Federal Environment Grants

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) SUMMARY INFORMATION Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Wetland Mitigation Banking Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-WMBP-24-NOFO0001315 Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.933 Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) which can be found at: https://sam.gov/content/home. SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes. Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) delivers conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world. NRCS provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. NRCS is committed to advancing equity, justice, and equal opportunity to ensure equitable access to programs and services available on private agricultural and forest lands. NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $7 million in WMBP grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the wetland conservation compliance provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from: federally recognized Native American tribal governments; state and local units of government; for-profit entities; nonprofits with or without a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. Applications will be accepted from eligible entities in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation compliance requests. Based on NRCS data, these states are: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Ohio. For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov. Key Dates Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on August 2, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. A webinar for potential WMBP applicants is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. (EST) on June 12, 2024. You can participate in the webinar through the following options: Microsoft Teams: WMBP Webinar Link Meeting ID: 235 488 356 751 Passcode: tykaMc Call-In: +1 (202) 650-0123 PIN: 820 732 935# The agency anticipates making selections by November 2024, and expects to execute awards by February 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $100,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $1 million. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period. Federal Financial Assistance Training The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

This grant provides training and technical assistance to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities to help them improve their wastewater treatment systems and ensure access to clean water for their communities.

This grant invites private sector companies and organizations to collaborate with USAID on projects that address economic growth, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability, leveraging their resources and expertise to achieve shared development goals.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations dedicated to educating the public about the historical significance of Japanese American confinement during World War II through various educational projects and programs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to eligible local and state governments, tribes, and nonprofit organizations for cleaning up contaminated properties they own, helping to revitalize communities affected by pollution and disinvestment.

Eielson AFB Central Heat and Power Plant Cooling Pond Vegetation Removal in Support of Bird Air Strike Hazard Reduction The primary objectives of this project are to assist Eielson Air Force Base (EAFB) Natural Resources with optimal management of EAFB-managed lands, to minimize restrictions to the military mission due to natural resource related constraints, and to reduce the attraction of migratory birds to the EAFB Central Heat and Power Plant (CHPP) cooling pond. See full Funding Opportunity Description in Section I.

This funding opportunity supports projects that promote inclusive economic growth and human development in Equatorial Guinea, encouraging collaboration between local and U.S. organizations, individuals, and educational institutions.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for large-scale marine debris removal projects that enhance the resilience of coastal and marine environments, benefiting local communities and economies.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state agencies responsible for managing floodplain regulations and improving flood risk resilience across the United States and its territories.

This funding opportunity supports researchers in analyzing existing data from a major study on adolescent brain development and health to uncover new insights and address health disparities among youth.

This grant invites innovative designers to create affordable ventilation solutions that prevent mosquito entry in low-income homes in Kenya, enhancing indoor comfort and reducing malaria risk.

The principle objective of the Traditional Conservation Grant Program is to support the development and implementation of States programs to conserve and recover threatened and endangered species under the Services jurisdiction. Financial assistance, provided in the form of grants, can be used to support projects that have direct benefits for federally listed species, candidate and at-risk species, and recently delisted species. States may apply for funding to conduct conservation work on federally-listed resident species that are included in the States cooperative agreement. States may also apply for funding to monitor candidate, at-risk, and recently delisted species. Projects proposed for funding may involve management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities or any combination thereof. Applications should include clear and specific information about how the proposed work would contribute to species recovery or prevent the need to list a species under the Endangered Species Act. Successful applications will be those that clearly demonstrate a direct benefit to the species or its habitat.

This grant provides funding to various organizations, including government agencies and nonprofits, to help farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin adopt better nutrient management practices that reduce harmful agricultural runoff and improve water quality.

Training programs funded by the Brownfields Job Training Grant provide program graduates with the opportunity to seek and obtain environmental jobs that contractors may otherwise fill from outside the affected community. EPA intends to use this grant opportunity to support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union and the incorporation of strong labor standards and workforce programs. Brownfields Job Training Grants help residents take advantage of jobs across a spectrum of brownfield related activities, including the assessment, cleanup, remediation, and planning/site preparation for the revitalization of brownfields. This can involve the assessment and cleanup of solid and hazardous waste; chemical risk management; stormwater management relating to site cleanup; planning and site preparation for low impact development activities; planning and site preparation for green infrastructure installation and maintenance; and vulnerability assessment and contamination mitigation planning. Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they partner with and secure hiring commitments from local contractors and other stakeholders in communities where EPA-funded projects are located.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for organizations to coordinate and manage meetings that promote environmental cooperation and sustainable practices among countries involved in free trade agreements with the U.S.

