Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
Since its inception in 1994, the Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program has awarded more than $37 million in funding to over 1500 community-based organizations, tribal governments, and Native American organizations working with communities facing environmental justice issues.
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. Environmental Justice Small Grants fund projects up to $100,000, depending on the availability of funds in a given year. All projects are associated with at least one qualified environmental statute.
On this page:
- Is My Organization Eligible?
- Requests for Applications
- Pre-Application Assistance Calls and Webinars
- Resources
- Grant Recipients
- Previous Requests for Applications
Is My Organization Eligible for the Current Opportunity?
If your organization is NOT eligible, we encourage partnering with eligible entities on an EJSG project. See the RFA for more information. For this single funding announcement, eligible entities are limited to the following:
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Federally recognized Tribal Governments
Requests for Applications
The 2022 Tribal EJ Small Grants Opportunity is Closed
The EJSG program awards grants that support community-driven projects designed to engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand local environmental and public health issues and develop strategies for addressing those issues, building consensus in the community, and setting community priorities.
$1.6 million of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds were available to fund EJ Small Grants to federally recognized tribal governments to establish or modify public participation programs where fair treatment and meaningful participation priorities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For this single funding announcement, EPA limited eligible applicants to federally recognized tribal governments only. Applicants could request up to $100,000. Approximately 16 to 20 EJ Small Grants will be awarded to federally recognized tribal governments nationwide. To be eligible for ARP funding, public participation programs must specifically address activities authorized by section 103(b) of the Clean Air Act (CAA; 42 U.S.C. 7403(b)) and/or section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA; 42 U.S.C. 300j–1). This opportunity closed May 20, 2022.
2022 EJSG Tribal ARP Request for Applications (pdf)
View Request for Applications on Grants. Gov
EPA is committed to assisting federally recognized tribes in building capacity to establish public participation, community involvement, education, and communication systems to engage tribal members and others living on tribal lands, as noted in the EPA Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes and Indigenous Peoples.
For more information, please email Sarah Frederick at (frederick.sarah@epa.gov)
Pre-Application Assistance Calls & Webinars
Applicants are invited to participate in conference calls and webinars with EPA to address questions about the EJSG Program and this solicitation.
| Date | Time | How to Join |
|---|---|---|
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April 7, 2022 (EJSG Live Call) |
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (ET) |
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April 14, 2022 (EJSG Live Call) |
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (ET) |
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May 3, 2022 (EJSCREEN Live Demo) |
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (ET) |
Resources
Description of example programs funded under the Small Grants Program.
Answers to FAQs on eligibility, types of projects, funding priorities, and application requirements.
Program overview, eligibility, and example project.
Grant Recipients
- 2021 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2020 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2019 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2017 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2015 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2013 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2012 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2011 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2010 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2008-9 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2006-7 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2005 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2004 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2003 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2002 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2001 Grant Recipients (pdf)
- 2000 Grant Recipients (pdf)
Previous Requests for Applications
- FY2021 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (pdf)
- FY2021 Request for Proposals with Amendment - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (En Español) (pdf)
- FY2019 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (pdf)
- FY2019 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (En Español) (pdf)
- FY2017 Request For Proposals Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (pdf)
- FY2017 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (En Español) (pdf)
- FY2015 Request for Proposals - Environmental Justice Small Grant Program (pdf)