FY25 Helpful Hints RLF Criteria

Criteria RLF

Helpful Hints (HH)

1.     PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION AND PLANS FOR REVITALIZATION (40 POINTS)

A common pitfall of this section is to write too much upfront and lose point in other sections. Be Concise: Start with a brief introduction for the overview that sets the context. Your grant will be reviewed by people not familiar with your area or with your city or situation. Avoid lengthy explanations and plan to expand on the details throughout the grant narrative. This keeps the reader engaged and assist you with a “cohesive” grant narrative.

Use Minimal Statistics in this section and compare and contrast data. For example, “City unemployment is 10% compared to county unemployment at 4%.” Always provide sources for your statistics.

1.a Target Areas and Brownfields (20 points)

a.i. Overview Challenges, Descr Target areas (5 points)

Describe the location of your brownfields within the geographic boundary(ies) (not to be confused with target area). Your geographic boundary will be larger than you target area(s) and can overlap.

When discussing brownfields challenges and their impacts within the geographic boundary(why do you have these brownfields, why are they a problem, who is affected and how):

●      Include background information on any brownfield challenges (e.g., loss of jobs, high unemployment, loss of tax base, etc.…)

●      Reference the number (even estimated number) of brownfields in the area so the reviewer can see the magnitude of your brownfield problem

●      Demonstrate cumulative impact of brownfields on surrounding community and how residents are overburdened when compared to the county, region, or other large areas

●      Support your statements by highlighting key statistics ( e.g. population loss over time, poverty, unemployment, job loss, environmental justice issues, etc.) that you present in subsection IV.E.2 Community Need. The information you provide here should support the statements you make about revitalization goals and community need in the following sections of your application.

●      Discuss relevant facts but tell your story to help the reviewer understand why you really need this grant to make things better for the impacted community

This will lead into the description of your target area(s).

Clearly identify and describe your target area(s). These areas can be described using census tract numbers, neighborhood, or corridor name, etc.; however, to make sure that the reviewers have a clear idea where your target area(s) is/are located within your community. Provide a description based on physical surroundings. Examples include proximity to a known body of water, interstate(s), direction from downtown, major industry (like a port), or known landmarks. Depending on the scope of your RLF program, you may have more than 1 target area – but if you have more than one target area, make sure target areas do not overlap. If the target area is already included in an active EPA grant, consult with your EPA region.

Focus on the brownfields challenges for the impacted community (blighted properties, higher crime rate, job loss, etc.) and how this grant will help alleviate or address those challenges.

a.ii. Description of Priority Brownfield Sites (10 points)

Provide a clear overview of the brownfield sites in the target area(s). (Include properties like longtime-vacant lots, blighted or aging buildings, historic dry cleaners, historic gas stations, former manufacturing site etc.) Do not use general or generic language – your description should apply to your local issues. It's important to specifically state what improvements are anticipated as a result of the activities conducted under this grant.

●      Clearly identify proposed brownfield sites (at least one or more) and describe in detail why they are a priority for cleanup and subsequent reuse (significant environmental/health/community concerns, unsafe structures/property conditions, good redevelopment potential, etc.) and who determined them to be a priority (did the community have input?).

●      What are the environmental challenges (vapor intrusion, stormwater runoff, unsecured, unsafe properties?) Indicate the previous property use(s) and how it is related to the contamination.

●      How do existing contaminants impact surrounding residents, sensitive populations? waterways

●      Use available environmental reports such as remedial investigations, site characterization, or Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, or your environmental agency, as resources to describe the contamination that you intend to clean up with the grant funds.

●      Demonstrate knowledge of clean up requirements, such as the types of contaminants, their extent, structures that need to be removed or reused, how exposure to the contaminants impact surrounding residents, businesses, waterways, wildlife, etc.

●      Discuss your plan to address these sites with the funding

Take a look at the Other Factors check list (Section V.A.) and see if any of those factors apply (i.e. is the site adjacent or near a body of water or federally designated floodplain, is the site impacted by mine-scarred lands, etc.). Bodies of water can be large or small and might include lakes, rivers, creeks, marshes, wetlands, or floodplains.

Briefly describe the extent of the brownfields problem including impacts to the health and well-being of people in the target area. Helpful links include:

●      Contact your State or Tribal Brownfield Authority or Search state/tribal databases for contaminated sites in the target area

●      EPA’s MyEnvironment

●      Use PEER (Platform for Exploring Environmental Records) and describe how these and underutilized sites significantly impact the target area and the specific types of challenges/impacts they are causing to the community

●      EPA Cleanups in my Community

●      Data.Gov

●      Local Government Blight Reports or Code Enforcement

Do not include demographic and health data here - refer the reader to the Section 2 subsection where this information is detailed.

Note, for all applications except those from Tribes, eligible Tribal entities, and territories, if none of the priority sites identified in 1.a.ii. Description of the Priority Brownfield Site(s) are located within a disadvantaged community (as identified by CEJST), then the response may only earn up to 2 out of 5 points in the Community Need Section “Environmental Justice” – Identification of Environmental Justice Issues.

a.iii Identifying addtl sites (5 pts)

Describe the selection process and prioritization criteria (immediate job creation, removal of contaminants to prevent exposure, motivated developer, data sources. When identifying additional sites, it is highly recommended to add a priority for sites located in “disadvantaged communities” identified in CEJST. Criteria should include consistency with the existing targeted brownfield sites.

