The Exchange Network Grant Program has been informed that the current Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) must be revised in accordance with updated Agency priorities. As such, the application due date will be extended until at least Monday, April 28, 2025. An updated Solicitation Notice is not yet available but will be posted to the grants.gov listing (and linked on the EPA EN website) as soon as possible. 

Please note that we are anticipating updates to Section 3B, Program Goals and Objectives, which will further impact evaluation criterion 1A (see SN page 17) and the project description section of the project narrative (see SN page 67). If additional changes are reflected in the new Solicitation Notice, the EN Grant Program will clearly state these edits on the EPA’s EN website at:
https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#solicitation.

Applicants who have already submitted an application for the FY25 cycle will be able to resubmit their application, with the updated requirements, following the publication of the revised FY25 EN Solicitation Notice.

The EN Grant Program will release an updated optional project narrative template to reflect SN changes; other EN resources on the EN website will be reviewed and updated as necessary.  Please note that the new FY25 EN Solicitation Notice, once published to Grants.gov, will be the official Notice, with the most up-to-date information and applicant instructions.

EPA only accepts project proposals for EN grants submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors requiring you to resubmit. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions in Summer 2025 and tentatively plans to issue awards by Fall 2025.

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]

The due date for applications to the FY25 Exchange Network Grant Program is fast approaching! All applications must be submitted to grants.gov before 11:59 PM ET on March 24^th, 2025.

U.S. EPA has published the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) to Grants.gov at: EPA-OMS-25-01, Fiscal Year 2025 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice. Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates for the cover letter, project narrative (work plan), and budget narrative attachment form, plus a budget calculation tool, are also available through the grants.gov listing and on EPA’s EN website. 

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the new FY25 SN, as updates have been made since the FY24 version. Applicants can view a general summary of these changes on the EPA website under the ‘Solicitation Notice’ section. In addition, applicants can view slides presented on recent informational webinars as well as a Frequently Asked Questions page. 

The purpose of the Exchange Network (EN) grant program is to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely, high quality, environmental information. Applicants are encouraged to read the Solicitation Notice carefully for further information on applicant requirements.

EPA expects to award 30-35 grants of up to $600,000 each, totaling approximately $9,500,000 in FY25. The exact number of grants awarded will depend on the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the amounts of proposed project budgets, and the quality of proposals. Please be aware: award funding thresholds have increased from prior years by $100,000. Individual applicants can now request up to $400,000 and eligible EN partnerships can request up to $600,000.  

EPA only accepts project proposals for EN grants submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors requiring you to resubmit. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions around July 2025, and tentatively plans to issue awards by October 2025. 

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]

In support of the FY 2025 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, the EPA is hosting a series of informational webinars for prospective applicants. The final webinar is set for tomorrow March 6^th, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET. The session is designed to help potential applicants better understand the EN grant program and the requirements for applying for an EN assistance agreement. Planned agenda topics include an overview of the EN grant program, notable changes from prior solicitation notices, an overview of available guidance, and common applicant mistakes to avoid.
 
The webinar will conclude with a question-and-answer (Q&A) session. Any questions and the answers provided by EPA (across all webinars) will then be added to the FAQs under the section(s) titled ‘Applicant Questions Asked in FY25’; see the ‘Resources for FY25 Applicants’ section on the EPA EN website.
 
Notes on Joining the Webinar:

• The webinar will be hosted through Microsoft Teams, which can be joined by clicking the links below.
• To enter the meeting, click the link below; you will be prompted to ‘choose your video and audio options’. Select your audio preference (e.g., ‘computer audio’), ensure your camera is turned off, mute yourself, and then click ‘join meeting’.
  • During the call, you can unmute yourself to ask a question by clicking on the microphone icon (top of the screen).
  • Questions can also be typed into the TEAMS ‘Meeting Chat’.
• To preserve audio quality for all participants, EPA asks that participants mute themselves unless speaking on the call.

