Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2012 STAR B1
Apply for EPA G2012 STAR B1
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.509 Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 7, 2012 and posted on Dec 28, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 9, 2012 Please see the announcement including Section IV for additional submission information.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Please see Section III of the announcement for eligibility information.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety grant opportunity is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding call under the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program (CFDA 66.509). It is designed to support the creation of interdisciplinary research centers that bring a full life cycle perspective to the way new materials are designed, evaluated, and improved. Rather than focusing only on a material's performance or impacts at a single point in time, the EPA is looking for center proposals that treat materials development as an end-to-end system, where environmental and human health considerations are built into the earliest stages of research and design.
At the core of the opportunity is the idea of holistic materials design. The center(s) funded through this announcement are expected to develop methodologies, tools, and practical design approaches that consider every major stage of a material's life cycle. This includes upstream stages such as raw material extraction and feedstock sourcing, manufacturing and processing, distribution and use, and downstream stages such as reuse, recycling, disposal, and potential release into the environment. By accounting for exposures and impacts that can occur at any of these stages, the program aims to help researchers and manufacturers avoid "regrettable substitutions" and prevent shifting risks from one stage or medium to another (for example, reducing emissions during manufacturing but creating more persistent or toxic waste at end-of-life).
The stated outcome the EPA is pushing toward is the development of materials that minimize, and ideally eliminate, potential environmental and human health impacts across the full life cycle. In practice, this implies research that can connect life cycle assessment thinking with toxicology, exposure science, green chemistry/engineering principles, and materials science. The center concept also signals an expectation of collaboration across disciplines and likely across institutions, since credible life cycle safety work often requires expertise spanning chemistry, engineering, risk assessment, environmental fate and transport, industrial ecology, and decision science.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant competition with an expected two awards and an estimated total program funding level of $10,000,000. The maximum award amount listed is $5,000,000, with no stated minimum award floor. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which generally lowers barriers for applicants that may not have substantial non-federal resources to contribute. The opportunity was posted on December 28, 2011, created April 7, 2012, and had an updated closing date of April 9, 2012 (the original closing date was April 25, 2012). The listing was archived May 9, 2012, meaning it is no longer accepting applications, but it remains useful as a reference for the kinds of center-scale research EPA has sought under STAR.
Eligibility is not fully specified in the excerpt and is referenced as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," with the formal eligibility rules contained in Section III of the full announcement. In other words, prospective applicants would have needed to consult the complete solicitation to confirm which organization types could apply (for example, universities, nonprofit research organizations, consortia, or other entities), along with any restrictions or required partnerships typical of center-based awards.
For applicants needing help, the EPA provided multiple points of contact tied to different aspects of the process: James Gentry for eligibility questions (703-347-8093), Todd Peterson for electronic submission questions (703-308-7224), and technical contacts Nora Savage (703-347-8104) and Michael McKittrick (703-347-8100) for scientific/programmatic questions. The opportunity also included an additional information link titled "Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety," which would have contained the full announcement and the detailed submission instructions referenced in Section IV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety (EPA STAR)
What is the "Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety" grant opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding call under the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program (CFDA 66.509). It was designed to support the creation of interdisciplinary research centers focused on improving how new materials are designed, evaluated, and refined using a full life cycle safety perspective.
What is the main goal of the program?
The core goal is to promote holistic materials design, meaning environmental and human health considerations are built into the earliest stages of materials research and design, rather than being evaluated only after a material is already developed or deployed.
What does "full life cycle perspective" mean in this solicitation?
A full life cycle perspective means considering a material as an end-to-end system. That includes upstream stages like raw material extraction and feedstock sourcing, manufacturing and processing, distribution and use, and downstream stages like reuse, recycling, disposal, and potential release into the environment.
What kinds of research activities were centers expected to develop?
The funded center(s) were expected to develop methodologies, tools, and practical design approaches that account for exposures and impacts that can occur at any major life cycle stage. The intent is to help guide materials development decisions with life cycle safety in mind.
Why does the opportunity emphasize avoiding "regrettable substitutions"?
The program aims to reduce the chance that replacing one material with another unintentionally creates new or worse environmental or human health harms. A life cycle approach can help avoid shifting risks from one stage or medium to another (for example, reducing emissions during manufacturing but increasing persistent or toxic waste at end-of-life).
What outcomes was EPA aiming for?
The stated outcome was the development of materials that minimize, and ideally eliminate, potential environmental and human health impacts across the full life cycle.
Which disciplines were implied to be relevant for a competitive center?
The description suggests research connecting life cycle assessment thinking with toxicology, exposure science, green chemistry and green engineering principles, and materials science. It also notes that credible life cycle safety work often requires expertise spanning chemistry, engineering, risk assessment, environmental fate and transport, industrial ecology, and decision science.
Is this a center-based and interdisciplinary program?
Yes. The opportunity was explicitly framed around creating interdisciplinary research centers, with an expectation of collaboration across disciplines and likely across institutions.
How many awards were expected?
The announcement indicated an expectation of two awards.
What was the estimated total funding level for the program?
The estimated total program funding level was $10,000,000.
What was the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount listed was $5,000,000.
Was there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor was stated in the provided information.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Is this a discretionary grant competition?
Yes. The opportunity was described as a discretionary grant competition.
Is the opportunity still accepting applications?
No. The listing was archived on May 9, 2012, which indicates it is no longer accepting applications. It may still be useful as a reference for the types of center-scale research EPA has sought under STAR.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on December 28, 2011. The closing date was updated to April 9, 2012 (the original closing date was April 25, 2012).
Why are there multiple dates (posted, created, closing date, archived)?
The provided information lists multiple administrative milestones: posted (December 28, 2011), created (April 7, 2012), an updated closing date (April 9, 2012), and archived (May 9, 2012). Together, these dates indicate the timeline of the listing and that the solicitation is no longer active.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was not fully specified in the excerpt. It was referenced as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," with formal eligibility rules contained in Section III of the full announcement. Applicants would have needed to consult the complete solicitation to confirm eligible organization types and any restrictions or partnership requirements.
Where were the detailed eligibility rules located?
The formal eligibility requirements were contained in Section III of the full announcement.
Where were the submission instructions located?
The detailed submission instructions were referenced as being in Section IV of the full announcement.
What is CFDA 66.509 and why is it mentioned?
CFDA 66.509 is the program identifier associated with the EPA STAR Research Program in this listing. It helps categorize the funding opportunity within federal assistance programs.
Who could applicants contact with eligibility questions?
Eligibility questions were directed to James Gentry at 703-347-8093.
Who could applicants contact with electronic submission questions?
Electronic submission questions were directed to Todd Peterson at 703-308-7224.
Who were the technical/scientific contacts for programmatic questions?
The technical contacts listed were Nora Savage (703-347-8104) and Michael McKittrick (703-347-8100).
Was there a link to additional information about the opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity included an additional information link titled "Centers for Material Life Cycle Safety," which would have contained the full announcement and the detailed instructions referenced in Sections III and IV.
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