EPA announces $3M available in grant money

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced this week up to $3 million in funding for locally focused environmental education grants available under the 2018 Environmental Education Local Grant Program. The EPA will award three to four grantsin each of the agency's 10 regions, for no less than $50,000 and no more than $100,000 each. There will be about 30-35 grants nationwide. Proposals are due March 15. Requests for Proposal paperwork will be posted at www.grants.gov. In addition to other environmental topics, the 2018 EE Local Grant Program includes support for projects that reflect the intersection of environmental issues and agricultural best-practices, conservation of natural resources, food waste management, and natural disaster preparedness. Funded projects will increase public awareness of those topics and help participants to develop the skills needed to make informed decisions. A Request for Proposals (also called a Solicitation Notice) containing details will be issued by each of the ten EPA Regions. "By recognizing these locally-based learning and awareness opportunities, the Environmental Protection Agency is taking both a local and national leadership role in promoting sound agricultural conservation practices, environmental disaster preparedness, adequate food waste management and other important environmental best-practices," said Administrator Scott Pruitt. "Environmental education starts locally in our own backyards, classrooms and in the fields of farmers who work the land directly, and I'm proud to play a role in enhancing such learning opportunities." Through this grant program, EPA intends to provide financial support for projects that design, demonstrate; and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques, as described in this notice, that will serve to increase environmental and conservation literacy, and encourage behavior that will benefit the environment in the local communities in which they are located. Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.5 million in annual grant funding under this program, supporting more than 3700 grants. Visit www.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-grant-solicitation-notice for more information.