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Environmental Justice Grant Application Instructions

Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, 2008

An eligible applicant may apply to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for State assistance funding. Please read this entire package of information and include all required documentation at the time the application is submitted. If an application is determined by DEC to be incomplete, the applicant will not have an opportunity to resubmit another application until the next EJ Grant cycle. Applications must be typed or printed legibly. The format for the application is to be used as it appears in the application package. Attachment C, Budget Summary Form, must be used to describe the itemized budget for the proposed Project. The following elements are required for a complete application: Application Form Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4, including Attachments A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H as applicable. See the Application Checklist.

Part 1. Applicant Information

Applicant: Enter the name, address and contact information for the community group that is applying for the EJ Grant funds.

Not-For-Profit Corporation (NFP): If different from the applicant community group, enter the name, address and contact information for the Not-for-Profit Corporation serving as the financial agent for the applicant community group. All NFPs must include their Federal Employer ID number and New York State Charities Registration number.

Authorized Official: The NFP officer authorized by Resolution to sign legal documents. See Sample Resolution of Support in Supplement B. This person will receive official notification about decisions regarding this application.

Part 2. Project Summary

Project Name: Concisely state the Project name.

Project location: Complete the entries for question 2 regarding the location of the proposed Project site. Latitude/longitude or UTM coordinates are optional. If coordinates are recorded, they should be for the approximate center of the Project site.

Brief Description of Project, including multiple environmental harms and risks to be addressed by Project: Concisely describe the proposed Project including multiple environmental harms and risks to be addressed by the Project. Harms and risks should relate to industrial, commercial or municipal operations or the execution of state or local laws, regulations, policies or programs. Please provide a clear, concise and detailed description in the space provided. If the Applicant receives an EJ Grant award, this description will be attached to the Grant Contract as the Scope of Work.

Is the proposed Project part of a larger Project? If so, briefly describe the larger Project, state the reason that funding for the larger Project is insufficient to cover the expenses for the proposed Project, and describe and identify how funds from the Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant Program will be used as part of the larger Project.

Part 3. Project Timing and Costs

Project Start and Completion Dates: Enter estimated start and completion dates. Generally, up to three years will be allowed for Project completion.

Grant amount requested: Total amount of State funding requested. This amount must match the total in Attachment C, Project Budget.

Part 4. Attachments

Attachment A. Description of Applicant Community Group

Provide a narrative description of the applicant community group. The size and format of the narrative description must not exceed two double-sided 8.5" x 11" pages (or four single-sided pages) with 1" margins, double spaced, using any common 12 point font such as Times New Roman, Arial, etc. Discuss the following points in order. Be sure to address each item listed:

  1. Describe the nature/purpose/mission of the applicant community group. The community group must focus primarily on addressing the environmental and/or public health problems of the residents of the community;
  2. Briefly describe the geographic location of the applicant community group and verify that the applicant community group is located in the affected community;
  3. If the applicant community group has a board of directors, include a list of board members and their professional or community affiliations; and
  4. Verify that the applicant community group is a Not-For-Profit Corporation (NFP) with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status or has partnered with a NFP that will serve as a financial agent for the recipient. If the applicant community group has partnered with a NFP that will serve as a financial agent, describe the applicant's relationship with the NFP and provide a signed letter of agreement between the applicant and the NFP stating that the NFP will serve as the financial agent.

Attachment B. Project Narrative

Provide a narrative description of the Project. The size and format of the narrative description must not exceed eight double-sided 8.5" x 11" pages (or sixteen single-sided pages) with 1" margins, double spaced, using any common 12 point font such as Times New Roman, Arial, etc. Discuss the following points in order. Be sure to address each item listed:

  1. Statement of Purpose: Clearly state the purpose and scope of the Project.
  2. Community Description: Describe in detail the community for which the Project is proposed. Specifically include the following:
    1. Location;
    2. Description of the environmental setting of the community (zoning, type of housing, amount of open space and recreational opportunities etc);
    3. Demographic make up of the community (population, percent minority, percent low-income);
  3. Harms and Risks: Discuss the relationship of the proposed Project to multiple environmental harms and risks.
    1. Identify the multiple environmental harms and risks to be addressed by the Project;
    2. List the adverse impacts on the community relating to the multiple environmental harms and risks, if known;
    3. Explain how the Project will address the community's exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks;
    4. Explain how the Project will be used to expand the knowledge or understanding of the affected community.
  4. Proposed Work: Provide a detailed description of the activities to be conducted as part of the Project.
    1. Identify the goals/objectives of the proposed Project;
    2. Discuss how the goals/objectives will be accomplished, i.e., discuss Project methods;
    3. Identify the research to be done as a component of the proposed Project;
    4. Identify the environmental activity, effort or associated work product to be completed as a component of the proposed Project;
    5. Identify how the proposed Project and results from the Project will educate the affected community about the multiple environmental harms and risks and the Project, and how that information will be communicated to the affected community;
  5. Project Personnel: Describe the roles of people involved with the Project. Include the people who will be involved with the design and execution of the Project and state their qualifications, experience and individual roles.

