Southeast New England Program (SNEP) 2023 Stormwater and Natural Infrastructure Grant | EPA I R1 SNEP 2023B

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA I R1 SNEP 2023B

The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) 2023 Stormwater and Natural Infrastructure Grant is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity designed to support projects in Southeast New England that strengthen climate resilience by improving how communities manage stormwater and protect or restore natural systems. The core emphasis is on climate-resilient infrastructure that relies on nature-based solutions (NBS) and natural infrastructure approaches, along with habitat restoration and protection efforts that rebuild ecosystem services that have been damaged over time by development patterns and poor stormwater practices. While the program can fund either planning or on-the-ground implementation, any planning work is expected to be clearly tied to an implementation outcome, meaning applicants should show a real pathway and commitment to turning plans into action rather than stopping at studies or reports.

The opportunity is structured around the SNEP Strategic Plan, which sets three broad, long-term goals that projects should support. These goals include: building a resilient ecosystem with safe and healthy waters, promoting thriving watersheds and natural lands, and advancing sustainable communities. Applicants are expected to explain how their proposed work aligns with one or more of these goals, using the Strategic Plan as the organizing framework for the project story, outcomes, and community benefits.

To move those goals forward, SNEP identifies five priority actions that applicants can use as a practical roadmap for project design and justification. These priorities include increasing local capacity (for example, helping municipalities, tribes, watershed groups, or other partners build the staffing, skills, data, or partnerships needed to deliver stormwater and restoration work); increasing the availability of restoration and protection solutions (expanding the menu of proven approaches, designs, or tools that can be replicated); ensuring diverse representation (meaning projects should demonstrate inclusive engagement and benefits, especially for communities that are often left out of environmental decision-making); demonstrating ways to address common challenges (creating models or pilot efforts that other towns or watersheds can learn from); and increasing local buy-in by working with community leaders (showing that trusted local voices are involved so the effort has lasting support). Grants under this request for applications can address any combination of the three goals and five priority actions, but the application needs to explicitly connect the project to these elements rather than treating them as general background.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary EPA opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement, which typically means EPA expects a higher level of involvement and collaboration during the life of the award compared with a standard grant. The funding falls under CFDA 66.129 and is connected to the Environment and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) activity category. The posted award ceiling is $2,300,000, with an expectation of about six awards, indicating the program is oriented toward a small number of relatively substantial projects rather than many small awards. The opportunity was created on May 1, 2023, with an original closing date of June 30, 2023.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, so prospective applicants would need to consult the full RFA language to confirm whether their organization type and geographic/service area are eligible. Overall, the grant is aimed at turning climate and water-quality goals into practical, community-supported projects that reduce stormwater impacts, restore habitats and ecosystem functions, and demonstrate replicable solutions that can be scaled across Southeast New England.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment, infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Southeast New England Program (SNEP) 2023 Stormwater and Natural Infrastructure Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.129.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 01, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2023. (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 $2,300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for EPA I R1 SNEP 2023B

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