In support of the FY 2019 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, the EPA will host three webinars to assist interested applicants. The webinars will be held on March 11^th, March 15^th, and March 20^th.  Each webinar will include the same presentation on the following topics: an overview of the EN Grants Program, critical elements of the Solicitation Notice, notable changes from FY 2018, tips for preparing and submitting your application, and common mistakes to avoid. This will be followed by a question and answers session with participants. Please note that the sessions will end when all the participants’ questions have been addressed.

Webinar Details:

Monday, March 11^th, 2019: 2:30 – 4pm ET

Friday, March 15^th, 2019: 2 – 3:30pm ET

Wednesday March 20^th, 2019: 12:30 – 2pm ET

Dial-In Number (for Audio): 202-991-0477; Conference Code: 6693499 

An Adobe account is not required to join the meeting. Please select ‘sign in as guest’ and write your full name, your affiliation, and your location:e.g. Erin McGown, EPA HQ, DC

The February 22, 2019 addendum to the FY 19 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program solicitation notice contains a revision to the Safe Drinking Water Information System opportunity in Appendix A. This modification updates the SDWIS Program activities to which applicants can apply in FY 19. These changes occurred due to delays in the SDWIS Prime modernization schedule.

The amendment also extends the application submittal date from 11:59 PM ET April 1, 2019 to 11:59 PM ET on April 8, 2019.

The updated request for applications can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/fiscal-year-2019-national-environmental-information-exchange-network-grant-0.

The FY 2019 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice is now available at https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/fiscal-year-2019-national-environmental-information-exchange-network-grant. Applications are due to EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, April 1, 2019. Information on stakeholder webinars will be provided shortly.

The primary outcome expected from Exchange Network (EN) assistance agreements is improved access to, and exchange of, high-quality environmental data from public and private sector sources. With this outcome in mind, applications should demonstrate support for and results toward EN program priorities.

In FY 2019, EPA expects to award over $7 million for 20-30 assistance agreements for EN projects. Most awards will be in the $50,000 to $300,000 range. Awards for an individual assistance agreement cannot exceed $200,000. EPA may make a limited number of awards to collaborative, partnership assistance agreements. Budgets for these projects cannot exceed $400,000. The exact number of assistance agreements will depend on the final amount of EPA’s appropriation for the EN grant program, the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the amounts of proposed budgets, and the outcome of application reviews.

EPA only accepts project proposals for EN assistance agreements submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions in or around August 2019, and tentatively plans to issue awards by September 30, 2019.

For more information, please contact:

Edward Mixon

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

P: 202-566-2142

E: mixon.edward [at] epa.gov