Attachment C. Project Budget - Use Budget Summary Form

See lists of eligible and ineligible costs.

Describe all anticipated expenses on the Budget Summary Form (Attachment C). If other funding sources for this Project exist, indicate the funding source for each proposed budget item as coming from Environmental Justice Community Impact Grant funds or another funding source. Break expenses down into the following expenditure classes. Individually list all known or anticipated expenses within each category:

  1. Paid Staff: Individuals paid directly by the applicant for work done exclusively for the Project, including paperwork and reporting. For each staff member working on the Project, provide the person's name and a brief description of his or her duties for the Project. The budget amount must be based on the employee's regular hourly rate of pay for the hours directly applicable to the Project and type of work being performed. Any expense for fringe benefits cannot exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the respective staff member's salary award under this Grant;
  2. Contractual Service: Costs related to contracts for professional services that are paid a fixed amount via a Project-specific contract, and procured in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). For information on GAAP, see the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board website at http://www.fasab.gov/accepted.html. Provide the name of each contractor and a brief description of that contractor's duties for the Project;
  3. Supplies and Materials: Costs for expendable items required for the Project that are consumed during the implementation of the Project;
  4. Equipment: Costs for non-expendable items required for the Project that are not consumed and continue to retain value beyond the duration of the Project. Any equipment, furniture, supplies or other property purchased with funds provided by this Grant program cannot be sold, transferred or used for purposes other than stated in the recipient's State Assistance Contract for five years after the date of final payment under the Contract, or five years after the date that the final payment was due, without the written approval of DEC;
  5. Communication costs: Costs associated with communication required to execute the Project, including costs related to informing the community about the Project such as telephone services, telegrams, postage, messenger, electronic or computer transmittal services;
  6. Publication costs: Costs associated with publication including printing, distribution, and mailing;
  7. Costs associated with securing Not-For-Profit Corporation status up to $1,000. This cost is not eligible for advance funding, but will be reimbursed upon submission of documentation verifying the expense and proof that NFP status has been attained;
  8. Training: Costs related to training that is required for the Project;
  9. Travel: Costs related to travel that is required for the Project. Briefly describe the reason these travel expenses are needed for the Project, especially for travel outside the Project area. Travel expenses cannot exceed the per diem rates specified by the U.S. General Services Administration without written consent of DEC. Per diem rates can be found at http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC;
  10. Computer hardware and software: Costs for purchase, upgrade and maintenance of computer hardware and software required for execution of the Project;
  11. Other reasonable expenses directly related to the Project.

Attachment D. Project Schedule

Provide a detailed schedule for the Project. Estimate when each component of the Project will begin and will be completed, and the associated costs for each component. Projects should generally be completed within three years of the official notification by DEC of an EJ Grant award, with the exception of any long term monitoring, stewardship or other such activity.

Attachment E. Resolution of Support/Endorsement

A resolution authorizing the NFP to sponsor/conduct the Project as described in the application must be passed at an official meeting of the NFP governing body. The resolution must be prepared on the NFP's stationery. The name and title of the person authorized to sign the contract for the NFP must be included in the resolution. A signed original or certified copy of the resolution should be submitted with this application or within 60 days of the application deadline. The resolution must be signed by an organization executive other than the Authorized Official. See the Sample Resolution of Support in Supplement B.

Attachment F. Maps and photographs

Provide a map showing the proposed Project area as well as photographs supporting the proposed Project. Photographs will not be returned to the applicant.

Attachment G. Letter of Support

A letter of support is optional, but encouraged. Applications with a letter of support from a government body, educational institution, or other established entity supporting the applicant community group and the proposed Project will be awarded additional points in the EJ Grant application review and evaluation process.

Attachment H. Letter of Agreement

Provide a signed letter of agreement between the applicant community group and the NFP stating that the NFP will serve as the financial agent, if applicable.

Part 5. Certifications and Signature

The Application must be signed by the authorized official of the Not-For-Profit Corporation who is described in Part 1 of the Application Form. This signature certifies that all of the information contained in the Application is true and that the Applicant Community Group meets all of the following requirements for funding:

  1. The applicant community group is located in the affected community;
  2. More than fifty (50) percent of the applicant community group's members live in the affected community;
  3. The applicant community group is a Not-For-Profit Corporation (NFP) or has partnered with a NFP that will serve as a financial agent for the recipient; and
  4. The applicant community group (and NFP, if applicable) has not caused or contributed to the harms or risks relating to the proposed Project.

PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT THE SIGNATURE OF THE AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING.

Mailing Address

Forward one copy of the application with original signature and all required attachments to:

Monica L. Kreshik
NYSDEC
Office of Environmental Justice
625 Broadway
Albany, New York 12233-1500
ATTN: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANT APPLICATION

APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY