As part of EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM), regional and national Grantmakers across the country will be granting over $500 million in $75k-350k subawards to thousands of community-based nonprofits and others for assessment, planning, and project development activities.
Below are the suggested steps to prepare for and create a your draft proposal/s for the Grantmakers’ RFP(s), which can then be edited for the particular regional or national RFP you are applying for. Please reach out to EPN throughout the process for 1:1 assistance with your proposal and application materials.
Please note that EPN partnered with GrantGenie to build two AI modules to assist organizations applying to the Grantmakers’ Request for Proposals (RFPs). We are aware and acknowledge that AI continues to be an emerging technology that many organizations may not be very familiar with and that many may have valid concerns about using. We have built these modules with these concerns in mind and strive to create the safest, most transparent experience possible. Here, you can access important information to help you understand how data is handled, including the potential limitations of data privacy and confidentiality when utilizing GrantGenie’s tools, and the safeguards in place to protect users.
Steps to Prepare and Create a Draft Proposal
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If You Do Not Already Have a Unique Entity ID, Start the Process NOW.
Recipients of Grantmakers funding are considered federal sub-awardees (not prime awardees) and need a Unique Entity ID (not a full entity registration on SAM.gov) to validate your organization’s legal business name and address. You can use this SAM.gov step-by-step guide to obtain your Unique Entity ID (UEID). You can also join EPN’s SAM.gov registration office hours every two weeks on Wednesdays from 2pm-3pm eastern. EPN staff will help you begin, continue, or finish up your registration process. To sign up and get the Zoom link, go to tinyurl.com/EPNSAM. To prepare to work with EPN staff or follow along with the guide, ensure you have all the required information and documents. This includes your legal business name, address, taxpayer identification number (TIN) or employer identification number (EIN), and banking information for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). This also includes proof of your name or address, entity start year, and state. Here is a comprehensive list of acceptable documents to prove that info. |
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Check here to see if the Request for Proposals (RFPs) in your region are available.
a. We will provide updates to this page as RFPs become available, along with links to their websites and additional information and resources. b. If there are RFPs available in your region (there may be up to 2), carefully read through them and become familiar with the application requirements. c. You can then return to this site if you would like to get AI assistance in building your draft application (see Step 3). Please note that draft proposals generated with the AI tools will need to be adjusted to match the regional or national RFP you are applying to. Some RFPs will be simple enough that you will not need AI assistance, and AI assistance is not mandatory to put an application together. It is your decision. d. In addition, as you read through the RFP(s), take note if you will need to upload a map of the proposal project area using EPA’s EJScreen. If so, this instructional video can help. |
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In order to most effectively use GrantGenie’s AI modules, we highly recommended that you take the time to complete the following forms, which will allow you to have the proper documents ready to be uploaded, and language that you can cut and paste into the modules: a. Make a copy and fill out the Organization Overview Preparation Form b. Make a copy and fill out the Proposal Ideas Preparation Form |
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Read through or watch the following resources to familiarize yourself with how to use GrantGenie’s AI tools:
a. Open up and have handy this step-by-step guide to using GrantGenie’s Grantmaker’s Modules b. Also, open and have handy this FAQ document, which is a living document that will be updated regularly. c. Watch a recorded presentation about the AI tools. d. Access EPN’s Budgets for Beginners Worksheet: Whether you have limited experience with budget development or are developing a budget for the first time, EPN has created a resource that walks you step by step through the process. And the Budgets for Beginners Presentation will introduce you to key concepts of budgeting for federal grant opportunities and provide you with questions to ask as you develop your budget. We also host Budget for Beginners Office Hours every two weeks on Monday from 2-3pm ET. These sessions are collaborative, and attendance will be limited to 10 organizations per session. Please register here. |
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Begin to use the AI modules to create language about your organization and proposal ideas. The modules include:
a. An Organizational Overview Generator, which compiles a DRAFT organization summary, mission statement, description, achievements, historical connection to an underserved community, programmatic capacity, and community description and environmental/climate impacts that can be edited to meet the specific requirements of national or regional Grantmakers’ RFPs. This DRAFT overview document can be used for Grantmakers applications or other applications. b. A Grantmakers Proposal Ideas Generator, which generates a DRAFT potential Grantmakers proposal, including organization summary, project location, environmental issues, project description (activities, milestones, and anticipated outcomes), and project partners, that can be edited to meet the specific requirements of national or regional Grantmakers’ RFPs. |
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Edit your draft materials as needed to meet the particular requirements and format of the specific RFP you are applying to.
Please note that RFPs for the same region MAY be different and have unique requirements and formats. The materials created using the AI modules are just a start and are not specific to your RFP. Please reach out to EPN for additional assistance. |