Grants to USA tribal governments in multiple states for environmental stewardship programs that benefit underserved communities. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several weeks to complete. The main goal of the program is to build the capacity of communities with environmental justice concerns and help them create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to improve the environment and public health conditions of tribal governments, low-income communities, and communities of color through the advancement of racial equity and environmental justice. This funding announcement supports the priorities detailed in President Biden’s Executive Order 13985 titled "Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government" and Executive Order 14008 titled "Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad."

American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are now available to fund EJ Small Grants to federally recognized tribal governments to establish or modify public participation programs where fair treatment and meaningful participation priorities have been impacted by the COVID19 pandemic. To be eligible for ARP funding, public participation programs must specifically address activities authorized by section 103(b) of the Clean Air Act (CAA; 42 U.S.C. 7403(b)) and/or section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA; 42 U.S.C. 300j–1).

This Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) opportunity provides funding directly to eligible federally recognized tribal governments for projects that help residents of tribal communities understand, address and participate in local environmental and public health issues. In general, the EJSG program awards grants that support community-driven projects designed to engage, educate, and empower communities to better understand and address local environmental and public health issues. Community-driven projects are projects that include activities where community residents and/or representatives are integrally involved in the thinking behind and execution of those activities.

EJSG Program Goals: The immediate goals of the EJSG program are to support underserved communities through some of the initial steps of understanding, addressing, and developing solutions to local environmental and public health issues. Long-term, the EJSG program seeks to help build the overall capacity of communities with environmental justice concerns and help them create self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to improve local environments in the future. Additionally, the EJSG program is structured to be one of the more accessible federal grant programs, especially for community-based organizations who are unfamiliar with the federal grants process to strengthen their participation in the federal grant application process and build sustainable projects that continue after the award project period.

For information about Qualified Environmental Statutes, see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/ejsg-tribal-arp-rfa_final_3.21.2022.pdf#page=5