Federal Funding Landscape Under Trump 2.0 – How to Prepare

January 7, 2025

EPN’s Executive Director Michelle Roos wrote a blog piece for the Environmental Defense Fund’s Frontline Resource Institute, providing strategies on how individuals and organizations can prepare for the Trump administration and how federal funding for frontline communities may be impacted.

Recognizing that federal funding may be vulnerable under the new administration, Federal Funding Landscape Under Trump 2.0 – How to Prepare provides a short list of things that can be done now to prepare for what’s to come, including:

  1. Sign up to receive EPN’s bimonthly Federal Funding Opportunities & Guidance emails. In partnership with Communities First, Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), Natural Resources Defense Council, and others, we will be rolling out numerous resources and support systems in the new year, and this is the best way to stay in touch.
  2. If you have been selected for funding from EPA but you have not received your final award, or if you are unsure of your status, please reach out ASAP. We have retained the services of a private consulting firm to help you get your award before inauguration.
  3. If you have legal questions right now about your federal award, please fill out L4GG’s fund protection clinic intake form.
  4. Join any number of EPN’s office hours, including:
    1. Biweekly learning sessions for recipients of Community Change Grants
    2. SAM.gov office hours to get your Unique Entity ID
    3. Monthly meetings for recipients of Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities grants
    4. Budget for Beginners Office Hours for potential Grantmakers or other EPA funding applicants
  5. Use L4GG’s Clean Energy Tax Navigator to get free guidance (including 1:1 pro bono assistance available for communities on the back-end) on how to access tax credits.
  6. Keep going! EPN staff can help folks apply for $75,000-$350,000 in grants via the Thriving Communities Grantmakersprogram. Get connected to EPN’s regional staff by filling out this intake form.

 

As Michelle notes, while we don’t know exactly what will happen in the future, we do know that EPN is not going anywhere, and we are here to see that you realize your goals for your communities.