This funding opportunity supports non-profit organizations and educational institutions in engaging young people and veterans in conservation projects across national parks, promoting job skills and environmental stewardship.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)s Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil and Plant Science Division (NRCS SPSD), is announcing the potential availability of funding for agreements for the purposes of supporting cooperative research in soil science and soil survey. The purpose of the 2024 Soil Survey Cooperative Research Proposals is to promote research that informs and improves soil survey. Each proposal must include significant collaboration with soil survey personnel (such as those at the National Soil Survey Center, MLRA Soil Survey or Regional offices). The proposals deliverables and their connection to soil survey must be clearly explained. Extra consideration will be given to proposals that include Dynamic Soil Survey research support, with close collaboration with National Soil Survey Center Research Soil Scientists. The work should have national or broad regional application to fill gaps in soil survey databases, provide new approaches to collecting or interpreting soil survey data, and/or address emerging issues in the national research priority areas.The FY24 research priorities were developed through meetings of the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Research Priorities Committee and in conjunction with NRCS and SPSD priorities. We expect to fund approximately up to $3,000,000 of cooperative research depending on funding availability. Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network CESU National Network. Proposals are requested for competitive consideration of awards for projects 2-3 years in duration. The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $50,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $500,000.Proposal topics should address emerging issues within at least one of three nationally relevant areas of soil survey research:Dynamic Soil Properties (DSPs) and Soil Change Investigation of DSPs not currently accounted for in evaluations of soil change at decadal time scales. Assessments of DSPs for forest soils. Creation of digital soil mapping models for predicting DPSs through space and time.Methods of Soil Hydrology Development of new field and laboratory methods that could be added to soil survey. Expansion of existing methods for characterizing soil hydraulic properties (e.g., water retention, hydraulic conductivity), including those that can be gathered from existing soil survey data. Enhancing communication of hydrologic toolsets and data to product users, especially non-soil scientists.Expansion of Datasets Leveraging existing NRCS and non-NRCS datasets to expand the reach of soil survey (e.g., deeper depths, spatial gaps). Developing an online mapping tool or repository of soil survey projects, which could include major outcomes and generated datasets. Enhancing the compatibility of non-NRCS datasets (e.g., National Ecological Observatory Network, Molecular Observation Network, U.S. Geological Surveys National Geothermal Data System) with soil survey data.All proposals must include a data management plan and all data and deliverables must be made publicly available per USDA regulations - https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dr- 1020-006.pdf.More information on NCSS regions including maps and contacts is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/natural-resource-concerns/soil/contacts.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on July 8, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.The agency anticipates making selections by July 22, 2024, and expects to execute awards by September 30, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling AmountsThe estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $50,000, and the estimated funding ceiling is $500,000. The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period.Federal Financial Assistance TrainingThe funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/. It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

This grant encourages the development of innovative remote-operated technologies and autonomous vehicles to improve wildfire response on military lands, offering monetary prizes to participants from various sectors, including industry and academia.

The State of Hawai`i has established aggressive renewable energy goals, including potential offshore wind development, to reduce fossil fuel dependence. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) oversees the development of offshore renewable energy on the nations outer continental shelf (OCS) and is mandated to preserve historic and cultural resources that may be impacted by its approved actions. BOEM is required under multiple statutes (as referenced in the below Background section) to take into consideration the impacts of OCS activities on cultural resources and Traditional Cultural Places.The purpose of this study is to provide critical information to BOEM in support of its offshore historic preservation responsibilities. The project will have three primary components: 1) compile data from archival and secondary sources of known, reported, and potential traditional cultural landscapes and cultural resources near the islands of O`ahu and Moloka`i, specifically focusing on the Ka`iwi Channel; 2) compile and summarize appropriate ethnographic information from Native Hawaiian communities regarding types of traditional use areas and traditional cultural places that could be impacted by offshore development; and 3) refine or develop guidance documents that identify Best Practices and protocols for engaging with Native Hawaiian communities, respecting traditional Indigenous Knowledge and including appropriate selected elements of traditional knowledge within the NHPA and NEPA review processes.This information will support recent Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge and other Federal efforts related to Indigenous Knowledge; is necessary under Section 106 of the NHPA, which requires that federal agencies must apply the National Register Criteria to places that may be affected by a federal undertaking; and will also be used to support reviews under NEPA and other federal laws.See related documents for questions and responses submitted after publishing.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative research between U.S. and Danish organizations to develop innovative mooring and anchoring technologies for floating offshore wind energy, with a focus on reducing costs and improving performance while engaging minority-serving institutions and considering environmental impacts.