1.b. Revitalization of the Target Area (15 points)

b.i. Reuse Strategy/Alignment w/plans(10 pts)

Provide enough detail to show the reviewer that the proposed reuse on the sites align with local government land use and revitalization plans or community priorities. Is there a community comprehensive plan, master plan, or similar public document that you can refer to that indicates reuse and redevelopment in the target area(s) is consistent with such a plan? If there is no such formal plan, describe how the project aligns with community priorities and how these priorities were established and when. Mention if updates to these plans are in process. Include if the plans are specific to the Target Area(s).

●      Address why cleanup of the site(s) makes the most sense or how critical the site(s) is/are to the overall revitalization plan for the target area.

●      If possible, discuss how the reuse strategies align with environmental justice, climate action, and community resilience. Refer to the page number in your Other Factors Checklist.

●      Demonstrate how these plans were inclusive of community voices and preferences.

●      Describe how the community has been involved in the development of master plans, reuse strategy, vision, or other decision-making efforts.

●      If any climate adaptation and/or mitigation measures considered as part of the reuse strategy and refer to the page number in your Other Factors Checklist (section V.B. of the Guidelines).

●      Indicate whether or not the site is in a federally designated floodplain and justify the reuse strategy/project reuse is an appropriate reuse option.

If possible, try to give the reviewer a strong sense that reuse/redevelopment is likely to happen after the cleanup. Address why addressing the priority site(s) makes the most sense or how critical the site(s) is/are to the overall revitalization plan for the target area.

The proposed reuse/redevelopment of the site(s) should align with solutions to the challenges presented in Section IV.E.1.a.i - Overview of Brownfield Challenges and Description of Target Area.

The proposed reuse of the site(s) should align with solutions to the challenges presented in Section IV.E.1.a.i:

●      If applicable, discuss how the reuse strategies align with environmental justice.

●      If you have considered any local climate adaptation and/or mitigation measures as part of the reuse strategy, mention it in this section and refer to the page number in your Other Factors Checklist.

●      If your proposed project may potentially cause the displacement of residents and/or businesses, describe any strategies to minimize these effects, such as plans to develop affordable housing or additional commercial leasing close to or in the target area(s). See EPA Strategies to Minimize Displacement

Helpful Links:

●      State Climate Summaries

●      Fourth National Climate Assessment

FEMA Flood Map

b.ii. Outcomes/Benefits Reuse Strategy (5)

The guidelines are focused on disadvantaged populations. Describe how your reuse strategy will benefit disadvantaged populations and the community at large (for example: provide affordable housing and jobs, access to food, health care, recreation, etc.). See E.7 and E.8 in the FY2025 FAQS for more information on underserved and disadvantaged communities.

Link the outcomes and benefits of the project(s) consistent with the issues described in Section 1.a.i (Overview of Brownfield Challenges and Description of Target Areas) and Section 2.a.(Community Need), to your target community.

●      Provide specific anticipated outcomes and economic improvements, such as X% increase in tax base, number of jobs this project may create, etc. If you cannot be specific, provide a realistic estimate based on reliable resources.

●      If the cleanup will potentially benefit the local economy, describe how. This can be quantified as noted above, or qualitatively, e.g., cleanup is on a potentially catalytic site necessary for revitalization of the target community.

●      Specify how many acres of reusable land will be created if all site(s) is/are cleaned up.

●      When applicable, describe how underserved community’s benefit.

●      If applicable, describe how the project preserves greenfields, creates or adds to a park, greenway, recreational property or other property used for non-profit purposes. Provide metrics such as X acres of new greenspace in a low-income neighborhood, X number of pocket parks in developed areas, X square miles protected from sprawl, etc.

●      If applicable, identify specific regulations, programs or policies that will provide long-term management and preservation of greenspace. This may include land use restrictions, zoning, easements, land trusts, and maintenance. If regulations do not yet exist, programs or policies yet, discuss any efforts or plans to develop these.

●      Be sure to link the outcomes and benefits of the project to your targeted community as described in subsection 1.a.i. and the statistics you provide in the "Overview of Brownfield Challenges and Description of Target Area" and "Community Need" sections. Stress how the outcomes will directly benefit the disadvantaged populations.

●      if your project can be tied to anti-sprawl concepts, describe it here.

●      If applicable, describe space for not-for-profit, governmental or charitable organizations, including amount and type of space provided, and how these improve the livability of community residents.

With respect to how the proposed project will improve local climate adaptation/mitigation capacity and resilience to protect residents and community investments:

●      Will your project improve local climate adaptation/mitigation capacity and resilience: upgrade stormwater controls to reduce local flooding in the target area, appropriate building materials, local food production, landscaping with trees and maximize green space to minimize urban heat index, etc.

●      If your project leads to any sustainable reuse of buildings or structures, mention this even if it is not the focus of the project.

●      Mention other climate actions or resilience benefits tied to the cleanup.

●      If your site is affected by sea level rise, mention if it will help clean up soil or groundwater contamination that may spread with sea level rise.

With respect to how the reuse of the site(s) will incorporate green energy or facilitate renewable energy from wind, solar, or geothermal energy:

●      Will renewable energy be used as part of the site reuse, will building codes require certain energy efficiency measures or standards? More information for this topic can be found at: Are You Considering Renewable Energy or Energy-Efficient Approaches in Your Brownfields Redevelopment? | US EPA

With respect to displacement of residents or businesses:

●      If your proposed project may potentially cause the displacement of residents and/or businesses, describe any strategies to minimize these effects, such as plans to develop affordable housing or additional commercial leasing close to or in the target area(s). See EPA Strategies to Minimize Displacement

●      If there is no displacement, indicate so.

