Application Process for the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Programs

You must be registered with SAM.gov (and have your Unique Entity Identification (UEID)) and Grants.gov. Registering can take weeks (if not months). If you can’t register by June 9 or soon thereafter, we recommend you use this time to register for the next opportunity.

To register on SAM.gov,* go here. For help, access the registration checklist and EPN’s SAM.gov registration webinar. Also, please review the Intro to Grants.gov-Understanding User Roles and Learning Workspace – User Roles and Workspace Actions to assist with application submission.

To register at Grants.gov,* go here. For help, use the registration checklist and watch this Youtube video.

If you need additional help, send us an email.

*To check your registration status, go here for SAM.gov, and here for Grants.gov.

A: Carefully read the GLEJGP summary and the entire Request for Applications to ensure that your project is a good fit.

B: Read the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III.

C: Watch the GLEJGP webinar recording:
(when it becomes available)

D: Double check the GLEJGP eligible applicants information.

E: Determine if your geographic area meets the RFA’s geographic criteria.

E: Read the GLEJGP FAQs.

F: Reach out to EPA with all questions via email by August 4, 2023.

Find and solidify your partners and collectively envision your proposal.

A: Fill out the GLEJGP Partner Survey.

B: Reach out to these potential partners and/or others.

C: Schedule a time to speak with your partners and brainstorm about proposal ideas.

A: Read through the GLEJGP Workplan Template (provided by Anese and Associates) and create a copy, as needed, in Google Docs that all partners can access. This will make up the narrative portion of your draft application.

For submission, your Workplan, including the 8 elements listed below, will be uploaded via the Project Narrative Attachment Form on Grants.gov.

B: Begin writing your Workplan, including:

• Summary Information Page (see Workplan Template)
• Project Narrative (see Workplan Template) including all of the following:
• Program Approach (see Workplan Template)
• Environmental and Programmatic Results (see Workplan Template)
• Programmatic Capability in Environmental Justice in the Great Lakes Region (See Workplan Template)
• Past Performance (see Workplan Template)
• Transferability of Results (See Workplan Template)
• Budget Narrative (See Workplan Template)

C: Review your Workplan (ideally more than once) using the GLEJGP Evaluation Criteria to ensure that all requirements have been met in each section and that all possible points should be awarded.

A: Create the following Mandatory Documents (Set 1), each of which have their own individual submission forms:

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
• Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
• EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54
• EPA Form 4700-4 Preaward Compliance Review Report
• Project Narrative Attachment Form

B: Complete these additional Optional Documents if desired (Set 2), all of which must be included on the Other Narrative Attachments Form as part of your application:

• Resumes or curriculum vitae of staff who will be working on the GLEJGP
• Documents of non-profit status if appropriate
• Letters of Commitment Template (provided by Climate Justice Alliance) for proposed coalition partners, other partners, and/or non-federal funding or other leveraging to the application
• Negotiated indirect cost rate agreement if applicable

C: Review your application using the GLEJGP Evaluation Criteria to again ensure that all requirements have been met in each section and that all possible points should be awarded.

Although the deadline is Friday, August 11, plan to submit to Grants.gov, ideally by Friday, August 4, to give yourself time to troubleshoot if you have any difficulty submitting. These step-by-step instructions and video can help. Please plan to set aside at least three hours to submit your application to Grants.gov.

A: To begin the submission process, go to Grants.gov and click the red “Apply” button at the top of the “view grant opportunity” page associated with this opportunity.

B: Upload your application, including:

•  All Workplan elements from Step 4 via the Project Narrative Attachment Form.
• Set 1 Mandatory Documents listed in Step 5 via their individual submission forms.
• Set 2 Optional Documents, if desired, listed in Step 5 via the Other Narrative Attachments Form.

C: Submit and confirm that all verifications & confirmations from Grants.gov are received & saved.

D: Take …a nap!