Announcements of Awarded Smart Growth Grants

Local Government Commission Awarded Cooperative Agreement for Organizing a National Smart Growth Conference

On October 27, 2008, EPA awarded a cooperative agreement to the Local Government Commission (LGC). LGC will use the funding to organize a multi-disciplinary event that focuses on diverse smart growth issues and attracts a wide audience, including planners, developer, elected officials, and transportation professionals, among many others. The cooperative agreement calls for a conference to be held each year for a five-year period. This conference is the preeminent smart growth event, featuring cutting-edge sessions and workshops for practitioners seeking tools for smart growth implementation. Between 1,250 and 1,500 registrants are expected to attend this three-day conference each year. For more information on the project, please visit www.newpartners.org.

This award was made in response to a competitive request for proposals (RFP) titled "Organize the National Smart Growth Conference" (EPA-OPEI-DCED-08-01). Submissions for this RFP were due December 21, 2007.

National Trust for Historic Preservation Awarded Cooperative Agreement for Reducing the Environmental and Health Impacts of School Siting

On May 7, 2008, EPA awarded a cooperative agreement to the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP). NTHP will use the funding to develop state-level policy recommendations and offer an educational program to help citizens and officials in their state make informed spending choices on school facilities. NTHP will work with a coalition of partners in up to 5 states in the first year. Through this partnership, NTHP anticipates working with organizations already engaged in state-level policy analysis in each of the five states. For more information on the project, please visit http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/historic-schools/.

This award was made in response to a competitive request for proposals (RFP) titled "Reducing the Environmental and Health Impacts of School Siting" (EPA-OPEI-0704). Submissions for this RFP were due July 2, 2007.

Congress for the New Urbanism Awarded Cooperative Agreement for Smart Growth Streets and Emergency Response

On May 15, 2008, EPA awarded a cooperative agreement to the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU). Through this cooperative agreement, CNU will collaborate with EPA's smart growth program and officials from the emergency response community to provide solutions in the area of emergency response and street design. Over the course of the two-year effort, CNU is expected to create best practices and design manuals, complete state-by-state inventories of fire codes, and develop new national code language that could be adopted at the local level. More information on this project can be found at http://www.cnu.org/emergencyresponse.

This award was made in response to a competitive request for proposals (RFP) titled "Smart Growth Streets and Emergency Response" (EPA-OPEI-0701). Submissions for this RFP were due June 15, 2007.

Pending Awards

Smart Growth Network Web Site Request for Proposals (RFP)

This RFP is currently closed. EPA solicited proposals to fund the development and ongoing maintenance of a website for the Smart Growth Network (SGN). The SGN is a nationally recognized coalition of leadership organizations that have formally endorsed the principles of smart growth. This website will be the SGN’s web-based home, providing basic information about, and web links to, each of the coalition’s major partner organizations. In addition, it will be a “one stop shop” for the most current, cutting-edge information about implementing smart growth approaches, including best practices, resources, and emerging issues. The website should meet the information needs of a wide range of stakeholders, including developers, citizens, planners, government officials, and other interested parties who want to use smart growth approaches to create healthy, economically vibrant communities. An SGN web site is currently supported through a competitively awarded assistance agreement that will expire in 2009. The recipient of that agreement will work with the new awardee to ensure a smooth transition.

EPA expects to award one cooperative agreement from this announcement, with an initial award of approximately $75,000 and a ceiling of approximately $500,000 for a five-year agreement. Funding is subject to availability, agency priorities, and applicant performance.

The deadline for proposals was January 12, 2009.

View the RFP here: HTML | PDF (19 pp, 238K, About PDF)

Educational Campaign on Policy Barriers to Redevelopment of Vacant Properties, Request for Proposals (RFP)

This RFP is currently closed. EPA solicited proposals to educate critical state decision- and policy-makers on policy and practical barriers to the redevelopment of abandoned and other vacant properties. The purpose of this RFP was to:

Analyze selected states' policies and practices that may act as barriers to redeveloping vacant properties;
Identify strategic decision- and policy-makers to participate in educational sessions about policy barriers to redeveloping vacant properties in the target states; and
Educate critical decision-makers at the state level or statewide in the selected states regarding the benefits of and strategies for redeveloping vacant properties.

EPA expects to award one assistance agreement under this solicitation, with approximately $50,000 available for first-year funding, with a ceiling of $250,000 in total over a project period of up to five years. Future funding depends on the availability of funds, agency priorities, and applicant performance.

The deadline for proposals was August 27, 2007.

View the RFP here: HTML | PDF (15 pp, 175 K, About PDF)

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