Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund RLF Grants

Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Grants provide funding for a grant recipient to capitalize a revolving loan fund and to provide loans and subgrants to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites. Through these grants, EPA strengthens the marketplace and encourages stakeholders to leverage resources to clean up and redevelop brownfields. When loans are repaid, the loan amount is returned to the fund and re-lent to other borrowers, providing an ongoing source of capital within a community.

An eligible RLF Grant applicant may apply as an individual entity or as an RLF Coalition comprised of two or more entities. A RLF Grant applicant may apply for up to $1,000,000 to address brownfield sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum), and/or petroleum. The period of performance is up to five years.

To enable current high-performing RLF recipients to continue the program momentum they have built, in 2021 EPA made two changes to our Brownfields RLF Program:

Beginning in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) RLF Grant competition, only those entities that do not have an open Brownfields RLF cooperative agreement will be eligible to apply for funding.
When current high-performing RLF recipients are selected for non-competitive supplemental funding, EPA may choose to award a new grant, rather than extend the period of performance of the current cooperative agreement.

Some key features of RLF Grants include:

RLF programs are designed to operate for many years (possibly decades) and as such, the terms and conditions of cooperative agreements require long-term resource commitments by the RLF Grant recipient. In addition, grant recipients are expected to comply with certain reporting requirements, even after the RLF Grant is closed.
Recipients need to have a strong understanding of real estate financing principles and approaches, including loan underwriting, loan servicing, and credit analysis.
Recipients need to have the ability to market the RLF program on an on-going basis during the performance period of the grant, and after the close out of the RLF Grant.
Recipients commit to properly manage the program income generated by their RLF program in perpetuity, unless they terminate the agreement and return the program income to EPA (see RLF Closeout Resources below).

To learn more about Brownfields RLF grants and ways local leaders use these funds as a catalyst for community success by providing gap financing to spur redevelopment in EPA Region 3, see the following video.

The FY 2025 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant Guidelines application submission deadline was November 14, 2024.

RLF recipients who have an open RLF cooperative agreement and meet other eligibility criteria have an opportunity to request Supplemental Funding. EPA anticipates issuing the FY 2025 Supplemental Funding Instructions in February 2025.

For the latest information on RLF program policy, see the FY23 RLF Policy Memorandum (pdf) (319.66 KB) and RLF Program Frequently Asked Questions.