Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OSWER OBLR 13 03

  • The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.815 Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Cooperative Agreements.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Feb 27, 2013 and posted on Feb 27, 2013.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 9, 2013 Please refer to the announcement, including Section IV, for additional information on submission methods and due dates.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,400,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • See Section III of the announcement for additional eligibility information.
Apply for EPA OSWER OBLR 13 03

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Opportunity Summary:

The Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number EPA-OSWER-OBLR-13-03) was a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discretionary funding competition designed to support community-based job training programs that move people into full-time environmental careers. The core purpose was to help eligible organizations build or expand programs that recruit local residents who are unemployed or underemployed, provide them with practical, job-ready training, and then place them into employment in environmental fields. The training emphasis centered on areas where there is ongoing public need and workforce demand, particularly solid and hazardous waste remediation, environmental health and safety, and wastewater-related work.

A key feature of the program was its focus on local workforce pipelines: applicants were expected to target residents of the communities they serve and connect training directly to real employment outcomes. The competition allowed programs to prioritize populations facing the greatest barriers to stable work, including dislocated workers such as individuals laid off due to recent manufacturing plant closures, along with people who are severely underemployed or unemployed in the target area. In practice, this meant applicants could tailor recruitment and support services to those most affected by local economic disruption while still aligning training with environmental cleanup, compliance, and infrastructure-related job pathways.

Awards were made as cooperative agreements, meaning the EPA would have substantial involvement in the funded projects compared to a standard grant, typically through oversight, technical input, or coordination expectations. The EPA anticipated making about 12 awards under this notice, with an estimated total funding amount of $2,400,000. Each individual award was set at a fixed amount: both the award ceiling and the award floor were $200,000, indicating that selected recipients would receive $200,000 per award. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity, which lowered the barrier for eligible entities that might not have significant non-federal funds available.

The assistance listing associated with this opportunity was CFDA 66.815 (Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Cooperative Agreements), and the funding activity category was Environment. The opportunity was posted on February 27, 2013, and the application closing date was April 9, 2013, with the notice later archived on May 9, 2013. Eligibility was described broadly as "Others" with clarification and additional requirements referenced in the announcement, particularly Section III for detailed eligibility criteria, and Section IV for submission instructions and deadline details.

For applicants or interested parties who could not access the full announcement electronically, the notice provided a direct EPA contact: Joe Bruss (Joseph Bruss) at 202-566-2772.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants opportunity?

It was a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discretionary funding competition called Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grants (Funding Opportunity Number EPA-OSWER-OBLR-13-03) intended to support community-based job training programs that move people into full-time environmental careers.

What was the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose was to help eligible organizations build or expand job training programs that recruit local residents who are unemployed or underemployed, provide practical, job-ready training, and place participants into employment in environmental fields.

What types of training or career pathways were emphasized?

The training emphasis centered on areas with ongoing public need and workforce demand, particularly solid and hazardous waste remediation, environmental health and safety, and wastewater-related work.

Who were programs expected to recruit and serve?

Applicants were expected to target residents of the communities they serve, specifically local residents who are unemployed or underemployed.

Did the opportunity prioritize any specific populations?

Yes. The competition allowed programs to prioritize populations facing the greatest barriers to stable work, including dislocated workers (such as individuals laid off due to recent manufacturing plant closures) and people who were severely underemployed or unemployed in the target area.

What does it mean that awards were made as cooperative agreements?

Award funding was provided as cooperative agreements, which means the EPA would have substantial involvement in funded projects compared to a standard grant, typically through oversight, technical input, or coordination expectations.

How many awards did the EPA expect to make under this notice?

The EPA anticipated making about 12 awards under this funding notice.

What was the total estimated funding amount for the competition?

The estimated total funding amount was $2,400,000.

How much funding was available per award?

Each individual award was a fixed amount of $200,000. The award ceiling and the award floor were both $200,000, meaning selected recipients would receive $200,000 per award.

Was there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement was stated for this opportunity.

What is the CFDA number (assistance listing) associated with this opportunity?

The assistance listing associated with this opportunity was CFDA 66.815 (Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Cooperative Agreements).

What was the funding activity category?

The funding activity category for this opportunity was Environment.

When was the opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?

The opportunity was posted on February 27, 2013. The application closing date was April 9, 2013.

Is this funding opportunity still active?

No. The notice was later archived on May 9, 2013.

How was eligibility described in the notice?

Eligibility was described broadly as "Others," with clarification and additional requirements referenced in the announcement. The notice pointed to Section III for detailed eligibility criteria.

Where were the submission instructions and deadline details located?

The notice referenced Section IV for submission instructions and deadline details.

What was the key expectation related to job placement and outcomes?

A key feature was the focus on building local workforce pipelines by connecting training directly to real employment outcomes, including placing trainees into employment in environmental fields.

Who could applicants contact if they could not access the full announcement electronically?

The notice provided an EPA contact for those who could not access the full announcement electronically: Joe Bruss (Joseph Bruss).

What is the contact phone number listed for the EPA point of contact?

The phone number provided for Joe Bruss (Joseph Bruss) was 202-566-2772.

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