General Webinar (2): Thursday 3/6, 3-4:30pm ET
Join the meeting now (meeting hosted on TEAMS)
Dial in by phone +1 202-991-0477; Phone Conference ID: 415 360 486#
 
Please direct any questions to Erin McGown at [email protected]. The PowerPoint slides from this presentation will be posted to the EPA website at: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#Resources

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]

In support of the FY 2025 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, the EPA will host two general informational webinar(s) on Thursday February 27^th and March 6^th, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET. Additionally, the EPA will host one Tribal informational webinar on Tuesday March 4^th, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET. All sessions will cover the same information and are designed to help potential applicants better understand the EN grant program and the requirements for applying for an EN assistance agreement. Planned agenda topics include an overview of the EN grant program, notable changes from prior solicitation notices, an overview of available guidance, and common applicant mistakes to avoid.
 
Each webinar will conclude with a question-and-answer (Q&A) session. Any questions and the answers provided by EPA (across all webinars) will then be added to the FAQs under the section(s) titled ‘Applicant Questions Asked in FY25’; see the ‘Resources for FY25 Applicants’ section on the EPA EN website.
 
Notes on Joining the Webinars:

• The webinars will be hosted through Microsoft Teams, which can be joined by clicking the links below.
• To enter a meeting, click the link below; you will be prompted to ‘choose your video and audio options’. Select your audio preference (e.g., ‘computer audio’), ensure your camera is turned off, mute yourself, and then click ‘join meeting’.
  • During the call, you can unmute yourself to ask a question by clicking on the microphone icon (top of the screen).
  • Questions can also be typed into the TEAMS ‘Meeting Chat’.
• To preserve audio quality for all participants, EPA asks that participants mute themselves unless speaking on the call.

General Webinar (1): Thursday 2/27, 3:00 – 4:30pm ET
Join the meeting now (meeting hosted on TEAMS)
Dial in by phone +1 202-991-0477; Phone Conference ID: 764 648 829#
 
Tribal Webinar: Tuesday 3/4, 3:00 – 4:30pm ET
Join the meeting now (meeting hosted on TEAMS)
Dial in by phone +1 202-991-0477; Phone Conference ID: 572 964 353#
 
General Webinar (2): Thursday 3/6, 3:00-4:30pm ET
Join the meeting now (meeting hosted on TEAMS)
Dial in by phone +1 202-991-0477; Phone Conference ID: 415 360 486#
 
Please direct any questions to Erin McGown at [email protected]. The PowerPoint slides from this presentation will be posted to the EPA website at: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#Resources

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]

U.S. EPA has published the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) to Grants.gov at: EPA-OMS-25-01, Fiscal Year 2025 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice. Applications are due in grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Monday, March 24th, 2025. Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates for the cover letter, project narrative (work plan), and budget narrative attachment form, plus a budget calculation tool, are also available through the grants.gov listing and on EPA’s EN website. 

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the new FY25 SN, as updates have been made since the FY24 version. Applicants can view a general summary of these changes on the EPA website under the ‘Solicitation Notice’ section. EPA plans to hold applicant webinars in the upcoming weeks; more information will be provided shortly and posted to the EPA website in the ‘Webinar Series’ section. 

The purpose of the Exchange Network (EN) grant program is to foster better environmental management and decision-making through increased access to timely, high quality, environmental information. An applicant’s proposed project goals and outputs should align with one or more EN Funding Areas as described in Section 3A of the SN and EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan: 
https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan. Applicants are encouraged to read the Solicitation Notice carefully for further information on applicant requirements.

EPA expects to award 30-35 grants of up to $600,000 each, totaling approximately $9,500,000 in FY25. The exact number of grants awarded will depend on the number of applications submitted to EPA by the application deadline, the amounts of proposed project budgets, and the quality of proposals. Please be aware: award funding thresholds have increased from prior years by $100,000. Individual applicants can now request up to $400,000 and eligible EN partnerships can request up to $600,000.  

EPA only accepts project proposals for EN grants submitted electronically through Grants.gov, unless applicants have a waiver. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors requiring you to resubmit. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions around July 2025, and tentatively plans to issue awards by October 2025. 

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]

Last week, representatives from U.S. EPA, states, Tribes, and others convened in Kansas City, MO for the Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i). The meeting featured presentations and conversations on ways that agencies are using data and innovative techniques to improve productivity and responsiveness in environmental protection.
   
