$2M Available for Environmental Community Grants
Assistance is available for community-based parnterships to develop local environmental priorities; the deadline for application is March 22.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making approximately $2 million available in 2011 to reduce pollution at the local level through the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program.
CARE is a community-based program that works with county and local governments, tribes, non-profit organizations, and universities to help the public understand and reduce toxic risks from numerous sources.
EPA will award CARE cooperative agreements in two levels. Level I awards range from $75,000 to $100,000 each and will help establish community-based partnerships to develop local environmental priorities. Level II awards range from $150,000 to $300,000 each and will support communities that have established broad-based partnerships, have identified the priority toxic risks in the community, and are prepared to measure results, implement risk-reduction activities, and become self-sustaining. (Due to appropriation law concerns, until Congress provides separate authorization, EPA can only award CARE Level II cooperative agreements to applicants that have already received CARE Level I cooperative agreements).
Applications are due by 4 p.m. EST on March 22. EPA will conduct three webcasts to answer questions from prospective applicants about the application process from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 8 and 23 and March 2.
For more information about the CARE assistance agreements and the webcasts, visit www.epa.gov/care/.
For the 2011 CARE request for proposals, visit www.grants.gov.
In 2010, EPA’s CARE program distributed $2 million throughout 14 communities. Among the grant recipients, projects included tackling drinking water and stormwater pollution.