief overview of the grants awarded in round one is detailed under “Active Projects”. These grantees represent approximately $1.5 million dollars of the available funding.
Data, reporting, and evidence-building are vitally important responsibilities for EPA grant programs. However, many EPA grant recipients face capacity challenges in engaging in these activities. Many small, underserved, and/or tribal communities that are eligible for EPA grants sometimes choose to pass on funding opportunities as a result. With this Cooperative Agreement, EPA seeks to fund technical assistance providers with program evaluation expertise to equip communities with strategies, tools, and training that enhance their capacity for data, reporting, and evidence-building.
Active Projects
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass) is a public institution of higher education located at the southeastern corner of Massachusetts and part of the University of Massachusetts five-system campus.
The UMass project will build community capacity on evidence-based approaches to advance data dissemination, reporting, and integration of lived community experiences for EPA and State Revolving Fund (Clean and Drinking Water Programs) applicants and grantees. The program will provide an innovative approach to integrate qualitative data and lived experiences of communities through participatory storytelling together with their partner organization, The Dream Network. The Dream Network is a Lawrence, MA community-based organization with a mission to promote community healing and transformation.
Program activities will focus on developing capacity-building resources to increase community preparedness to apply for grants, manage/collect/analyze data, and report results to the EPA/state agency. UMass will develop a data collection methodology based on quantitative and qualitative indicators together with an online, accessible database. Additionally, UMass will create and evaluate a pilot online platform for automated reporting for improving efficiency on data reporting, helping streamline reporting for EPA grantees.
UMass’ program activities will become available to program beneficiaries through technical assistance, program outreach, and community engagement. The project will include a robust program evaluation to serve as model for program beneficiaries conducting performance measurement and evaluation plans for continuous learning and improvement. The anticipated program outcomes include:
- Increased capacity of participants to apply for and manage EPA grants and SRF programs
- Improved data collection and reporting compliance for EPA grantees
- Sustainable environmental planning and engagement for communities
- Reduced disproportionate environmental burdens in underserved communities
Palmetto Futures
Palmetto Futures is a nonprofit organization based in Cary, North Carolina, committed to advancing environmental equity and justice. Palmetto Futures advances forward-thinking strategies to address communities’ disparities and remove barriers to information, resources, and funding.
The Palmetto Futures project will provide comprehensive capacity-building support to community-based organizations in the Gullah Geechee corridor. Palmetto Futures’ initiative will focus on bolstering local organizations' capabilities to manage federal projects by improving data proficiency and project reporting. Additionally, this project will conduct community engagement with organizations in the Gullah Geechee Corridor in coordination with their partner organization, the Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation. The Gullah Geechee Chamber Foundation is a nonprofit based in the Gullah Geechee Corridor with a mission focused on raising awareness and sustainability for African American businesses and other entities that impact the Gullah Geechee community.
Program activities will focus on equipping community-based organizations (CBO) with the skills needed to successfully apply for EPA funding, design impactful projects, effectively manage performance and budgets, and carry out rigorous project evaluations. Palmetto Futures’ project will offer expert-led workshops (both in person and virtually), technical assistance, and collaboration with other technical assistance providers like the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs). The anticipated program outcomes include:
- Economic benefits in Justice40 tracts
- Increased community engagement with state/federal environmental agencies and CBOs
- Improved reporting and data dissemination by program beneficiaries
- Increased applications to EPA funding opportunities from community-based organizations in the Gullah Geechee Corridor
"This funding marks a significant milestone in our mission to empower underserved communities," said Kibri Everett, Executive Director of Palmetto Futures. "With the EPA’s support, we can implement robust programs that not only address immediate environmental challenges but also build long-term sustainability".
New Growth Innovation Network
New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) is a non-profit advancing inclusive economies in US cities and regions, ensuring that historically economically excluded communities lead, shape, and benefit from economic growth. NGIN’s mission is to ensure that economic opportunity is not limited by income, race, gender, or geography.
The NGIN project will build individual, organizational, and collective capacity for would-be recipients of EPA funds in small, underserved, and/or Tribal Communities on data, reporting, and evidence-building so that they are equipped to apply for future or current EPA grant opportunities.
NGIN’s program activities include (1) Engagement and Listening, to deepen the understanding of barriers faced by the communities (2) Outreach and Capacity Building, to develop and deliver a targeted virtual training for 30 sites and support implementation of data equity plans in six small, underserved and/or Tribal communities (3) Playbook Creation and National Knowledge Sharing, to launch a playbook distilling insights from the training and program, and share tools nationally for public benefit. The anticipated program outcomes include:
- Increased data fluency for underserved communities
- Increased ability for environmentally overburdened communities to access EPA funding
- Increased compliance with EPA reporting requirements
Roundtable Discussion
On August 29, 2023, EPA hosted an online roundtable conversation that featured speakers from four organizations that serve small, rural, and/or underserved communities that receive EPA funding (a fifth speaker contributed comments in advance). Speakers and attendees were invited to share feedback and ideas on ways that funding reporting requirements can both help and hinder their activities.