The gathering attracted more than 350 in-person and virtual attendees for three days of sharing best practices in environmental information management, applications for advanced technologies, and more.

Unable to make it to the meeting? Not to worry! 

Visit the meeting website to catch up on what you missed. You’ll find copies of slides and other materials plus recordings of selected sessions that were offered as part of the hybrid meeting experience. 

Many thanks to all of the speakers, attendees, and organizers that made E2i a great success!

This is a reminder to join the September installment of the monthly series of Exchange Network Forums. The next EN Forum will be held on Thursday, September 12 from 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern.  

PLEASE NOTE! The EN Forum is switching platforms from Zoom to Microsoft Teams beginning with the September 12 Forum. If you previously registered for the Zoom series, you should have received a new calendar invitation with the MS Teams information. You may need to manually delete the older invitations that used Zoom. If you want to receive a recurring calendar invitation for the new series, please send an email to [email protected].
 
The recording and slides from past EN Forums are available online.

Discussion Topics

The September Forum agenda will cover the following topics:

• Meet Your Exchange Network Coordinator: Region 4, James Davies
• Info on the upcoming 2024 Tribal Exchange Network Conference 
• Review the agenda for the upcoming Environmental Information & Innovation Meeting (E2i)
• Demo of the E2i meeting app 

Contact

For more information about the Exchange Network Forum, please contact Alex O’Neill with EPA’s Office of Information Management.

Can’t make it to Kansas City in September for the Environmental Information & Innovation (E2i) Meeting? Join us virtually instead!

The E2i chairs are pleased to announce that portions of the meeting will be available virtually for remote attendees. If you would like to attend virtually, head to the E2i Registration Page and select “E2i Virtual Participant”.

We will be offering virtual participation for the following portions of the E2i meeting:

• September 17-18 General Session from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Central

• September 17-18 Concurrent Sessions (Option 1 Only) from 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM Central

Options 2 and 3 of the Sep 17-18 concurrent sessions and the Working Sessions on September 19 will not be available for virtual participants. See the E2i agenda for more details on the available sessions.

You will be able to join the virtual meeting by visiting our online meeting portal or mobile meeting app on meeting day. You can also use the portal to network with other virtual and in-person attendees before and during the event. Watch this site and your inbox for more details in the run up to the meeting.

We look forward to seeing you in-person or virtually later this month!

More information on E2i

E2i will be held in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19. E2i continues the longstanding series of national meetings held by the National Environmental Information Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. E2i brings together a broad community of attendees from state, tribal, and local environmental agencies, U.S. EPA, vendors, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the productivity and responsiveness of the environmental protection enterprise. The meeting will create opportunities for environmental professionals to connect with other community members, share their successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.

Today August 26 is the last day to reserve your hotel room at the special group rate for the Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i) in Kansas City, MO! If you haven’t registered or reserved your hotel room, now is the time! The special rate of $126/night expires today at 5:00 PM Central.  Make your way to the E2i Meeting Website to:

• Register for the meeting;
• Reserve a hotel room (Hurry! These are first come, first served until August 26);
• Learn about travel expense reimbursement opportunities; and
• Check out our compelling meeting agenda.

For travel planning purposes, you can expect the start and end times each day to remain stable. Topics, speakers, and the precise order of events are still subject to some change as we finalize the last details.
 
More information on E2i

E2i will be held in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19. E2i continues the longstanding series of national meetings held by the National Environmental Information Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. E2i brings together a broad community of attendees from state, tribal, and local environmental agencies, U.S. EPA, vendors, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the productivity and responsiveness of the environmental protection enterprise. The meeting will create opportunities for environmental professionals to connect with other community members, share their successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.

We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City in September!

We’re less than 1 month out from the Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i) in Kansas City, MO taking place September 17-19! If you haven’t registered or reserved your hotel room, now if the time! Our hotel block expires in just one week on Monday, August 26 at 5:00 PM Central.  Make your way to the E2i Meeting Website to:

• Register for the meeting;
• Reserve a hotel room (Hurry! These are first come, first served until August 26);
• Learn about travel expense reimbursement opportunities; and
• Check out our compelling meeting agenda.

