Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA R OW OWM 23 02
The Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) competitive grant opportunity designed to strengthen the long-term workforce pipeline for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. The program responds to ongoing public health and environmental infrastructure needs by focusing on the practical challenge many utilities face: recruiting enough qualified workers, training them effectively, helping them advance, and keeping them in the field. The authority for this program comes primarily from the American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which added Section 1459E to the Safe Drinking Water Act and directed EPA to support efforts that accelerate career pathways into the water sector and expand access to those opportunities.
A key feature of the current solicitation is that it also incorporates a workforce and pollution-reduction emphasis tied to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Under Clean Air Act Section 138(b)(2), EPA is authorized to fund workforce development activities that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants, with an explicit focus on delivering benefits to disadvantaged communities as defined by the EPA Administrator. Within the Request for Applications (RFA), EPA notes it is specifically seeking projects aligned with this IRA-related purpose under a designated project area (referenced as project area 6 in the RFA). In practice, that means applicants can propose training and workforce initiatives that not only build water-sector skills, but also prepare workers to implement operational practices and technologies that cut emissions and improve local air quality, particularly in communities that have historically borne disproportionate environmental burdens.
The grant is structured to support "innovative activities" that expand and improve workforce development and career opportunities across the water utility sector. EPA highlights several broad, eligible directions for proposals. First, projects may focus on recruitment, including efforts that intentionally promote diversity in hiring and expand outreach so more people are aware of and prepared for water utility careers. This can cover both drinking water and wastewater utilities and explicitly includes stormwater. Second, projects can expand training opportunities for new entrants as well as existing workers seeking to upskill or move into more advanced roles. Third, proposals may address workforce retention and sustainability, meaning strategies that help utilities keep trained employees, reduce turnover, and maintain institutional knowledge, including the development of new or creative approaches to retention. Fourth, proposals can specifically expand training that equips workers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants through their utility work, with benefits directed toward disadvantaged communities.
Administratively, this opportunity is offered as a discretionary funding program using a cooperative agreement, indicating EPA expects substantial involvement or engagement in the funded work rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The opportunity number is EPA R OW OWM 23 02, and it is associated with CFDA numbers 66.445 and 66.616. EPA anticipated making about 20 awards, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000 per award. Eligibility is not limited to a single standard category in the summary listing and is shown as "Others," with applicants instructed to consult the RFA (specifically Section III.A and the eligibility discussion) for the precise list of eligible entity types and any conditions or limitations.
Timing information in the source indicates the opportunity was created on September 25, 2023, with an original closing date of November 17, 2023, while also noting that applicants should rely on the closing-date instructions in Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for the controlling deadline details. Overall, the program is aimed at building a larger, more skilled, and more diverse water workforce while aligning certain projects with climate and air pollution reduction goals that provide meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities.Apply for EPA R OW OWM 23 02
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.445, 66.616.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 25, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 17, 2023 See Section IV of funding opportunity announcement for closing date information.. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 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 Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program?
The Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) competitive grant opportunity intended to strengthen the long-term workforce pipeline for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. It focuses on practical workforce needs in the sector, including recruiting qualified workers, training them effectively, supporting career advancement, and improving retention.
Which parts of the water sector does this program support?
The program supports workforce development for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. The solicitation explicitly includes stormwater in addition to drinking water and wastewater utilities.
What problem is this grant designed to address?
This grant is designed to address ongoing public health and environmental infrastructure needs by helping utilities meet workforce challenges such as recruiting enough qualified workers, providing effective training, enabling advancement, and retaining employees to reduce turnover and preserve institutional knowledge.
What is the legal authority for this grant program?
The program authority comes primarily from the American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which added Section 1459E to the Safe Drinking Water Act. This authority directs EPA to support efforts that accelerate career pathways into the water sector and expand access to those opportunities.
How does the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) relate to this opportunity?
The solicitation incorporates a workforce and pollution-reduction emphasis tied to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Under Clean Air Act Section 138(b)(2), EPA is authorized to fund workforce development activities that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants, with an explicit focus on delivering benefits to disadvantaged communities as defined by the EPA Administrator.
Does the RFA include a specific area focused on pollution reduction and disadvantaged communities?
Yes. EPA notes in the Request for Applications (RFA) that it is specifically seeking projects aligned with the IRA-related purpose under a designated project area referenced as project area 6 in the RFA.
What types of projects are eligible under this grant?
EPA describes support for "innovative activities" that expand and improve workforce development and career opportunities across the water utility sector. The solicitation highlights several broad eligible directions: recruitment, training expansion, workforce retention and sustainability strategies, and training that equips workers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants through their utility work (particularly benefiting disadvantaged communities).
What kinds of recruitment activities does EPA highlight as eligible?
EPA highlights recruitment efforts that intentionally promote diversity in hiring and broaden outreach so more people are aware of and prepared for water utility careers across drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities.
What kinds of training activities does this grant support?
Projects can expand training opportunities for both new entrants and existing workers. Training may be aimed at upskilling current staff or helping them move into more advanced roles.
Does the program support workforce retention and reducing turnover?
Yes. EPA indicates proposals may address workforce retention and sustainability, including strategies to keep trained employees, reduce turnover, maintain institutional knowledge, and develop new or creative approaches to retention.
Can applicants propose projects that connect water workforce training to greenhouse gas and air pollution reductions?
Yes. The RFA allows proposals that expand training enabling workers to implement operational practices and technologies that cut greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants through their utility work, with benefits directed toward disadvantaged communities.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary funding program using a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement indicates EPA expects substantial involvement or engagement in the funded work rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
What is the opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity number is EPA R OW OWM 23 02.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
This opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 66.445 and 66.616.
How many awards does EPA expect to make?
EPA anticipated making about 20 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is shown as "Others" in the summary listing, and applicants are instructed to consult the RFA for the precise list of eligible entity types and any conditions or limitations. The RFA sections referenced for eligibility details include Section III.A and the eligibility discussion.
Where should applicants look for the controlling eligibility requirements?
Applicants should rely on the Request for Applications (RFA), specifically Section III.A and the eligibility discussion, for the definitive list of eligible entity types and any conditions or limitations.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The timing information indicates the opportunity was created on September 25, 2023.
What was the original closing date, and what deadline should applicants rely on?
The source indicates an original closing date of November 17, 2023. However, applicants are instructed to rely on the closing-date instructions in Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for the controlling deadline details.
What is the overall goal of the program?
The overall goal is to build a larger, more skilled, and more diverse water workforce. For certain projects, the program also aligns workforce initiatives with climate and air pollution reduction goals that provide meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities.
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