All are strongly encouraged to review the PREPARED Community Roundtable Summary (pdf) .
Recorded Webinar and Office Hours for Potential Applicants
EPA’s Evidence and Evaluation Team in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer recorded and posted a webinar to provide information to potential applicants under this competitive funding opportunity. The webinar reviews the funding opportunity, key sections of the application, and the application process. Potential applicants seeking funding under this competitive announcement are encouraged to view the recording and the FAQs below.
Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to review on Title 1 of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-435) 44 USC § 3520A, EPA's Evaluation and Evidence-Building Policy, as well as federal guidance on program evaluation issued by the Office of Management and Budget at Evaluation.gov, since we did not use these informational sessions to review this background information.
Starting in the first week of July, the EPA’s Evidence and Evaluation Team will host weekly “Office Hours” where interested applicants can ask questions on project/organization eligibility and clarify aspects of the NOFO. The office hours day of the week and times vary to allow for maximum participation across time zones and schedules. All interested applicants can ask questions at any time by sending an email to evidenceandevaluation@epa.gov.
Office hours dates and times:
- Tuesday, July 2 @ 4-5pm ET
- Monday, July 8 @ 6-7pm ET
- Thursday, July 18 @ Noon-1pm ET
- Wednesday, July 24 @ 2-3pm AND 5-6pm ET
Please attend the office hours on Zoom at the time of the meetings (times located above). No registration is required.
FAQs
FAQs will be updated periodically to address relevant questions submitted to EPA via email and/or answered during our webinars.
Q: The PREPARED cooperative agreement and the TCTAC (Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers) are both providing technical assistance, what’s the difference between the two?
A: The PREPARED program and EPA’s EJ TCTAC (Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers) are both providing technical assistance. However, the PREPARED effort is a very targeted approach in that it will support up to 8 organizations with expertise to specifically assist communities with evidence building activities while the EJ TCTACs are providing fundamental technical assistance to support participants interested in accessing federal funding by creating a federal portal, identifying a grant vehicle, putting together a competitive application, managing a grant, creating partnerships among a list of their top priorities.
PREPARED recipients will deliver technical assistance that directly relates to the delivery of training or development of tools for evidence building and program evaluation activities such as planning, priority setting, data collection/management, measurement, primary and secondary data analysis, and dissemination of findings. PREPARED has a narrow focus on skills development and maintenance, and we anticipate that as a result of these efforts, community beneficiaries will not only be able to use data more efficiently for their own story telling, but also well equipped to respond to federal grant reporting and evaluation requirements.
While the PREPARED program is focused on evidence building, data collection, and related skills development, the TCTAC program is focused on the provision of training to build overall capacity for navigating federal grant application systems, developing strong grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding. These two types of programmatic technical assistance are very different with their intentions. The PREPARED program is a steppingstone and it is anticipated that the skills developed through this program will better situate community beneficiaries to work with more specialized forms of technical assistance that could be identified through a TCTAC provider.
As indicated in the PREPARED Notice of Funding Opportunity, EPA will work with PREPARED recipients to ensure that their projects complement but do not duplicate the efforts of TCTAC recipients.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for funding under PREPARED?
A: Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity have been limited to the following:
- Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
- Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals)
An international organization that meets the definition of a Nonprofit organization in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.1 may apply for funding. Of note, for this Cooperative Agreement, an organization can only provide technical assistance to communities located within the borders of the United States (including the territories, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico).
Q: What are indirect costs and how does our organization determine what our indirect cost rate is?
A: Indirect Costs are those that are not specifically related to implementing the EPA award and are not readily identified with a specific project or organizational activity but incurred for the joint benefit of both projects and other activities. Overhead costs are a typical example of an indirect cost. Indirect costs are usually grouped into common pools and charged to benefiting objectives through an allocation process/indirect cost rate; 2 CFR § 200.414 and other provisions of the Uniform Guidance. Please refer to the EPA's published policies and guidances for indirect costs, located on the RAIN-2018-G02-R page. Additionally, please refer to the module “How to Develop a Budget: Module 4: Indirect Costs (docx) (40.2 KB) ” for examples on how to determine an indirect cost rate and (if applicable) a modified total direct cost.
Q: Does a recipient have to charge the entire amount of indirect costs allowed by its indirect cost rate?
