On February 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Request for Applications (RFA) for $550 million through the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM). Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the program will award funds to nonprofit organizations to design and execute their own environmental justice grant programs. EJ TCGM aims to address the obstacles associated with applying for federal grants while also increasing efficiency in the distribution of environmental justice grants. While counties are not directly eligible for funding under the program, awardees can grant local governments subawards. Applications for the EJ TCGM program are due May 31, 2023.

EPA plans to award up to $50 million to approximately eleven entities that will, in turn, serve as ‘Grantmakers.’ These Grantmakers will work with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights to create a competitive environmental justice grant program. This includes establishing an application and submission process, awarding subgrants, creating a tracking and reporting system and providing technical assistance to communities.

Entities eligible to serve as Grantmakers include community-based nonprofits partnerships between a community-based nonprofit and a Tribal government or an institution of higher education. Notably, counties are ineligible to serve as Grantmakers and or receive a grant from a Grantmaker. However, a Grantmaker may provide a subaward to a local government to assist them in executing their new local environmental justice grant program. 

Environmental stewardship is a primary function of county governments to ensure healthy, safe and vibrant communities for residents. Counties have urged the federal government to provide financial assistance to protect all residents from environmental harm.

EPA will host a pre-application assistance webinar on March 16, 2023, at 2:00 PM EST. To register for this event, please click here.