Check out Section T in the FY2025 FAQs for more Benefits of Brownfields Projects. T.2. (1) addresses green energy/renewable energy with several links for information.

c. Strategy for Leveraging Resources (10 points)

c.i. Resources for Site Reuse (5 pts)

Use positive and active verbs, such as "we are working on...", "we will commit...", "we have applied for..."All leveraged funding should be easily identifiable including the source of the funding, activity being funded, and amount. Do not just list random funding received/sought, but make sure the reviewer can clearly see how it links to your assessment, cleanup and redevelopment project.

●      Focus on funding resources that can be used to support the completion of assessment, remediation, and/or reuse at the priority sites.

●      Discuss eligibility and plans for leveraging funds from other sources in order to show commitment to reuse the property once cleanup is accomplished.

●      Indicate any monetary funding you have already leveraged from other sources which will assist with the cleanup and redevelopment/reuse.

●      All leveraged funding should be easily identifiable including the source of the funding, activity being funded, and amount. It is important to note leveraging resources that have been secured and those that are pending or being sought (e. g., applied for a grant.) Applications which demonstrate secured funding may be viewed more favorably.

●      Information on non-monetary leveraging in the form of in-kind support will be reported under section IV.E.3.b Description of Tasks and Activities rather than in this section.

●      See C.9. in the FY2025 FAQs for more leveraging information.

●      Show that the project WILL be completed if EPA provides cleanup funding.

Examples of funding resources include other federal funding (e.g. HUD, EDA, USDA, etc.), Opportunity Zone developer credits, State program (e.g. State Tax Credits), local funds (tax increment financing zones), philanthropic foundations, and traditional private financing.

c.ii. Use of Existing Infrastructure (5pts)

Include information about the reuse of existing infrastructure at the priority site(s) or target area(s). Indicate if the infrastructure in place (water, sewer, electricity) was built for large capacity industrial or commercial activities and whether you believe it can be used for your proposed reuse. Infrastructure refers to roads and utilities (sewer, water, electricity, broadband, etc.); transportation (bus, train or air); other energy and telecommunications and even housing and business services needed to support redevelopment. Be as inclusive as possible.

The benefits of using existing infrastructure may include:

● money and energy savings, reuse/recycling of materials, etc.

● avoiding construction noise, dust and traffic associated with building new infrastructure.

● Preservation of history and culture of an area

● If applicable, explain how your project can/will lead to any sustainable reuse of buildings or structures.

If additional infrastructure is needed, discuss what is needed and the plan for how funding for it will be sought or provided. Please see the Infrastructure Evaluation (epa.gov) for definition of infrastructure needed during redevelopment.

The benefits of infrastructure upgrades may include:

● energy efficient building construction (energy efficient lighting, heating, cooling, building materials

● energy efficient replacement of lead pipes or updated septic or sewer systems

● connections to public drinking water sources for residential developments

● traffic and pedestrian safety features, energy savings that result in cleaner air and water, etc.

● mitigation of vehicle congestion and air pollution

● updated lighting, walkways, and trails to promote connectivity

If additional infrastructure is needed, discuss what is needed, whether it is already planned for and/or the plan for how funding for it will be sought or provided.

2.     COMMUNITY NEED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (40 POINTS)

This section focuses on community needs especially communities within your geographic boundaries and in your target area(s) that cannot secure funding because of small populations and/or low income needs and needs to tie back to Section IV.E.1.a.i Background and Description of Target Area.

2.a. Community Need (25 points)

a.i. Community Need for Funding (5 pts)

Note: if the inability to draw on initial sources of funding is not due to the small population and/or low income of the community then your response may only earn up to two points out of five points.

This section should be consistent with the descriptions written in 1.a.i. (Background and Description of Target Area). Community is described as the city(ies), towns(s), or geographic area(s) targeted in the application.

●      Explain the need for funds:

●      support your statements by highlighting key statistics (population loss over time, poverty, unemployment, job loss, environmental justice issues) that you present in Section 2 (Community Need).

●      What economic conditions, limited taxes or other situations limit the funding available for addressing your brownfields sites, if applicable, because community either has a small population (15,000) or low income.

●      why the community has no other source of funding for the proposed assessment, remediation or redevelopment activities.

●      Describe the economic impacts of your brownfields. For example: did prospective employers back out because of environmental unknowns of the property they were looking at? Does the community have to pay for maintenance of the brownfield site(s), is there an increase in policing required because of the brownfields? How will this grant address these issues?

●      Use statistics (with citations) to support your statements about small population, low income or other relevant demographics that show need. Include the targeted community as well as the community, as a whole, to describe the economic impacts of your brownfields:

●      Reviewing sales tax data, or assessed valuations of property to identify downward trends that demonstrate that brownfields have been a partial cause of financial impact to the target area and made other funding from taxes unavailable.

●      Focus your census data and describe the adverse impact of brownfields on a subset of the population (consider using census blocks rather than census tracts).

If applying for an RLF coalition grant, make sure it is clear how the RLF funding will help coalition members that would not otherwise have access to these funding resources.

2.a.ii. Threats to Sensitive Populations (20 points)

Sensitive populations include “children, pregnant women, minority or low-income communities, or other sensitive populations. However, there is no one definition of a sensitive population. See S.4. in the FY2025 FAQs for more information about sensitive populations.

Sections a.ii.(1-3) criteria are focused on the Target Area(s) for your project(s).

(1)Health/Welfare Sensitive Pop (5 pt.)

