Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OW OWM 20 02
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity titled "Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution" (Funding Opportunity Number EPA-OW-OWM-20-02; CFDA 66.446) supports nationwide efforts to strengthen wastewater management in rural, small, and tribal communities. The program is built around providing hands-on training and practical technical assistance to publicly owned wastewater treatment works (POTWs) as well as decentralized wastewater treatment systems, with the overall goal of preventing, reducing, and eliminating pollution. This is a discretionary opportunity and would be awarded through cooperative agreements, meaning EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period rather than serving only as a pass-through funder.
The legal foundation for the work comes from Section 104(b)(8) of the Clean Water Act, which directs that these funds be used specifically for training and technical assistance. EPA structures the expected work into three core components that applicants must support. The first component focuses on acquisition of financing, which typically involves helping eligible communities and systems understand, access, and successfully secure funding sources for wastewater needs. In practice, that can include guidance on preparing for loan and grant applications, improving the financial and managerial capacity needed to qualify for funding, and identifying appropriate federal, state, tribal, or other financing mechanisms that can support upgrades, replacements, or operational improvements.
The second component centers on protecting water quality and achieving Clean Water Act compliance. This part is aimed at improving the ability of small, rural, and tribal wastewater systems to meet permit requirements and performance standards, reduce pollutant discharges, and address operational weaknesses that can lead to violations or environmental harm. Training and technical assistance under this component often includes support with best practices in operations and maintenance, improving treatment performance, understanding regulatory obligations, troubleshooting compliance challenges, and building operator and utility capacity so that compliance is sustained over time rather than achieved temporarily.
The third component emphasizes dissemination of planning, design, construction, and operation information. Here, the intent is to make reliable, usable information widely available to the communities and systems that need it, including guidance and tools related to planning and asset management, selecting appropriate treatment technologies, designing and constructing effective infrastructure, and operating systems in a way that is resilient and cost-effective. This component is essentially about ensuring that small and tribal utilities are not left without access to the kinds of technical resources that larger utilities often have in-house, and that practical knowledge is shared broadly so communities can make sound decisions across the full lifecycle of wastewater infrastructure.
A key expectation of the opportunity is that training and technical assistance be made available nationally, with a clear focus on rural, small, and tribal communities. While the eligibility category is listed generally as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement (Section III.A), the program is designed for organizations capable of delivering national-level assistance and outreach. EPA anticipated making approximately four awards, with an award ceiling of $12,000,000, indicating relatively large cooperative agreements intended to support broad service coverage and significant technical capacity.
The opportunity was created on March 15, 2021, with an original closing date of May 17, 2021, and EPA directed applicants to consult the full announcement (including Section IV) for exact submission requirements, methods, and any due date details. Overall, the grant is aimed at strengthening the technical, managerial, and financial capabilities of small and tribal wastewater providers so they can secure funding, comply with Clean Water Act requirements, and implement proven approaches to planning, building, and operating wastewater systems that protect public health and water quality.Apply for EPA OW OWM 20 02
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.446.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 15, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 17, 2021 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.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $12,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this EPA funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA listing?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA-OW-OWM-20-02, and the CFDA number is 66.446.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The program supports nationwide efforts to strengthen wastewater management in rural, small, and tribal communities by providing hands-on training and practical technical assistance to wastewater systems, with the goal of preventing, reducing, and eliminating pollution.
What types of wastewater systems are intended to be supported?
The opportunity is intended to support publicly owned wastewater treatment works (POTWs) as well as decentralized wastewater treatment systems.
Is this a competitive or formula funding program?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity, meaning awards are made competitively based on the application and EPA selection process described in the full announcement.
What type of award does EPA plan to use?
EPA plans to award cooperative agreements. Under a cooperative agreement, EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period rather than acting only as a pass-through funder.
What is the legal authority for this funding?
The legal foundation is Section 104(b)(8) of the Clean Water Act, which directs that funds be used specifically for training and technical assistance.
What are the major required components of the work?
EPA structures the expected work into three core components applicants must support: (1) acquisition of financing, (2) protecting water quality and achieving Clean Water Act compliance, and (3) dissemination of planning, design, construction, and operation information.
What does the "acquisition of financing" component involve?
This component typically involves helping eligible communities and systems understand, access, and successfully secure funding sources for wastewater needs. Examples include guidance to prepare for loan and grant applications, improving financial and managerial capacity to qualify for funding, and identifying federal, state, tribal, or other financing mechanisms that can support upgrades, replacements, or operational improvements.
What does the Clean Water Act compliance and water quality protection component cover?
This component focuses on improving the ability of small, rural, and tribal wastewater systems to meet permit requirements and performance standards, reduce pollutant discharges, and address operational weaknesses that can lead to violations or environmental harm. Assistance often includes operations and maintenance best practices, improving treatment performance, understanding regulatory obligations, troubleshooting compliance challenges, and building operator/utility capacity so compliance is sustained over time.
What does the information dissemination component emphasize?
This component emphasizes making reliable, usable information widely available, including guidance and tools related to planning and asset management, selecting appropriate treatment technologies, designing and constructing infrastructure, and operating systems in a resilient and cost-effective way.
Is this program intended to serve a specific geographic area?
Training and technical assistance are expected to be available nationally, with a clear focus on rural, small, and tribal communities.
Who is the program primarily designed to benefit?
The program is designed to strengthen the technical, managerial, and financial capabilities of small and tribal wastewater providers so they can secure funding, comply with Clean Water Act requirements, and implement proven approaches to planning, building, and operating wastewater systems.
How many awards did EPA anticipate making?
EPA anticipated making approximately four awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $12,000,000.
What does the award ceiling suggest about the scale of projects?
Because the ceiling is relatively high and the program is national in scope, the cooperative agreements are intended to support broad service coverage and significant technical capacity.
What is known about eligibility?
The eligibility category is listed generally as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement (Section III.A). The program is designed for organizations capable of delivering national-level assistance and outreach.
When was this opportunity created, and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on March 15, 2021. The original closing date was May 17, 2021.
Where can applicants find the exact submission requirements?
EPA directed applicants to consult the full announcement for exact submission requirements, submission methods, and any due date details (including the sections referenced in the announcement, such as Section IV for submission requirements).
What kinds of activities are highlighted as "hands-on training" and "practical technical assistance"?
The description highlights activities such as helping systems prepare for funding applications, improving financial/managerial capacity, supporting operations and maintenance best practices, troubleshooting compliance challenges, improving treatment performance, and sharing tools and guidance for planning, design, construction, and resilient operations.
Does the program focus only on compliance, or also on long-term capability?
It emphasizes sustained capability. The compliance component specifically notes building operator and utility capacity so compliance is sustained over time rather than achieved temporarily.
Does the program include help with planning and asset management?
Yes. Planning and asset management are explicitly included under the dissemination component, along with other lifecycle topics like technology selection, design, construction, and operations.
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