For travel planning purposes, you can expect the start and end times each day to remain stable. Topics, speakers, and the precise order of events are still subject to some change as we finalize the last details.
 
More information on E2i

E2i will be held in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19. E2i continues the longstanding series of national meetings held by the National Environmental Information Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. E2i brings together a broad community of attendees from state, tribal, and local environmental agencies, U.S. EPA, vendors, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the productivity and responsiveness of the environmental protection enterprise. The meeting will create opportunities for environmental professionals to connect with other community members, share their successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.

We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City in September!

U.S. EPA is offering contractor support assistance to states and other agencies planning to transition to the new database that will support safe drinking water programs. The deadline for states to apply for assistance has been extended to August 19. Agencies can apply for transition support assistance using the application available at this link. 

The new database, known as the Drinking Water Federal State & Tribal Information Exchange System (DW-SFTIES), is still under active development. EPA is making resources available to help states develop transition plans, strategies for preparing and moving data to DW-SFTIES, and plans for supporting data access and analysis tools that will need to connect to DW-SFTIES.

EPA strongly encourages each primacy agency to submit a transition contract support application now, regardless of when your agency plans to transition to DW-SFTIES. Transition activities will require significant staff support and funds. If agencies wait to estimate these staffing and funding needs, it may increase the difficulty of securing resources when they are needed. Submitting your request now also helps the EPA and contractor transition team plan for future contract support staffing needs.

In the 2-3 months following the August 19th application deadline, the EPA and contractor transition support team will schedule communications with each primacy agency to clarify the support request and draft a schedule. Scheduling priority will be based on the anticipated transition date of each agency.

States may direct questions about this assistance to Justin Wright of EPA.

We’re less than 2 months out from the Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i) in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19! We’ve published a fresh set of updates to a compelling agenda with an exciting array of speakers. What are you waiting for?! Find your way to the E2i Meeting Website to:

• Register for the meeting;
• Reserve a hotel room (Hurry! These are first come, first served until August 26);
• Learn about travel expense reimbursement opportunities; and
• Download the latest agenda.

For travel planning purposes, you can expect the start and end times each day to remain stable. Topics, speakers, and the precise order of events are subject to change, but we’ll always have the latest and greatest version of the agenda available for download on the website.
 
More information on E2i

E2i will be held in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19. E2i continues the longstanding series of national meetings held by the National Environmental Information Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. E2i brings together a broad community of attendees from state, tribal, and local environmental agencies, U.S. EPA, vendors, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the productivity and responsiveness of the environmental protection enterprise. The meeting will create opportunities for environmental professionals to connect with other community members, share their successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.

We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City in September!

This is a reminder to join the July installment of the monthly series of Exchange Network Forums. The EN Forum will be held on Thursday, July 11 from 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern. Use the registration link below to register for the entire 2024 series. If you have already registered for the 2024 series you do not need to register again. 

The recording and slides from past EN Forums are available online.

Discussion Topics

The June Forum agenda will cover the following topics:

• EPA Region 2 Exchange Network Projects
  • Meet Regional Exchange Network Coordinator Barry Kaye
  • Project Highlight: St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
• Environmental Information & Innovation (E2i) National Meeting
  • Agenda Overview
  • Reminder to Register
• EN Reinvigoration: Understanding EN Data Exchanges
  • Background on EN Reinvigoration
  • Metrics on EN Data Exchanges
    • States
    • Tribes
  • Additional Context, State Questions

Contact

For more information about the Exchange Network Forum, please contact Alex O’Neill with EPA’s Office of Information Management.

We have big news! Registration and the first working draft agenda for the Environmental Information and Innovation Meeting (E2i) are now available! Find your way to the E2i Meeting Website to:

• Register for the meeting;
• Reserve a hotel room (first come, first served until August 26);
• Learn about travel expense reimbursement opportunities; and
• Download the first working draft agenda.

You can expect to see more details pop onto the working draft agenda in the coming weeks as we lock in more topics, speakers, and details. For travel planning purposes, you can expect the start and end times each day to remain stable. Topics, speakers, and the precise order of events are subject to change, but we’ll always have the latest and greatest version of the agenda available for download on the website.
 
