Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program | EPA R OW OWM 23 02

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.

• 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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