Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA I R OCFO 01
Promoting Readiness and Enhancing Proficiency to Advance Reporting and Data is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that offers cooperative agreements aimed at strengthening data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity for organizations and communities involved in EPA-funded water programs. The core purpose is to help program beneficiaries improve how they collect, manage, validate, and report information tied to EPA grants, with a particular emphasis on supporting Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water program participation. The opportunity is designed to make reporting and data practices more consistent, reliable, and useful for compliance, performance tracking, and decision-making, especially where local capacity and technical resources are limited.
A major focus of the program is ensuring that small, underserved, and tribal communities are better positioned to apply for, manage, and succeed with federal infrastructure and environmental funding. The EPA specifically highlights communities and entities that are applying for or receiving EPA grant funding, including large recent federal investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In practical terms, the grant is meant to reduce the administrative and technical burden that can keep smaller or under-resourced communities from fully accessing funding or meeting ongoing reporting expectations after awards are made.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means EPA expects a more active partnership role than in a standard grant. While specific activities are not listed in the excerpt provided, the stated goal of improving data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity generally points to efforts such as developing or improving data systems, creating reporting workflows and templates, training staff on reporting requirements, strengthening data quality and governance practices, and building repeatable processes that make it easier to meet federal reporting standards. The emphasis on evidence-building also suggests support for measuring outcomes and producing credible performance information that can demonstrate how investments translate into public benefits, such as improved water quality, safer drinking water, or stronger system resilience.
This opportunity is identified by Funding Opportunity Number EPA I R OCFO 01 and is associated with CFDA number 66.203. The activity categories include Environment and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), reflecting the link between environmental program delivery and the expanded federal infrastructure funding landscape. The maximum award amount listed is $500,000, and EPA anticipated making 8 awards under this announcement, indicating a relatively targeted competition intended to fund a limited set of recipients that can deliver meaningful capacity-building impacts.
The original posting date was September 22, 2023, with an original application deadline of November 30, 2023. Eligibility is broadly described as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced as being available in the full announcement text, meaning prospective applicants would need to consult the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity for the precise list of eligible entity types, any partnership requirements, and other threshold conditions.
Overall, the grant is best understood as a capacity-building investment rather than a direct construction or capital project program. Its intent is to help EPA funding beneficiaries and their partners become more prepared and proficient in the data and reporting work that accompanies federal assistance, so that communities, particularly those that are small, underserved, or tribal, can compete for funding more effectively, implement projects with fewer administrative obstacles, and document results in ways that meet federal expectations and support long-term program improvement.Apply for EPA I R OCFO 01
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment, infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting Readiness and Enhancing Proficiency to Advance Reporting and Data" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.203.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 30, 2023. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Promoting Readiness and Enhancing Proficiency to Advance Reporting and Data" opportunity?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provides cooperative agreements to strengthen data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity for organizations and communities involved in EPA-funded water programs.
What is the main purpose of this EPA funding opportunity?
The purpose is to help program beneficiaries improve how they collect, manage, validate, and report information tied to EPA grants. The overall goal is to make reporting and data practices more consistent, reliable, and useful for compliance, performance tracking, and decision-making.
Which EPA program areas does this opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity places particular emphasis on supporting participation in the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water programs, especially where local capacity and technical resources are limited.
Who is this program intended to support?
It is designed to support organizations and communities that are applying for or receiving EPA grant funding for water programs, with a major focus on ensuring small, underserved, and tribal communities are better positioned to apply for, manage, and succeed with federal infrastructure and environmental funding.
How does this opportunity relate to IIJA (BIL) and IRA funding?
EPA highlights communities and entities applying for or receiving EPA grant funding, including large recent federal investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In practical terms, this opportunity is meant to reduce the administrative and technical burden that can prevent smaller or under-resourced communities from fully accessing such funding or meeting ongoing reporting expectations after awards are made.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This typically means EPA expects a more active partnership role than in a standard grant.
What kinds of activities might be supported under this grant?
Specific activities are not listed in the provided excerpt, but the stated goals point to capacity-building efforts such as developing or improving data systems, creating reporting workflows and templates, training staff on reporting requirements, strengthening data quality and governance practices, and building repeatable processes that make it easier to meet federal reporting standards.
What does "evidence-building" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the description provided, "evidence-building" suggests support for measuring outcomes and producing credible performance information that demonstrates how investments translate into public benefits, such as improved water quality, safer drinking water, or stronger system resilience.
Is this a construction or capital project grant?
No. The opportunity is best understood as a capacity-building investment rather than a direct construction or capital project program. It focuses on strengthening the data and reporting work that accompanies federal assistance.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount listed is $500,000.
How many awards did EPA anticipate making?
EPA anticipated making 8 awards under this announcement, indicating a relatively targeted competition intended to fund a limited number of recipients.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA I R OCFO 01.
What is the associated CFDA number?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 66.203.
What activity category is this funding associated with?
The activity categories include Environment and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), reflecting the connection between environmental program delivery and the expanded federal infrastructure funding landscape.
When was this opportunity originally posted?
The original posting date was September 22, 2023.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was November 30, 2023.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly described as "Others." Additional eligibility details are referenced as being available in the full announcement text, so prospective applicants would need to consult the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity for the precise list of eligible entity types, any partnership requirements, and other threshold conditions.
Why does EPA emphasize support for small, underserved, and tribal communities?
The program is designed to address situations where local capacity and technical resources are limited. By reducing administrative and technical burdens tied to data and reporting, the opportunity aims to help smaller or under-resourced communities compete for funding more effectively, implement projects with fewer administrative obstacles, and meet ongoing reporting expectations after awards are made.
What problem is this grant trying to solve for EPA grant beneficiaries?
It is intended to improve readiness and proficiency for the data and reporting responsibilities that come with federal assistance, including collecting, managing, validating, and reporting grant-related information in ways that support compliance, performance tracking, and decision-making.
What is the intended long-term result of improving reporting and data practices?
The intended result is more consistent, reliable, and useful information that supports federal expectations and long-term program improvement, while also helping communities document credible results and public benefits from funded work.
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