A: A recipient may choose to claim less than the amount of indirect costs allowed by its indirect cost rate. Amounts not claimed under one award may not be shifted to another award, unless specifically authorized by legislation or regulation.
Q: Can a recipient use the 15% de minimus rate instead of their current federally approved rate?
A: No, a recipient can only use the de minimus rate if they do not have a current approved indirect cost rate.
Q: Per the "Application for Federal Assistance" (SF-424), what is the “Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number” and the “CFDA Title”?
A: The “Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number” (now known as an “Assistance Listing”, or “AL”) for this opportunity is 66.203, and the CFDA Title is “Environmental Finance Center Grants”. This information is found on the first page of the announcement posted on grants.gov.
Q: Question 19 on the required SF-424 asks "Is Application Subject to Review By State Under Executive Order 12372 Process?". How do we answer this question?
A: The PREPARED Cooperative Agreement is NOT covered by Executive Order 12372. All applicants should select box c. "Program is not covered by E.O. 12372 " for question 19.
Q: On page 28, requirement #5 is called "Information on Endowment Size and/or Yearly Organizational Budget". As part of this requirement, "Applicants should attach documentation (no more than 2 pages) providing details related to the size of the organization’s total endowments (if any) and/or the total yearly budget for the organization. The information submitted should provide endowment and organizational budget information for the three most recent full fiscal years for the applying entity." What if an otherwise eligible nonprofit organization does not have this documentation (e.g., a recently founded nonprofit)?
A: Submitting financial information for the past three years is not an eligibility criteria listed in Section III “Eligibility Information”. Therefore, as long as an organization meets all the criteria in Section III, that organization is eligible to apply to this Request for Applications. If an organization does decide to submit an application, whatever relevant fiscal documentation the organization may have should be submitted, with an add on information describing why the organization does not have 3 years of financial information/documentation.
Q: How do I know if my grant application was received by the deadline?
A: If submitted successfully, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive a Submission Receipt email confirming the application package was initially received. You can track the status of your application package anytime by using the link provided at the bottom of the email.
Next, www.grants.gov will process the application package to ensure it is error-free. If the application package passes this step, the AOR will receive a Submission Validation Receipt for Application email. Alternatively, if the application package has an error, the AOR will receive an email indicating the application package was “rejected with errors” and what the error is. This gives you the opportunity to resolve the error and for the AOR to re-submit the application package before the submission deadline.
If you did not receive a confirmation email, need assistance with submitting your application package, or have questions, contact the www.grants.gov Help Desk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The Support Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on federal holidays.
Q: Can someone other than the Authorized Organization Representative submit the application package in www.grants.gov?
A: No. The Authorized Organization Representative, designated by the E-Business Point of Contact, must have an account in www.grants.gov, sign, and submit the application package.
Q: Why is the E-Business Point of Contact important to the application submission process?
A: The E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) is the individual in your organization who oversees all activities within www.grants.gov and grants permissions to Authorized Organization Representatives (AOR).
If your organization is already registered in www.sam.gov, take note of who is listed as the EBiz POC. If you are not registered yet, it is the EBiz POC within your organization who must register your organization with www.sam.gov.
The EBiz POC is issued a Marketing Personal Identification Number (MPIN) by www.sam.gov, which gives the EBiz POC the authority to designate a person(s) in your organization that can submit applications through www.grants.gov (i.e., the Authorized Organization Representative).
The EBiz POC is also responsible for approving role requests in www.grants.gov. Upon creating an account in www.grants.gov, the AOR role request is automatically sent to your organization's EBiz POC for approval.
Note: There can only be one EBiz POC per UEI number.
Q: Can I talk to someone at EPA about my idea for a grant?
A: No. EPA staff are not permitted to discuss potential grant ideas with potential applicants. The point of contact for the PREPARED program may only answer questions regarding eligibility criteria and other requests for clarification of the announcement.
Q: Whom can I contact if have questions about the PREPARED funding opportunity announcement?
A: Applicants may send any questions regarding eligibility criteria and other requests for clarification of the announcement to EvidenceandEvaluation@epa.gov. Additionally, applicants can continue checking the list of FAQs as it is updated during the open period of a solicitation. Finally, starting in July, the EPA’s Evidence and Evaluation Team will host weekly office hours to answer questions regarding eligibility criteria and clarify aspects of the NOFO.
Q: Are there additional resources/training to help my organization understand the grants process and requirements?
A: While not all inclusive, we can point to the following resources:
- The EPA Grants Competition Process Webinar
- EPA Grants Management Training for Applicants and Recipients
- Developing a Budget
- Other webinars
Contact
Submit all questions/inquiries to the Evidence and Evaluation Team.