More information on E2i

E2i will be held in Kansas City, MO from September 17-19. E2i continues the longstanding series of national meetings held by the National Environmental Information Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. E2i brings together a broad community of attendees from state, tribal, and local environmental agencies, U.S. EPA, vendors, and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the productivity and responsiveness of the environmental protection enterprise. The meeting will create opportunities for environmental professionals to connect with other community members, share their successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.

We look forward to seeing you in Kansas City in September!

This is a reminder to join the June 13 installment of the monthly series of Exchange Network Forums. The June call will be held from 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern. Register here for the entire 2024 series. If you have already registered for the 2024 series you do not need to register again. 

The recording and slides from past EN Forums are available online.

Discussion Topics 

The June Forum agenda will cover the following topics:

• Brief update on the Environmental Information & Innovation Meeting (E2i)
• Greetings from the Region 9 EN Coordinator
• EN Project Demonstration by Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians (Region 9)
• Virtual Exchange Service (VES) 101
• Open Discussion Forum

Contact

For more information about the Exchange Network Forum, please contact Alex O’Neill with EPA’s Office of Information Management.

The Exchange Network Grant Program has extended the FY24 application due date by one business day to 11:59 PM ET on Thursday May 23^rd. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN), available at: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353216, has been edited to reflect this change on pages 1, 16, 17, E1, and E14.
 
The FY24 application due date was modified from the original date of Wednesday May 22nd, 2024, following an announcement of scheduled system maintenance by grants.gov from May 18th – 21st, 2024. Applicants for the FY24 Exchange Network Grant program must submit an application package to EPA through the Grants.gov on or before Thursday, May 23, 2024, 11:59 PM Eastern.
 
Please note that applications cannot be submitted during the grants.gov maintenance period of May 18th – May 21st, 2024.
 
EPA only accepts project proposals for EN grants submitted electronically through Grants.gov unless applicants have a waiver. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors requiring you to resubmit. EPA anticipates that it will announce selection decisions around July 2024, and tentatively plans to issue awards by September 30^th, 2024.
 
For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]
Secondary Email: [email protected]

In support of the FY 2024 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, U.S. EPA will host two general informational webinars and one tribal informational webinar to help potential applicants better understand the EN grant program and the requirements for applying for an EN assistance agreement.

The two general webinars will be held on April 25 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern and April 30 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern. The Tribal webinar will be held on May 2 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern. 

Visit EPA’s EN Grants Webpage for complete details on how to join. 

Agenda topics will include notable changes from prior solicitation notices, an overview of available guidance, and common mistakes to avoid. Each session will close with a question-and-answer session to address all participants’ questions. The Q&A and webinar slides will be added to the EN Grant Program website at: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#Resources following the webinar.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) is available on Grants.gov at: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353216. Applications are due to EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, May 22^nd, 2024. Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates for the cover letter, project narrative (work plan), and budget narrative attachment form, plus a budget calculation tool, is available through the grants.gov listing and on the EN website at: Exchange Network Grant Program | US EPA.  

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]
Secondary Email: [email protected]

Today is the day! These are the final hours to send in your ideas for the call for presentations and other content for the Environmental Information & Innovations Meeting (E2i). Don’t miss this opportunity to share your work and ideas that are moving environmental protection forward.   

The E2i meeting theme is Reinvigorate, Collaborate, Innovate. We need your help to craft a program that is engaging, informative, and relevant to your work.
 
We are seeking your proposals for content that aligns with that theme and the following key topics:

• Innovations related to the Exchange Network and its data flows;
• Telling environmental protection stories through data visualization;
• Environmental program innovations and policy modernization;
• Improving data management processes and procedures;
• Leveraging geospatial data for environmental management;
• Improving user experience in web applications;
• Using Open Data, APIs and analytics to improve decision-making;
• Applying Artificial Intelligence in environmental protection;
• Adopting cloud technologies and shared platforms to drive efficiencies;
• Improving mobile data entry and fieldwork through technology;
• Building partnerships within and among environmental agencies;
• Examples of cross-agency and cross-partner collaboration; and,
• Finding intersections between data, science, and policy.

