Opportunity Information: Apply for FY14COLONIASTAT
Apply for FY14COLONIASTAT
- The Utilities Programs in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Border Needs Assessment TAT" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.761 Technical Assistance and Training Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 9, 2014 and posted on Apr 4, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 3, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligibility criteria for TAT grants is as follows (a) Entities eligible for grants must be private nonprofit organizations with tax exempt status, designated by the Internal Revenue Service. A nonprofit organization is defined as any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that (1) Is operated primarily for scientific, education, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest. (2) Is not organized primarily for profit. (3) Uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. (b) Entities must be legally established and located within a state as defined in 1775.2. (c) Organizations must be incorporated by December 31 of the year the application period occurs to be eligible for funds. (d) Private businesses, Federal agencies, public bodies, and individuals are ineligible for these grants. (e) Applicants must also have the proven ability, background, experience (as evidenced by the organizations satisfactory completion of project(s)similar to those proposed), legal authority, and actual capacity to provide technical assistance and/or training on a regional basis to associations as provided in 1775.33. To meet the requirement of actual capacity, an applicant must either (1) Have the necessary resources to provide technical assistance and/or training to associations in rural areas through its staff, or (2) Be assisted by an affiliate or member organization which has such background and experience and which agrees, in writing, that it will provide the assistance, or (3) Contract with a nonaffiliated organization for not more than 49 percent of the grant to provide the proposed assistance.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Border Needs Assessment TAT opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FY14COLONIASTAT) is a special Fiscal Year 2014 application window under USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grants (CFDA 10.761). It is designed to strengthen the understanding of water and wastewater infrastructure gaps in colonias and other small, underserved communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, where public health conditions, environmental pressures, cross-border movement, and shared water resources are tightly connected. USDA and EPA are working together on a multi-phase effort meant not only to document needs more accurately, but also to test practical, scalable ways to deliver technical assistance and capacity building that communities can sustain over the long term. The broader intent is to help move communities from being identified as high-need to being positioned to secure funding, build appropriate systems, and successfully operate and maintain them, reducing health risks while supporting economic development.
This grant specifically funds Phase 2 of a larger, five-phased project. Phase 1, already completed by RUS and EPA, focused on preliminary research and data collection related to socioeconomic conditions, public health indicators, and prior federal and state infrastructure investments in colonias regions. Phase 2 shifts into a more detailed, ground-level assessment of drinking water and wastewater needs in selected colonias areas across four border states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. In practice, the work centers on producing a clearer, more actionable picture of where basic services are missing or inadequate, what kinds of infrastructure solutions fit each community, and what it will cost to close the gaps.
Eligible applicants are limited to qualified private nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized tax-exempt status. To qualify, an organization must be legally established and located within a state as defined by the program rules, and must be incorporated by December 31 of the application year. The program explicitly excludes private businesses, federal agencies, public bodies, and individuals. Beyond formal eligibility, applicants must demonstrate proven experience and capacity to deliver regional technical assistance and training. Capacity can be met through in-house resources, documented support from an affiliate/member organization that commits in writing, or limited contracting, with a cap that no more than 49 percent of the grant can be subcontracted to a nonaffiliated organization.
Funding for this competition totals an estimated $500,000, with an award ceiling of $500,000 and an expected number of awards of one, meaning the opportunity is structured to select a single grantee to carry out the assessment work at the scale envisioned. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was posted April 4, 2014, with a closing date of June 3, 2014, and it was archived July 1, 2014.
The deliverables are concrete and heavily data-driven. First, the grantee must create a searchable database containing all information gathered through the needs assessment. While the full set of required fields is laid out in the application guide, the announcement highlights the kinds of data expected: population and general demographic information, descriptions of existing drinking water and waste disposal infrastructure, indicators such as incidence rates of waterborne infectious disease, and assessments of access to indoor plumbing. A key requirement is that the database include geospatial information so the results can be mapped and used for planning and prioritization.
Second, the grantee must produce a formal report in both electronic and paper form that summarizes and analyzes the collected data. This report must identify the highest-need areas and explain where investments would generate the greatest economic and public health benefits, supported by maps. It must also pinpoint communities that lack access to water and/or wastewater infrastructure and provide a modest-scope capital investment estimate for addressing needs across the study area. Importantly, the cost estimate is not meant to be generic; it must list each colonia assessed, specify what type of infrastructure is needed, and recommend an approach such as connecting to an existing system, building a new cluster system, or developing a centralized system, along with estimated capital costs. The report must also address local capacity: whether communities can realistically pursue funding applications, and whether they have the ability to operate and maintain utilities once built. In addition, it must identify where further technical assistance is needed and for what specific purposes.
Third, the work must produce lists of local institutions and community leaders who can serve as points of contact for targeted communities, recognizing that successful infrastructure development depends on trusted local coordination and ongoing engagement. Fourth, the grantee must recommend practical approaches for technical assistance and outreach tailored to high-need areas, with the idea that the project should not stop at identifying problems but should help shape how agencies and partners support communities moving forward. The final report deliverable was due by December 31, 2014, reflecting that the grant aimed to generate usable planning outputs on a relatively fast timeline.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as an applied planning and capacity-building grant rather than a construction grant. The emphasis is on producing decision-ready information (a mappable database, prioritized findings, and costed solution pathways) while also clarifying community readiness and the kinds of technical support that would make future water and wastewater investments more likely to succeed in colonias along the border region.
