Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OSWER OBLR 15 04
The FY16 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity that supports early-stage work needed to move contaminated or potentially contaminated properties back into productive use. It is grounded in the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (commonly called the Brownfields Law, P.L. 107-118), which directs EPA to publish guidance so applicants can prepare strong proposals for brownfields funding. The overall purpose of EPA's Brownfields Program is to help states, local communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations prevent, identify, assess, and ultimately support cleanup and reuse of brownfield sites, which are properties where redevelopment may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination.
This specific announcement is only for Brownfields Assessment Grants. Assessment funding is meant to help recipients build a clearer picture of environmental conditions at targeted sites and to do the practical planning that typically needs to happen before any cleanup can be designed or financed. In plain terms, the grant can support activities like taking inventory of potential brownfield sites, conducting site characterization and environmental assessments, developing cleanup plans, and carrying out community engagement tied to assessment and planning. The key distinction is that these funds focus on figuring out what is there, what risks may exist, and what steps would be needed next, rather than paying for the actual cleanup construction or remediation work.
EPA notes that its brownfields funding is generally offered in three main categories: Assessment Grants, Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants, and Cleanup Grants. However, under this FY16 set of guidelines, EPA is only soliciting proposals for Assessment Grants. Applicants seeking money to perform cleanup at a specific site, or to capitalize a revolving loan fund that can issue loans or subgrants for cleanups, are directed to separate announcements. For Cleanup Grants, applicants are referred to EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-06, and for Revolving Loan Fund Grants, EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-05. Those opportunities are posted on Grants.gov and on EPA's brownfields application webpages, and EPA points applicants to the eligibility section in the announcements for the detailed rules on who can apply and under what conditions.
Administratively, this is a discretionary federal grant offered by EPA as a cooperative agreement, which generally means EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 66.818 (Brownfields Program). The opportunity number is EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-04, and the agency is the Environmental Protection Agency. The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," and the narrative description emphasizes that the program is intended to empower public and community-focused entities such as states, communities, tribes, and nonprofits, with the detailed eligibility requirements referenced in the full announcement. The closing date for applications was December 18, 2015. EPA anticipated making around 151 awards, and the maximum award amount (award ceiling) shown in the source data is $600,000.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as planning and assessment support designed to remove uncertainty and lower barriers to redevelopment. It funds the work that helps communities identify brownfield priorities, understand environmental conditions through assessment, involve residents and stakeholders in decision-making, and position sites for cleanup and reuse through solid, defensible planning.Apply for EPA OSWER OBLR 15 04
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY16 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.818.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2015-10-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2015-12-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 151 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: FY16 EPA Brownfields Assessment Grants (EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-04)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) FY16 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment Grants. It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement under the EPA Brownfields Program (CFDA 66.818).
2) What is the main purpose of the Brownfields Assessment Grant?
The purpose is to fund early-stage work that helps move contaminated or potentially contaminated properties (brownfields) back into productive use by reducing uncertainty about environmental conditions and supporting practical planning before cleanup and reuse.
3) What is a brownfield site in the context of this program?
Brownfield sites are properties where redevelopment may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. The program is designed to help communities prevent, identify, assess, and support cleanup and reuse of these sites.
4) Is this announcement for assessment only, or does it include cleanup funding too?
This announcement is only for Brownfields Assessment Grants. It supports figuring out what is present at a site, what risks may exist, and what steps would be needed next. It does not pay for actual cleanup construction or remediation work.
5) What kinds of activities can assessment funding support?
Based on the description provided, assessment funding can support activities such as:
- Taking inventory of potential brownfield sites
- Conducting site characterization and environmental assessments
- Developing cleanup plans (planning work tied to assessment results)
- Carrying out community engagement related to assessment and planning
6) What is the key distinction between assessment work and cleanup work under EPA brownfields funding?
Assessment funds focus on evaluating conditions and planning (understanding contamination, risks, and next steps). Cleanup funding is intended for performing the cleanup itself and is handled under separate announcements.
7) What other brownfields grant types does EPA typically offer?
EPA generally offers brownfields funding in three main categories:
- Assessment Grants
- Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants
- Cleanup Grants
Under these FY16 guidelines, EPA is only soliciting proposals for Assessment Grants.
8) Where should applicants look if they want funding for cleanup instead?
Applicants seeking money to perform cleanup at a specific site are directed to the separate Cleanup Grants announcement identified as EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-06 (posted on Grants.gov and EPA brownfields application webpages).
9) Where should applicants look if they want Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) funding?
Applicants seeking to capitalize a revolving loan fund that can issue loans or subgrants for cleanups are directed to the separate RLF Grants announcement identified as EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-05 (posted on Grants.gov and EPA brownfields application webpages).
10) What is the opportunity number for this Assessment Grants announcement?
The opportunity number is EPA-OSWER-OBLR-15-04.
11) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The funding opportunity is offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
12) What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 66.818 (Brownfields Program).
13) What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
It means the grant is administered as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant.
14) Who is this program intended to help?
The program is described as intended to empower public and community-focused entities, including states, local communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations, to support assessment and planning that enables cleanup and reuse.
15) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," and the narrative description highlights states, communities, tribes, and nonprofit organizations as intended recipients. The detailed eligibility requirements are referenced as being in the full announcement.
16) Where are the detailed eligibility rules located?
The description points applicants to the eligibility section in the relevant announcement(s) for detailed rules on who can apply and under what conditions.
17) What law is this grant opportunity grounded in?
It is grounded in the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act (the Brownfields Law, P.L. 107-118), which directs EPA to publish guidance to help applicants prepare proposals for brownfields funding.
18) What problem is this funding designed to solve?
This funding is designed to remove uncertainty and lower barriers to redevelopment by helping communities identify brownfield priorities, understand environmental conditions through assessment, involve residents and stakeholders, and position sites for cleanup and reuse with defensible planning.
19) What was the application deadline for this opportunity?
The closing date for applications was December 18, 2015.
20) How many awards did EPA anticipate making?
EPA anticipated making around 151 awards.
21) What is the maximum award amount listed for this opportunity?
The maximum award amount (award ceiling) shown is $600,000.
22) Where were these opportunities posted?
The description indicates that the brownfields funding opportunities are posted on Grants.gov and on EPA's brownfields application webpages.
23) Does this opportunity fund community engagement?
Yes. The description specifically includes community engagement tied to assessment and planning as an example of supported activities.
24) Does this opportunity fund the development of cleanup plans?
Yes. The description lists developing cleanup plans as an example of an assessment-related planning activity that can be supported.
25) What stage of a brownfield project is this grant meant to support?
This grant supports the early stage, when communities and project leaders are still building a clear picture of environmental conditions and doing the planning work that typically must occur before cleanup can be designed or financed.
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