Include demographics on sensitive populations (children, percentage of child-bearing age, elderly, low income, infant disease/mortality rates, or people with chronic conditions). If the sensitive populations statistics do not support your application favorably, focus on those statistics that reflect the disadvantaged nature of the community (lack of medical services, food desert, veterans population, etc. ).Discuss the proximity of residential areas, hospitals, schools, daycare facilities or elder care and assisted living facilities to brownfield sites.

For smaller communities use any and all available information to provide a picture of the impact brownfields have on communities in target areas. Note that the information provided needs to tie back to Sections 1.a.i.

Discuss how you will protect the health of sensitive populations living near or adjacent to your proposed cleanup site(s) during cleanup activities (i.e. dust control, appropriate truck routes, perimeter vapor monitoring, if applicable, fencing, etc.).

●      Include health effects in the community that are possibly directly or indirectly caused by contaminants present at the brownfield sites in the target area. This can include infant mortality rate, incidence of asthma and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, low life expectancy, etc.

●      If you have an idea as to what contaminants may be associated with your priority brownfield sites based on historic use, get information about associated health effects (https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsLanding.aspx).

Contact your local health department for any statistics that support your discussion. If data is not available at the target area level, explain how the data used (i.e. city or county level data) is representative of the target area. If your community has a Community Action Program (CAP) that serves sensitive and disadvantaged populations, review their Community Needs Assessment. Local and Regional Hospitals also provide a Community Health Needs Assessment for communities. Please see helpful links below:

●      County Health Rankings & Roadmaps

●      CDC Places Interactive Map https://www.cdc.gov/places/index.html

●      Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC/ATSDR) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)

●      IPCC Data Distribution Center

●      City Health Dashboard

●      U.S. Census Bureau Data

●      Department of Health & Human Services (HSS) Data Warehouse

●      Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Portal

●      CDC National Vital Statistic System (NVSS)

●      National Institute on Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI) State Profiles

●      NIH National Institute on Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Statistics

●      U.S. Office of Minority Health SVI

See C.14. in the FY2025 FAQs for more examples of health, welfare, environmental, and other demographic information that may help you provide information about your community.

Describe how the grant funds will address these threats. i.e. if greenspace is created, correlate how it will promote outdoor recreation, exercise, etc. that will improve the health and welfare of these sensitive populations.

Discuss how your project and associated reuse strategy will identify and mitigate human health risks (i.e. via removal of contaminants, prevention of pollution (via zoning, codes, etc.) and prevention of future brownfields through sustainable redevelopment). Can also include the addition of sidewalks or bike lanes that will provide pedestrian safety, better walkability, and transportation alternatives.

(2)Greater Than Normal Incidence (5 pt.)

Note, if populations in the target area(s) do not suffer from a greater-than-normal incidence of cancer, asthma, or birth defects, then the response may only earn up to 2 points out of 5 points.

See Helpful Links in Health/Welfare of Sensitive Populations.

Address cancer, asthma and birth defects rates) that may be associated with exposure to hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, or petroleum. If one or all of these are not elevated compared to the region, State, U.S., mention this. To the degree you can, make a clear connection or linkage with those experiencing greater than normal health impact such as cancer, asthma or birth defects with the brownfield sites in your target area(s).

If other statistics are elevated, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, lower life expectancy, etc.; mention it and make a potential connection with your brownfields. Work with the local or state health department to gather data on incidence of disease and adverse health conditions for your target area(s). Use negative trends or disproportionate percentages to demonstrate negative health impacts in your target area(s). Compare local data to regional, state and federal statistics. Discuss any higher-than-average health effects in the community that may be caused by contaminants present at the proposed cleanup site(s). For example: if it is known that there is lead in soil, talk about childhood lead exposure and statistics about lead levels in blood, which causes neurological issues and learning difficulties.

See Section S “Brownfields, Public Health and Climate Change” in the 2025 FAQs for more information.

Describe how you have and/or will prioritize brownfields that contribute to impacts on residents who are already experiencing greater cumulative public health threats or greater than normal incidence of disease or adverse health conditions. i.e., if a community is potentially impacted by proximity to a power plant or heavily used highway, as well as proximity to brownfields, explain this situation and the urgency for alleviating impacts to their health, such as asthma or heart conditions. Indicate that this grant will allow you to identify and address those issues for those residents impacted.

Describe how the cleanup and reuse strategy at your sites may help improve the health of the target population. Include elimination of exposure to contaminants through cleanup and any site improvements that will benefit the community, like parks for recreation, trees for air quality, healthy food, or other social determinants of health incorporated into reuse plan.

Describe how the project and reuse strategy may help reduce or mitigate impacts to the health of the target population by assessing contaminants at the site which can lead to cleanup and redevelopment of the site.

(3)   Environmental Justice (10 points)

●      (a) ID EJ Issues (5 pts)

EPA defines environmental justice as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental justice issues can include:

●      policies that target underserved communities for undesirable land uses (zoning laws, etc.);

●      communities located in areas more prone to impacts from climate change; inadequate access to healthy food or transportation;

●      large concentration of contaminated sites;

●      lack of adequate infrastructure or deteriorating infrastructure; outdated structures with hazardous building materials (lead paint, asbestos, PCBs);

●      high unemployment rates; etc.

Discuss how environmental justice issues affect underserved populations in the target area(s). This may include:

●      How the brownfields have disproportionately impacted underserved populations and how this grant and projected reuse will promote environmental justice in the target area(s).

●      Link those impacts to the brownfield sites. Use statistics to make the case; i.e. cite high unemployment, low median incomes, etc. in the area near your brownfield sites/target area(s) or where the community has had a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences such as hazardous waste sites, landfills, illegal dumping, etc.

