Through the selection of multiple geographically and institutionally diverse awardees, this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will allow for an expansion of investments in communities around DOE Environmental Management (EM) cleanup sites. CCBGP will inspire new initiatives and projects and further collaboration through increased engagement with stakeholders and Tribal Nations.

These CCBGP investments and activities include the following:

• Site reindustrialization and land transfer for community investment and reuse: To support community development plans and create new jobs for the surrounding disadvantaged communities that have experienced job loss and ever-deepening economic hardship.
• Community restoration projects: To enable disadvantaged communities and Tribal Nations to restore important aspects of their communities.
• Community and Tribal Nation infrastructure projects: To provide infrastructure projects that are needed by disadvantaged communities and Tribal Nations to increase resilience in areas such as green infrastructure and other investments.
• Educational capacity for stakeholders and Tribal members to assist with independent analysis of EM cleanup activities: To empower disadvantaged and underserved communities and increase opportunities to engage in the cleanup mission.

These initiatives will:

• Support DOE EM efforts to foster long-term community capacity building in disadvantaged communities.
• Enable development of projects and community development that deliver equity, environmental, housing, and economic benefits.
• Support workforce development, hiring and labor practices benefitting local economically disadvantaged communities.
• Enable traditionally underrepresented communities and Tribal Nations to have more of a voice related to EM cleanup activities.
• Enable communities to make informed decisions about the future of their sites.

Selected applications must address the following components:

• What new specific resources will this funding opportunity provide your community?
• How will this investment be sustained in the community?
• Can this project be replicated in other communities?
• How does your proposal align with DOE-EM’s mission need?
• How will this funding impact the community?

The following program descriptions are offered to provide more information on areas of interest to the DOE-EM. Activities that differ from what is described below may be considered for award. EM will review each Concept Paper/Application to determine eligibility.

1. Education: EM continues to invest in programs to engage and inspire the future clean energy workforce. Projects in this focus area should align with EM’s efforts to enhance and foster a sustainable and diverse Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce pipeline. Examples of education-based activities include middle and high school engagement to promote STEM such as math/science/indigenous technical knowledge camps, recruitment and/or retention incentives for academic professionals, workforce development programs, student competitions, scholarships, internships, and funded field trips to EM sites for hands-on experience with EM activities such as sampling and monitoring.
2. Infrastructure: EM recognizes the strain that infrastructure needs can have on a community. Addressing infrastructure challenges is critical to improving quality of life for residents in and around EM sites. Projects in this focus area should uplift economic activities and growth of the community by facilitating better production. Examples of infrastructure activities include studies to identify infrastructure needs, historical site preservation activities such as signage, fencing or access improvements, and equipment upgrades such as sampling/monitoring/laboratory equipment and analytic tools.
3. Reindustrialization: EM’s successful cleanup of the remaining sites could potentially afford the opportunity to re-purpose land for community investment and reuse. Projects in this focus area should support EM’s effort to reduce its geographic footprint. Examples of reindustrialization activities include studies to determine future use of EM cleanup sites, projects that support clean energy or cultural restoration, collaboration on economic development strategies and workforce analyses.
4. Community Engagement and Outreach: EM recognizes the importance of formal and informal interactions with Tribal Nations and regulatory and community partners. These interactions are used to communicate cleanup status, raise technical and policy issues, and support timely and sustainable cleanup decisions that affect communities surrounding EM sites. Projects in this focus area should support EM’s ability to engage with the local community. Examples of education and outreach activities include community engagement programs, meeting facilitation training, translation and interpretation services, increasing education and outreach regarding EM cleanup decisions through communications products such as webpages, direct emails, open house events workshops and seminars, hiring labor to perform community outreach activities and/or providing resources for technical assistance for independent review of DOE and other environmental data from sites.

Eligible Applicants: Disadvantaged Communities

This FOA is restricted to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) or any Federally Recognized Tribe that is within the following jurisdictions: Georgia, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. EM will consider multiple sources of information to identify eligible applicants including but not limited to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, DOE’s Energy Justice Mapping Tool, or EPA EJ Screen 2.1. Potential eligible applicants include: Community Reuse Organizations, Community Based Economic Development Organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, K-12 public schools, STEM related non-profit organizations, and Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal Businesses. In addition to the aforementioned, EM will consider concept papers and applications from other entities on a case-by-case basis under this FOA.

• Project must demonstrate a clear link to EM activities.
• Project must not be completely funded under another financial assistance agreement. However, federal funds may be combined to reach total project funding needs. Federal funds cannot duplicate funding activities.
• Projects will be considered for award even if only part of the community or county is identified as disadvantaged.