Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OW OWOW 24 03
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a Fiscal Year 2024 discretionary funding opportunity titled "Building Partner Capacity and Promoting Resiliency and Equity under Clean Water Act, Wetlands, Nonpoint Source, Monitoring, Assessment and Listing Programs" (Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OWOW-24-03). The program will be funded through cooperative agreements, which means selected applicants should expect an active partnership with EPA during project implementation rather than a hands-off grant structure. The overall purpose is to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and operational capacity of key water-quality partners through training and closely related support activities, with an emphasis on improving resiliency and advancing equity in how water programs are carried out.
At its core, the opportunity is designed to help a wide range of practitioners do a better job implementing several major Clean Water Act (CWA) programs. The training and capacity-building focus covers activities that support the CWA Section 303(d) program (identifying and listing impaired waters), the CWA Section 305(b) program (state and territorial water quality reporting), and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development and implementation (planning and restoring waters that do not meet standards). It also supports the Nonpoint Source program under CWA Section 319, which targets pollution that comes from diffuse sources like runoff from agriculture and developed landscapes rather than a single discharge pipe. In addition, the opportunity explicitly includes capacity-building connected to fish monitoring and fish consumption/advisory programs, recreational waters and beach monitoring programs, and broader water quality monitoring efforts. Taken together, these program areas span the full cycle of assessing waters, identifying problems, planning restoration actions, and communicating risk and safety to the public.
The intended audience for these capacity-building efforts is broad and practical: agricultural partners, state officials, territorial officials, Tribal officials, and nongovernmental stakeholders who are directly involved in monitoring, assessment, listing decisions, and pollution reduction strategies. The solicitation emphasizes training and related activities, signaling that competitive proposals will likely center on workshops, curricula, technical assistance, peer-learning networks, tools, guidance, and other methods that measurably strengthen how partners carry out monitoring, assessment, reporting, and implementation. While the notice references resiliency and equity in the title, the training scope suggests EPA is looking for projects that not only improve technical competence (for example, monitoring design, data quality practices, assessment methods, or TMDL approaches) but also help programs reach and serve communities more fairly and withstand stressors such as extreme weather, shifting hydrology, and changing land use.
Eligibility is listed as "Others," and the announcement directs applicants to Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the detailed eligibility requirements. This typically indicates that eligibility may include specific types of organizations beyond state and local governments, such as nonprofits, universities, interstate entities, or other qualified institutions, but applicants must confirm by reviewing the official eligibility section in the full NOFO to ensure compliance before applying.
Key administrative details include a closing date of July 17, 2024, and an award ceiling of $550,000 per award. EPA anticipates making about five awards under this competition. The CFDA (Assistance Listing) number associated with this opportunity is 66.436, and the activity category is Environment. The opportunity was created on May 28, 2024. Applicants considering this funding should plan for a competitive, outcomes-focused proposal that clearly ties training activities to improvements in partner capability across the listed CWA programs, demonstrates how the work will be delivered to the intended audiences (including state, territorial, and Tribal partners and nongovernmental stakeholders), and lays out practical deliverables and measurable impacts consistent with cooperative agreement expectations.Apply for EPA OW OWOW 24 03
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2024 Building Partner Capacity and Promoting Resiliency and Equity under Clean Water Act, Wetlands, Nonpoint Source, Monitoring, Assessment and Listing Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.436.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-17. (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 $550,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this EPA funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Building Partner Capacity and Promoting Resiliency and Equity under Clean Water Act, Wetlands, Nonpoint Source, Monitoring, Assessment and Listing Programs" for Fiscal Year 2024.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA-OW-OWOW-24-03.
What type of funding instrument will EPA use?
EPA plans to fund projects through cooperative agreements. This typically means recipients should expect an active partnership with EPA during project implementation rather than a hands-off grant structure.
What is the overall purpose of this opportunity?
The purpose is to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and operational capacity of key water-quality partners through training and closely related support activities, with an emphasis on improving resiliency and advancing equity in how water programs are carried out.
Which Clean Water Act (CWA) program areas are supported?
The opportunity supports training and capacity-building connected to several CWA program areas, including:
- CWA Section 303(d): identifying and listing impaired waters
- CWA Section 305(b): state and territorial water quality reporting
- Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development and implementation: planning and restoring waters that do not meet standards
- CWA Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS): addressing diffuse pollution such as runoff from agriculture and developed landscapes
Does the opportunity include monitoring and public health communication topics?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes capacity-building connected to fish monitoring and fish consumption/advisory programs, recreational waters and beach monitoring programs, and broader water quality monitoring efforts.
What kinds of activities are expected to be competitive?
The solicitation emphasizes training and closely related support activities. Competitive proposals will likely center on approaches such as workshops, curricula, technical assistance, peer-learning networks, tools, and guidance designed to measurably strengthen how partners carry out monitoring, assessment, reporting, and implementation.
Who is the intended audience for these capacity-building efforts?
The intended audience is broad and practice-focused, including agricultural partners, state officials, territorial officials, Tribal officials, and nongovernmental stakeholders who are directly involved in monitoring, assessment, listing decisions, and pollution reduction strategies.
How do resiliency and equity fit into this opportunity?
While resiliency and equity are highlighted in the title, the described scope suggests EPA is looking for training efforts that improve technical competence and also help programs reach and serve communities more fairly and withstand stressors such as extreme weather, shifting hydrology, and changing land use.
What is the application deadline?
The closing date listed for the opportunity is July 17, 2024.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $550,000 per award.
How many awards does EPA expect to make?
EPA anticipates making about five awards under this competition.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 66.436.
What is the activity category?
The activity category is Environment.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on May 28, 2024.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others," and applicants are directed to Section III of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the detailed eligibility requirements. Applicants should review the official eligibility section in the full NOFO to confirm they qualify before applying.
What does "Eligibility: Others" generally indicate?
Based on the announcement language, "Others" typically indicates eligibility may include specific types of organizations beyond state and local governments (for example, nonprofits, universities, interstate entities, or other qualified institutions). The definitive requirements are in Section III of the NOFO.
What should applicants expect from EPA under a cooperative agreement?
Applicants should plan for an active partnership with EPA during project implementation. This generally means EPA will be more involved than it would be under a more hands-off grant structure.
What program outcomes should a proposal aim to demonstrate?
The announcement indicates EPA is looking for outcomes-focused proposals that clearly tie training activities to improvements in partner capability across the listed CWA programs, describe how the work will be delivered to intended audiences, and lay out practical deliverables and measurable impacts consistent with cooperative agreement expectations.
What parts of the water quality management cycle does this opportunity cover?
The supported program areas collectively span the full cycle of assessing waters, identifying problems, planning restoration actions (including TMDLs and nonpoint source strategies), and communicating risk and safety to the public (such as fish consumption advisories and beach monitoring).
Is this opportunity focused on implementation projects or training/capacity-building?
Based on the description provided, the emphasis is on training and closely related support activities intended to strengthen partner knowledge, skills, and operational capacity.
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