![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514233913im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
EPA Lead Program Grant Fact Sheet
EPA's National Community-Based Lead Grant Program
EPA grants are helping communities with older housing reduce childhood lead poisoning. The funds enable communities to educate those at risk, provide lead-awareness training and develop local ordinances aimed at lead abatement.
The National Community-Based Lead Outreach and Training Grants are aimed at promoting efforts to prevent or reduce childhood lead poisoning. In 2007 the Agency awarded more than $3.1 million in grants to fund this ambitious program. Grant recipients range from city health departments to universities and colleges, community organizations, religious groups and other non-profit organizations.
EPA's lead program is playing a major role in meeting the federal goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning as a major public health concern by 2010. Projects supported by these grant funds are an important part of this ongoing effort -- and we are seeing their effects. By 2002, the number of U.S. children with elevated blood levels had dropped to 310,000 from 13.5 million in 1978, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Medical Foundation
EPA has selected The Medical Foundation in Dorchester, Massachusetts, for a National Community-Based Lead Outreach and Training Grant.
The Medical Foundation will develop community-based collaborative approaches to address the problems of lead poisoning among children in immigrant and refugee communities in Springfield and Brockton, Massachusetts.
The project will:
- Partner with key community-based stakeholders,
- Provide outreach, education and training,
- Promote the development, implementation and ownership of lead prevention action plans,
- Promote infrastructure development, such as reviewing, revising and developing ordinances,
- Incorporate mechanisms to make these efforts sustainable beyond the life of the project.
This project will complement existing and evolving statewide efforts to promote healthy homes in Massachusetts, including programs focused on lead and other home-based public health problems, such as asthma, pest control and violence prevention.
For more information about EPA's Lead Program, visit www.epa.gov/lead or call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.