Compliance Assistance Support for Services to the Regulated Community and Other Assistance Providers

Since 1996, in partnership with industry associations, universities and other government agencies, EPA has supported the development and maintenance of the Compliance Assistance Centers and Center resources. Each Center is targeted to a specific industry, group of industries, local government, or Federal facilities, and explains in plain language the environmental regulations that apply to that sector and offers technical assistance on compliance. In Fiscal Year 2026 funding will continue to support the web-based Compliance Assistance Centers. Through Internet Websites, e-mail discussion groups and more, the Centers will help businesses, local governments, and federal facilities understand federal environmental requirements and save money through pollution prevention techniques.

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations as that term is defined in 2 CFR Part 200. 1. Institutions of higher education as defined at 2 CFR 200.1 are also eligible. EPA will also accept applications from state, tribal and local governments. For-profit firms, including for-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. Additionally, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the NOFO. Non-competitive applications are judged for (a) technical merit in terms of: (1) strengths and weaknesses of the project; (2) adequacy of overall project design; (3) competency of proposed staff; (4) suitability of applicant's available resources; (5) appropriateness of the proposed project period and budget; and (6) probability that the project will accomplish stated objectives; and, for (b) program interest in terms of: (1) the need for the proposed project; and (2) relationship to program objectives.

Fiscal year 2025: Examples of the type of projects funded under this assistance listing include: Centers websites converted to mobile-friendly platform; websites targeted to industry and government sectors; virtual plant tours; telephone assistance "ask the expert"; email discussion groups; Next Generation Compliance; and State Resource Locators (https://www.envcap.org/srl/index.php) that offer state-specific environmental compliance information for a wide range of topics. For more information on the types of projects funded under this assistance listing, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/compliance-assistance-centers.