●      How grant funding will help by identifying and removing a source of pollution and blight from further impacting this population while adding jobs and contributing toward economic growth while reducing health threats. Make sure the outcomes and benefits stated here are consistent with those identified in Section 1.b.ii (Outcomes and Benefits of Reuse Strategy).

●      Your project should promote a vibrant community. Some attributes that can enhance community health are mixed-use, appropriate density, housing choice and walkability, greenspace, opportunities for recreation, etc. - if applicable to your project.

Note for all applications except those from Tribes, eligible Tribal entities, and territories, if none of the priority sites identified in 1.a.ii. Description of the Priority Brownfield Site(s) are located within a disadvantaged community (as identified by CEJST), then the response to (a) below may only earn up to 2 points.)

(b)Advancing EJ (5 pts)

Discuss how these grant funds and projected site reuse(s) will advance environmental justice in a community that may be overburdened by pollution in the target area:

●      Mention how the proposed project will help reduce or remove community features that contribute to health disparities.

●      Indicate if your reuse strategy will address high unemployment, low median incomes, affordable housing needs, etc. in your target area(s) where the community experiences a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences from brownfields or other causes, such as hazardous waste sites, landfills, illegal dumping, etc.

●      Discuss policies or strategies that will be implemented to minimize displacement, e.g., affordable housing and measures that will be taken to ensure that it remains affordable over time

●      Discuss any climate resilience in the reuse plan, and how these benefits underrepresented communities.

●      Consider the benefits of cleaning up contamination and reducing exposure to contaminants, removing blight, infrastructure/transportation improvements that will increase safety/minimize crime, creating jobs, access to healthy foods or other if the reuse is a commercial venue, etc.

If your proposed project may potentially cause the displacement of residents and/or businesses, describe any strategies to minimize these effects, such as plans to develop affordable housing or additional commercial leasing close to or in the target area(s). See EPA Strategies to Minimize Displacement

Make sure the outcomes and benefits stated here are consistent with those identified in the Outcomes and Benefits of Reuse Strategy section.

2.b. Community Engagement (15 points)

b.i. Program Involvement (5 pt.)

USE the sample format provided in the guidelines, or use a format that is legible and includes the information on the table provided in the guidelines. This clearly and concisely provides the information requested by EPA and will facilitate the review for those reviewing your application. (Note, a plan that does not involve at least one relevant community-based organization or community liaison representing residents directly affected by the project work in the target area(s) will be evaluated less favorably.)

Listed partners should be local organizations and have a commitment or special interest in the proposed program. Quality is better than quantity. For example, if your projected reuse is on housing then you should have a partner with relevant expertise in housing.

●      Ensure that target area projects are represented by a partner.

●      If your community is small or remote enough that no local community organizations exist, make sure you state that but also explain how your community is engaged with the project.

●      Your local Chamber of Commerce, citizen groups, environmental organizations, etc., qualify as community organizations. Schools, Churches and youth groups in the community also qualify.

Include a diverse list of partners covering multiple aspects of your project. Try to include organizations such as: local citizen groups, environmental groups, developer groups, chamber(s) of commerce, property owners as well as governmental/public entities supporting brownfield redevelopment such as the local health department, local community college or university, local and regional economic development agencies and local brownfield and environmental departments.

b.ii. Program Roles (5 pt.)

Letters of Commitment from your partners are no longer required.

See FAQs E.4, E.5, E.6 in FY25 FAQs for more information on “local organizations/entities/groups”, partner roles, and meaningful involvement.

●      Make sure each partners' role in the program is clear and specific to site selection, cleanup, and future reuse of brownfield sites.

●      Discuss how you have intentionally involved the community with regards to the brownfield sites in the target area. Mention all the ways you have engaged them in any of the steps of the redevelopment process

●      Partners should be local organizations that are relevant and have a key interest, commitment and role in the proposed project. For example, if your projected reuse is on housing then you should have a partner with relevant expertise in housing.

●      Diversify your partnerships by covering multiple aspects of your project to include at least one community-based and/or community liaison representing residents directly affected by the work in the target area(s). For example, there may be state organizations, governmental departments, health departments, local organizations and businesses, nonprofit organizations, community groups, etc.

●      Avoid duplicating partners that bring the same expertise or assistance to your program, e.g. do not just name all developer organizations or economic development organizations.

●      If your community is small or remote and no local community organizations exist, address this in this section and show how your community is engaged with someone such as your local Chamber of Commerce, citizen groups, environmental organizations, schools, etc. who may be considered as an acceptable substitute for community organizations in this unusual situation.

●      Have your partners review and provide input on your application! EPA may randomly check up on partners to ensure they are fully aware and knowledgeable of their role in the project.

●      Meet with and discuss your application with your potential partners early.

●      Include names, if possible, to demonstrate the partners are indeed committed.

RLF Coalition applications: discuss your plan to keep non-lead coalition members engaged and informed throughout this program?

b.iii. Community Input(5 pt.)

Develop a clear, complete and robust community engagement program. Use resources like Advancing Equity in Land Reuse and Visioning to help develop a robust program.

●      Some examples of involving the affected/target community include:

●      Holding public meetings where the progress/result of the cleanup and redevelopment project is explained, engage the community up front with re-use planning for the sites and target area.

●      In-person meetings may be more successful if held in or proximal to each target area or priority brownfield site.

●      Address the needs of sensitive populations - for example, provide ADA accessible meeting space if your targeted community consists of a high percentage of seniors.

