Tribal Wetland Program Development Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Description

The goals of the EPA’s wetland program include increasing the quantity and quality of wetlands in the U.S. by conserving and restoring wetland acreage and improving wetland condition. In pursuing these goals, the EPA seeks to develop the capacity of all levels of government to develop and/or refine effective, comprehensive programs for wetland protection and management. In addition to developing and/or refining wetland protection and management programs, the EPA seeks to build wetland programs that incorporate climate change and environmental justice considerations as described in Section I.C.2.a: Climate Change and Section 1.C.2.b: Justice40 (J40) of the announcement on the program’s National Priorities.

Wetlands are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. For this grant program, the term wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas as described in Cowardin et al. 1979.

WPDGs provide Tribes and Intertribal Consortia an opportunity to develop and/or refine comprehensive Tribal wetland programs. This funding opportunity is meant to:

• Develop the capacity of Tribes to increase the quantity and quality of wetlands in the U.S. by conserving and restoring wetland acreage and improving wetland condition.
• Use one or more of the "Core Elements” from the Tribal, State, Territory Wetlands Program Core Element Framework to achieve this goal.

Under this announcement, the EPA will have two separate applicant tracks for eligible applicants:

• Tribes can apply under Track One: WPP or Track Two: Non-WPP.
• Intertribal consortia can only apply under Track Two: Non-WPP.

Further descriptions of each track can be found in Section I.C. Track Concept and Priority Areas of the funding opportunity.

Applicants may submit more than one application under the applicable track. Each application must be separately submitted and be for a different project. Applications  will be evaluated separately. In addition, Tribal applicants may submit separate applications under both tracks. Each application must be submitted under either Track One: WPP or Track Two: Non-WPP. Applicants cannot submit one application covering both tracks. If an applicant indicates that an application covers both tracks the application will be rejected. If an applicant submits an application under the wrong track, the EPA will determine the most appropriate track in which to evaluate the application.

This NOFO, following EPA policy, is soliciting applications and not proposals. Please check Section IV of the announcement for all forms that will now be required at time of application submission. Applications are due October 1, 2024, by 11:59 PM ET.

AMOUNT OF FUNDING

The EPA anticipates approximately $3,800,000 in federal funding to be available for assistance agreements under this announcement depending on funding availability and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates awarding approximately $2,800,000 in federal funds under Track One: WPP and approximately $1,000,000 in federal funds under Track Two: Non-WPP. It is anticipated that approximately 11 to 18 awards will be made under Track One: WPP and approximately 4 to 7 awards will be made under Track Two: Non-WPP with the expectation of funding more projects from Track 1 than Track 2. Awards for the selected projects are expected to range from $80,000 to $250,000 in federal funding. The EPA will fund a maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost (see Section III.B, COST SHARING/MATCH REQUIREMENTS, for information on minimum non-federal cost share/match requirement).

If a Tribe or intertribal consortium includes the funds for a grant awarded under this solicitation in an approved Performance Partnership Grant (PPG), there is no cost-share requirement. Where the applicant’s stated purpose is to include a grant awarded under this solicitation in a PPG, the applicant should prepare a budget and proposed workplan based upon the assumption that the EPA will approve the budget and work plan without cost share included. If the applicant ultimately does not or cannot include a grant awarded under this solicitation as part of an approved PPG, or subsequently chooses to withdraw the competitively awarded grant from their PPG, the Tribe or intertribal consortium must then meet the applicable cost share/match requirements and negotiate a new workplan and budget with the EPA project officer based on the same total project cost and work initially proposed.

It is anticipated that the assistance agreements awarded under this announcement will have one to four year project periods generally starting after January 2024. The project period for assistance agreements under this announcement may be no more than five years.

Notice of Funding Opportunity

A full application can be found at EPA-OW-OWOW-24-04.

If you have any questions please contact Myra Price at  price.myra@epa.gov or WPDG-RFA@epa.gov.