Submission Guidelines
You may submit a brief abstract for any of the following formats:

• Lightning Talks
• Podium Presentations
• Panel Discussions
• Innovation Videos
• Workshops

If you do not wish to lead a session or presentation, you may also submit an idea for a topic that you would like to see explored at this year’s meeting.
 
More information on E2i
 
E2i will be held on September 17-19, 2024 in Kansas City, MO! E2i is a national meeting for the environmental protection community that creates opportunities to connect with other community members, share your successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.  
 
E2i builds on a long-standing series of Exchange Network and E-Enterprise national meetings that have convened since the early 2000s. After a long hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, we are excited to reinvigorate this meeting with a new name and new opportunities for learning and interaction.   
 
Many more details on the meeting will be coming soon! 
Should you have questions regarding the call for content or need assistance with your submission, please contact Kurt Rakouskas at [email protected].

This is a friendly reminder that you have 5 more days to make a submission under the call for presentations and other content for the Environmental Information & Innovations Meeting (E2i). The deadline is coming up quickly this Friday, April 19! 

The E2i meeting theme is Reinvigorate, Collaborate, Innovate. We need your help to craft a program that is engaging, informative, and relevant to your work.
 
We are seeking your proposals for content that aligns with that theme and the following key topics:

• Innovations related to the Exchange Network and its data flows;
• Telling environmental protection stories through data visualization;
• Environmental program innovations and policy modernization;
• Improving data management processes and procedures;
• Leveraging geospatial data for environmental management;
• Improving user experience in web applications;
• Using Open Data, APIs and analytics to improve decision-making;
• Applying Artificial Intelligence in environmental protection;
• Adopting cloud technologies and shared platforms to drive efficiencies;
• Improving mobile data entry and fieldwork through technology;
• Building partnerships within and among environmental agencies;
• Examples of cross-agency and cross-partner collaboration; and,
• Finding intersections between data, science, and policy.

Submission Guidelines
You may submit a brief abstract for any of the following formats:

• Lightning Talks
• Podium Presentations
• Panel Discussions
• Innovation Videos
• Workshops

If you do not wish to lead a session or presentation, you may also submit an idea for a topic that you would like to see explored at this year’s meeting.
 
More information on E2i
 
E2i will be held on September 17-19, 2024 in Kansas City, MO! E2i is a national meeting for the environmental protection community that creates opportunities to connect with other community members, share your successes and challenges, and learn about best practices in environmental protection.  
 
E2i builds on a long-standing series of Exchange Network and E-Enterprise national meetings that have convened since the early 2000s. After a long hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, we are excited to reinvigorate this meeting with a new name and new opportunities for learning and interaction.   
 
Many more details on the meeting will be coming soon! 
Should you have questions regarding the call for content or need assistance with your submission, please contact Kurt Rakouskas at [email protected].

In support of the FY 2024 Exchange Network (EN) Grant cycle, U.S. EPA will host two general informational webinars and one tribal informational webinar to help potential applicants better understand the EN grant program and the requirements for applying for an EN assistance agreement.

The two general webinars will be held on April 25 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern and April 30 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern. The Tribal webinar will be held on May 2 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern. 

Visit EPA’s EN Grants Webpage for complete details on how to join. 

Agenda topics will include notable changes from prior solicitation notices, an overview of available guidance, and common mistakes to avoid. Each session will close with a question-and-answer session to address all participants’ questions. The Q&A and webinar slides will be added to the EN Grant Program website at: https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#Resources following the webinar.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Exchange Network (EN) Grant Program Solicitation Notice (SN) is available on Grants.gov at: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353216. Applications are due to EPA by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Wednesday, May 22^nd, 2024. Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates for the cover letter, project narrative (work plan), and budget narrative attachment form, plus a budget calculation tool, is available through the grants.gov listing and on the EN website at: Exchange Network Grant Program | US EPA.  

For more information, please contact:
Erin McGown
EN Grants Program Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Email: [email protected]
Secondary Email: [email protected]