●      Public meetings, web sites, social media, newspaper and newsletters are mechanisms you can use to provide updates to the community and ask for feedback/comments.

●      Indicate if you already have a process or community engagement plan that you've successfully used in your community. Explain how your methods are appropriate for your community; i.e., most of your community members work during the day so you schedule your meeting in the evening when more are available to attend; you offer childcare to encourage parents to attend, etc.

●      Address any language barriers within your targeted community, i.e. provide translation services (meeting invitations, meetings, documents) as needed. If all of your community speaks English, then be sure to mention this so the reviewer doesn't think you've missed this aspect.

●      Address the needs of sensitive populations - for example, provide ADA accessible meeting space if your targeted community consists of a high percentage of seniors.

●      Consider various methods of reaching and receiving feedback from underserved populations, such as remote videoconferences, radio, street fairs, surveys, etc.

●      Make sure your community engagement includes soliciting input from the community and not just updating them on site progress.

Include:

●      Frequency of communication and how input will be solicited, considered, and responded to using the various methods described above.

3.     TASK DESCRIPTIONS, COST ESTIMATES, AND MEASURING PROGRESS (65 points)

3.a. Program Description and Marketing Strategy (20 points)

a.i. Program Management (5 pt.)

●      What criteria will you use to select borrowers/grantees? For coalition RLFs: how will coalition partners be involved in the selection process?

●      Discuss how your RLF program will operate. Include basic information such as who will fill major roles (RLF Manager, Qualified Environmental Professional, etc.) and what contingencies you have in place if one of your key players leave.

●      Describe your initial plans for loan/subgrants (such as interest rates, loan terms and other financial underwriting conditions). While you'll want to remain flexible, you'll want the reviewer to get a sense for how the RLF will likely operate.

●      Discuss your lending practices (i.e., loan processing, documentation and approval, servicing, administrative procedures, and collection and recovery actions) and underwriting principles (i.e., establishing interest rates, repayment terms, fee structures, and collateral requirements) and how you will obtain proof of adequate financial security from borrowers.

●      Remember that RLF loans are typically made to borrowers at sites where traditional loans are not available, so the RLF loans should be structured with flexible loan terms which are more likely to meet the needs of the typical brownfield borrower. Whenever possible, consider including an RLF loan or subgrants within a redevelopment financing package.

●      As site cleanup financing is often a challenge, structuring a brownfields cleanup RLF loan within part of a larger financing package can make the deal more attractive.

a.ii. Revolution RLF Program (10 pt.)

●      Discuss the prudent lending practices you intend to incorporate into your RLF to ensure it revolves. For example, discuss your plan for loans vs. subgrants, repayment terms, and other strategies to ensure the fund remains whole and available to make future loans.

●      Discuss your RLF Program in the long term and how you plan to make sure it continues to revolve using program income after the cooperative agreement has been closed out.

a.iii. Marketing Strategy (5 pt.)

●      Discuss how you will identify potential borrowers and subgrantees. For marketing purposes, it is important to understand which entities will be most interested in receiving an RLF loan or subgrants and/or will be the best candidates for the RLF program.

●      Potential borrowers include expanding businesses, local developers, national developers, nonprofit organizations, and public and quasi-public entities. Potential subgrantees can be nonprofit organizations; Indian tribes, or eligible government entities.

●      Discuss how you plan to market the program. Marketing outreach can include print-based promotion-such as brochures, newsletters, advertisements and web pages or people-based approaches such as public meetings and invited stakeholder seminars, conferences, and direct telephone calls. Once interest is generated, one-on-one meetings allow potential borrowers and subgrantees to ask questions specific to their projects.

Please note, a project that does not have interest from borrowers or subgrantees will be evaluated less favorably.

3.b. Description of Tasks/Activities and Outputs (25 points)

b.i. Program implementation (10 pt.)

●      Provide a detailed list of each task/activity required to implement your project. Utilize clear and precise task descriptions. Explain what personnel will be doing and who will be filling each role including who will be leading/overseeing each activity and who will be performing the task (i.e., applicant, qualified environmental professional, other). Make sure these entities are appropriate for the roles they will be performing.

●      Use the EPA sample format contained in the Guidelines to provide the requested information. Doing so will help ensure you include all the requested information and make it easier for the reviewer to evaluate the information.

List and describe the tasks necessary to complete for your project to be successful. Multiple activities may be grouped under one task. For example, the task “Cleanup & Site Oversight” may include contractor procurement for cleanup oversight, executing loans, reporting, etc. Your task/activities should represent a sound and efficient plan for performing the overall project. Review previous successful grants (available on KSU TAB EZ website etools.ksutab.org/tools/tabez) to get ideas for how to present information in this table in a succinct way:

●      Ensure that each task includes information on the task lead, anticipated outputs, estimated cost, and start and end dates.

●      Be realistic with your tasks and number of outputs. If you know that a priority site requires a complex ABCA and cleanup, then consider that in your budget.

●      Avoid listing outputs that will ultimately be unattainable based on the budget (i.e. high number of loans). Keep in mind that if you are awarded a grant, the Cooperative Agreement and Workplan that follows will be based on your application.

●      If you anticipate hiring a contractor, explain what project activities the contractor will perform. You will need to comply with procurement procedures – Please see Section D. in FY 2025 FAQs for more information.

If a key activity associated with your project is not going to be included in your budget, explain why. For example, if another part of your organization or project partners will be taking care of community involvement activities as an in-kind contribution and is not charging this to the grant, note that. Otherwise, reviewers may wonder how key activities will get accomplished and think you’ve failed to include key information.