FAQs: Border Needs Assessment TAT (FY14COLONIASTAT)
What is the Border Needs Assessment TAT opportunity?
The Border Needs Assessment TAT opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FY14COLONIASTAT) is a special Fiscal Year 2014 application window under USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grants (CFDA 10.761). It focuses on strengthening the understanding of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure gaps in colonias and other small, underserved communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.
What is the overall purpose of this grant?
The purpose is to produce a clearer, more actionable picture of where basic water and wastewater services are missing or inadequate, what solutions fit each community, and what it will cost to address the gaps. The broader intent is to help communities move from being identified as high-need to being positioned to secure funding, build appropriate systems, and successfully operate and maintain them, reducing health risks while supporting economic development.
Which federal agencies are involved in the broader effort described in the announcement?
The announcement describes USDA and EPA working together on a multi-phase effort to document needs more accurately and test practical, scalable approaches for technical assistance and capacity building that communities can sustain over the long term.
Is this grant for construction of water or wastewater infrastructure?
No. This opportunity is described as an applied planning and capacity-building grant rather than a construction grant. The emphasis is on producing decision-ready information and recommendations (such as a mappable database, prioritized findings, and costed solution pathways), not building infrastructure.
What project phase does this grant fund?
This grant specifically funds Phase 2 of a larger five-phased project.
What did Phase 1 cover, and how is Phase 2 different?
Phase 1, completed by RUS and EPA, focused on preliminary research and data collection related to socioeconomic conditions, public health indicators, and prior federal and state infrastructure investments in colonias regions. Phase 2 shifts to a more detailed, ground-level assessment of drinking water and wastewater needs in selected colonias areas.
Which states are included in the Phase 2 needs assessment?
The Phase 2 assessment covers selected colonias areas across four U.S.-Mexico border states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to qualified private nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized tax-exempt status.
Who is not eligible to apply?
The program explicitly excludes private businesses, federal agencies, public bodies, and individuals.
What organizational requirements must a nonprofit meet to qualify?
To qualify, the organization must be legally established and located within a state as defined by the program rules, and must be incorporated by December 31 of the application year.
What experience or capacity must applicants demonstrate?
Applicants must demonstrate proven experience and capacity to deliver regional technical assistance and training. Capacity can be met through in-house resources, documented support from an affiliate/member organization that commits in writing, or limited contracting.
Are there limits on subcontracting under this grant?
Yes. No more than 49 percent of the grant can be subcontracted to a nonaffiliated organization.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The competition totals an estimated $500,000, with an award ceiling of $500,000.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is one, meaning the opportunity is structured to select a single grantee to carry out the assessment work at the intended scale.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was posted on April 4, 2014. The closing date was June 3, 2014. It was archived on July 1, 2014.
What are the main deliverables required by the grant?
The deliverables include: (1) a searchable database containing all information gathered through the needs assessment (including geospatial information), (2) a formal report in both electronic and paper form summarizing and analyzing the data, (3) lists of local institutions and community leaders who can serve as points of contact, and (4) recommended practical approaches for technical assistance and outreach tailored to high-need areas.
What must the searchable database include?
The database must contain all information gathered through the needs assessment and must include geospatial information so results can be mapped and used for planning and prioritization. The announcement highlights examples of expected data such as population and demographic information, descriptions of existing drinking water and waste disposal infrastructure, public health indicators (including incidence rates of waterborne infectious disease), and assessments of access to indoor plumbing.
What is required in the formal report?
The report must summarize and analyze the collected data, identify the highest-need areas, and explain where investments would generate the greatest economic and public health benefits, supported by maps. It must also pinpoint communities lacking access to water and/or wastewater infrastructure and provide a modest-scope capital investment estimate for addressing needs across the study area.
How specific must the capital investment estimate be?
The estimate must not be generic. It must list each colonia assessed, specify what type of infrastructure is needed, recommend an approach (for example, connecting to an existing system, building a new cluster system, or developing a centralized system), and provide estimated capital costs.
Does the report need to address community readiness and long-term operations?
Yes. The report must address local capacity, including whether communities can realistically pursue funding applications and whether they have the ability to operate and maintain utilities once built. It must also identify where further technical assistance is needed and for what specific purposes.
Why are lists of local institutions and community leaders required?
The grant requires lists of local institutions and community leaders who can serve as points of contact for targeted communities, recognizing that successful infrastructure development depends on trusted local coordination and ongoing engagement.
What is meant by recommending technical assistance and outreach approaches?
The grantee must recommend practical approaches for technical assistance and outreach tailored to high-need areas, reflecting the goal that the work should not stop at identifying problems but should help shape how agencies and partners support communities moving forward.
When was the final report deliverable due?
The final report deliverable was due by December 31, 2014.
What kinds of conditions make the border region context important for this assessment?
The announcement notes that along the U.S.-Mexico border, public health conditions, environmental pressures, cross-border movement, and shared water resources are tightly connected, which increases the importance of accurately understanding and prioritizing water and wastewater needs.
What does success look like for this grant based on the description?
Success is described as producing decision-ready, mappable, and prioritized information about needs and costs, while also clarifying community capacity and the technical assistance required so that future water and wastewater investments are more likely to be funded, built appropriately, and operated and maintained successfully.
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