Proposals are due October 28, 2020 by 11:59 PM EST
  

Key Changes to the FY21 Competition Guidelines Include:

• COVID-19 Impacts: Entities that are experiencing technical difficulties in applying through www.grants.gov because of operational or other issues related to COVID-19 may request to submit the application by email. See EPA’s Solicitation Clauses for more details.
• Hazardous Substance and Petroleum Funding Requests: EPA no longer requires applicants to separate hazardous substance funding requests from petroleum funding requests. Rather, applicants will request one funding amount to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances and/or petroleum.
• Submission Materials: The Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424 B) is no longer required at time of submission.
• Confidential Business Information: Reminder to applicants: “EPA recommends that you do not include confidential business information (CBI) in your application. However, if CBI is included, it will be treated in accordance with 40 CFR 2.203. Applicants must clearly indicate which portion(s) of their application they are claiming as CBI.” See EPA’s Solicitation Clauses for more details.
• Outcomes and Benefits of Reuse Strategy: If applicable, applicants are to describe how the proposed project or revitalization plans will promote the sustainable reuse of existing buildings or structures.
• Threats to Sensitive Populations: This section has been reorganized to include “Describe how this grant will address or facilitate the identification and reduction of threats to…” in each of the three subcriteria.
• Incorporating Community Input: Applicants are to discuss alternatives to in-person community engagements due to COVID-19 and social distancing requirements.
• Task/Activity Lead: If applicable, applicants are required to explain why an entity(ies) other than the applicant is the lead. 
• Budget Table: There will only be one budget table for the total grant award. The applicant will be free to address both hazardous substances and petroleum contaminated sites as they proposed, but will not be required to spend a specific amount on hazardous substances and petroleum sites. 
• Point/Percentage Distribution: The maximum number of points and the point distribution has changed for each of the grants. 

The entire list of changes can be found HERE. 

All applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov  using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at theGrants.gov Workspace Overview Page at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.  The posting is now up on www.grants.gov.  This is the only method EPA will accept applications; unless the applicant has an approved waiver to submit the application by mail under the Limited Exception Procedure policy (outlined in Appendix 1 of the Guidelines).
 
Please take advantage of NJIT TAB’s FREE grant proposal critique services.  The deadline for submitting for a grant critique is October 14, 2020, by close of business.  Send your 10 (or 12) page narrative to tab@njit.edu in Microsoft Word format.  We anticipate a high volume of grant critique requests; therefore, critiques will be provided on a first come first served basis. We strongly recommend submitting as early as possible.

The grant guidelines can be viewed at the links below:

 
FY 2021 Multipurpose Grant Guidelines

FY 2021 Assessment Grant Guidelines

FY 2021 Cleanup Grant Guidelines

Additional MAC Grant Application Resources