Subawards may be conveyed to eligible entities, such as nonprofits, local government, etc. For more information see

Grants Policy Issuance (GPI) 16-01: EPA Subaward Policy for EPA Assistance Agreement Recipients | US EPA

b.ii. Anticipated Schedule (5 pt.)

Describe the anticipated project schedule by months or quarters - not years. For example: "Community engagement activities will begin in the 2nd Quarter of the First Year"." Public meetings providing updates on the cleanup will occur bi-annually in Years 2, 3 and 4."

●      Explain any activities that will occur beyond the priority sites, the timing for these, and why they need to occur in order to have a successful project.

●      Include a timeline/schedule of milestones demonstrating how you will complete the proposed activities within 5 years. Have aggressive yet realistic milestones.

●      Include all key activities in your schedule, i.e. such as procuring a Fund Manager and Qualified Environmental Professional, marketing the RLF, community engagement, managing the RLF and loan servicing, etc.

b.iii.Task/Activity Lead (5 pt.)

Identify activity leads that are qualified for the roles they will be performing. Make sure the activity leads are also listed in the project roles:

·       Task lead should be within the applicants' organization, providing oversight to contractors or subawardees as appropriate. If a lead is not with the applicant's organization, include a justification.

b.iv.Outputs (5 pt.) 

List and briefly describe outputs. Be realistic on the outputs and the budget. If possible, consult with someone knowledgeable about costs for environmental tasks. Outputs are work products that are measurable and will be done on a set schedule or by a set date. For example, an output could be "issue 3 loans" or "award 2 subgrants."

●      Identify the deliverables that will be required. Examples of deliverables could include:

●      Generic and site-specific quality assurance plans, as required by the EPA Region

●      Quarterly progress reports

●      Loan/subgrant documents (at least initially)

●      Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCAs)

●      Administrative Records

Correlate outputs with project objectives and that are achievable within the grant period.

3.c. Cost Estimates (15 pt.)

USE the budget sample table. It will clearly and concisely present your budget in a way that will facilitate review by the EPA reviewer.

Do not change the "Budget Categories" in the table, as these are the standard federal budget categories. If a budget category is not relevant, then leave it blank, but do not delete.

●      Typical tasks can be combined, such as Marketing and Community Engagement, Cleanup and Site Oversight, Cleanup Loans and Subgrants

●      Link the budget amounts to specific tasks/activities that you described in Section IV.E.3.b.

Costs:

●      Make sure it is clear to the reviewer how you calculated and arrived at the costs for each budget item.

●      Capital equipment over $10,000 is considered "equipment" and will require EPA Project Officer approval. It is unlikely that equipment purchase is needed for an assessment grant. Equipment less than $10,000 is categorized as "supplies."

●      Double check that your proposed budget only includes eligible costs.

●      At least 50% of the budget must be used to provide loans for the cleanup of eligible brownfield sites and for associated eligible programmatic costs

●      Cost estimates that are included that are not reasonable or realistic to implement the grant will be evaluated less favorably. The degree of clarity on how each cost estimate was developed (including direct and/or indirect administrative costs, when applicable) and the extent to which costs per unit are presented in detail. The extent to which each proposed cost estimate is reasonable and realistic to implement the project/grant and clearly correlates with the proposed tasks/activities.

●      Check/re-check your MATH! Your budget needs to add up correctly. Cross reference costs outlined in the Budget Table with costs described for each Task for accuracy.

●      Be realistic! Do not request unrealistic amounts of money for a task. The reviewer wants to see that you plan to use the funding prudently and efficiently. At the same time, include what you actually think it will cost based on past assessment work in your area. For example, if you live in an area where costs generally run high, explain this and the reason why in your basis of cost statement.

3.d. Plan to Measure (5 pt.)

Outputs are work products that are measurable and will be done on a set schedule or by a set date. Make sure outputs correlate with the proposed project and are likely to be achieved in the grant period. For example, an output could be "conduct 3 community meetings" or "finalize the ABCA" , "# of acres ready for reuse".

●      Specify personnel and mechanisms, such as project management software or spreadsheets, to track your anticipated project schedule.

●      Examples of tracking, measuring and evaluating are the use of quarterly and annual reports, progress tracking software, team meetings to evaluate progress and make corrections where necessary, ACRES, etc.

●      Don't forget to mention how you plan to report progress to ACRES. You may use the KSU TAB Brownfields Inventory Tool (BIT) etools.ksutab.org/tools/bit for tracking progress as well as conduit to report to ACRES. Note: You must be logged into your free ksutab.org account to access BiT.

Outcomes are results from carrying out the grant; i.e. jobs created and funding leveraged through the economic reuse of sites; acres made ready for reuse; acres of greenspace created for communities; infrastructure investments leveraged, and the minimized exposure to hazardous substances and petroleum contamination.

●      Describe your plan and mechanism for tracking and measuring outcomes from your project, evaluating progress.

●      Most outcomes are realized after the grant closes out. If applicable, describe how you will report outcomes after closeout, i.e. send photos of groundbreaking, send progress, press releases and before/after photos and updates.

4.     PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE (40 points)

4.a.Programmatic Capability (25 points) Per the ranking criterion in Section IV.E.4.a., applicants may consolidate information for 4.a.i. – 4.a.iii. into one response.

a.i. Organizational Capacity (5pt)

●      Describe your organization's experience with grants, programs, loans, and tasks of similar scale and function. Provide information that will give the reviewer confidence that your organization has the experience and capacity to manage this RLF.

●      Describe the tools and procedures, i.e. internal audits, management software, etc., that ensure operational and programmatic success.

●      Describe stability of the organization, city/town, or department. Give the reviewer confidence that the organization or coalition can manage this grant by describing experience with similar programs.

a.ii Structure (5 pt.)

●      Detail your organization's structure and capability to manage this grant by highlighting your organizational structure for managing key areas (technical, administrative and financial) and past grants/projects your organization has successfully completed.

●      Make sure you communicate how the level of expertise/qualifications/experience of your key staff will result in timely and successful expenditure of funds as you complete all technical, administrative and financial requirements of the grant.

●      For RLF Coalition grants, make sure you also include information on the governance/decision-making structure of coalition partners to document meaningful involvement of all members.

a.iii. Key Staff (10 pt.)

●      Include information highlighting staff availability, roles, expertise, qualifications and experience. Include assignments to key roles and the expertise / qualifications / experience of assigned staff. Include their education, years of experience, or other similar projects they have worked on and managed.

●      Communicate how the level of expertise/qualifications/experience of your key staff will result in timely and successful expenditure of funds as you complete all technical, administrative and financial requirements of the grant.

●      Present the personnel with specific skills relevant to managing an RLF, including technical oversight, grant administration/reporting, and finance.

Discuss contingency plans in case of key staff turnover or illness. Indicate if there are replacements (and who) or if cross training will occur.

a.iv.Addtl Resources (5 pt.)

Present a plan for acquiring any additional resources (subrecipients and contractors) that you know you will need for successful completion of the proposed project.

●      Describe your organization's system(s)to appropriately acquire any additional expertise and resources (i.e., contractors or subrecipients) required to successfully complete the project. (Note, if an applicant has selected a contractor or subrecipient without complying with applicable requirements as described in Section III.B.4., the response will be evaluated less favorably.)

●      If contractors are needed, state that you will follow required competitive Procurement Standards in 2 CFR 200.317-326 when hiring contractors. For more information see Brownfields Grants: Guidance on Competitively Procuring a Contractor (epa.gov)

●      Describe your organization's existing practices or plans to promote strong labor practices, local hiring/procurement, or efforts to link members of the community to potential employment opportunities in brownfields assessment, cleanup, or redevelopment related to the proposed project in a meaningful and equitable way.

4.b. Past Performance and Accomplishments (15 points)

In evaluating an applicant’s response to this criterion, in addition to the information provided by the applicant, EPA may consider relevant information from other sources including information from EPA files and/or from other federal or non-federal grantors to verify or supplement information provided by the applicant.

4.b.i. Has or previously received EPA grant

Do not include Targeted Brownfields Assessments, Area-Wide Planning Grants, Environmental Workforce Development & Job Training Grants, and subawards from another Brownfields Grant recipient

(1)Accomplishments (5 pt.)

For recipients of an EPA Brownfield Assessment, Cleanup, Area-Wide Planning, Revolving Loan Fund, Multipurpose or 128(a) Grant, use the three most recent grants, and specify the grant number, grant type, year received and period of performance, and amount of grant:

●      State clearly that you did receive in the past or currently have an EPA brownfields grant. State the grant type, year received, amount, etc.

●      Clearly indicate your compliance with the workplan, schedule and terms and conditions of those grants.

●      If you have remaining funds on any of these grants, then explain why and how those funds are either already committed to ongoing eligible activities or will be expended by the end of the grant. If the grant is closed and there was remaining funds, then provide a reasonable explanation for why that happened.

●      Describe progress toward achieving the expected outputs and outcomes.

(2)Compliance w/ Requirements (10 pt.) This criterion is broken into 2 parts

EPA is likely to check if your reports were submitted as outlined in the cooperative agreement, and accomplishments were reported and reflected in ACRES.

Part 1 Compliance (5 pt.)

Explain any deviation(s) from the work plan and schedule, and reporting related to past/current brownfield grants.

Part 2 Compliance (5 pt.)

For open grants, indicate any amount unspent and reasons for not spending the entire amount, and issues and how these are being resolved, i.e. those funds are either already committed to ongoing eligible activities or will be expended by the end of the grant. If the grant is closed and there were remaining funds, then provide a reasonable explanation for why that happened. If there were any deviations, describe the measures taken to correct them.

Or 4.b.ii. Has Not Received EPA Grant but other Fed funding (15 points)

For applicants that have not received, or were recipients of EPA Brownfield Assessment, Cleanup, Area-Wide Planning, Revolving Loan Fund, Multipurpose or 128(a) Grant.

(1)Purpose and Accomplishment (5 pt.)

●      Describe the granting entity, amount, activity funded, years of performance.

●      Describe the history of managing these grants, i.e. federal, state, local, foundation, etc. and accomplishments of that grant.

●      Describe outputs, outcomes, and other measures of success, under those grants.

(2) Compliance (10 pt.)

●      Describe progress toward achieving the expected outputs and outcomes within the schedule.

●      Confirm that accomplishments are reflected in the required reports

●      Provide a reasonable explanation for not achieving grant objectives and any measures that were takes to remedy the situation

Or 4.b.iii Never (8 pts)

If you find yourself in this category, it's ok. Include a statement that your organization has never received any type of federal or non-federal assistance agreement. 

If your community recently received a grant that has not been completed or not enough time has elapsed to conduct reporting or produce outputs or outcomes, explain here, and provide information on the granting agency, amount, purpose, period of performance, and any other relevant information.