# Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/epa-r-ow-owm-23-02-innovative-water-infrastructure-workforce-development-grant/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/350314

> Environmental Protection Agency offered grants of up to $1.0 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 20 awards worth $20.8 million in total. Applications closed on November 17, 2023.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | EPA-R-OW-OWM-23-02 |
| Agency | Environmental Protection Agency |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | November 17, 2023 |
| Award ceiling | $1.0 million |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 20 |
| Total funding | $20.8 million |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 66.445, 66.616 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Please see Section III of the funding opportunity announcement for eligibility information.

## What the grant funds

The nation has made significant progress in addressing environmental and public health needs over the past fifty years, but more remains to be done. To further the goal of ensuring a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers in the water utilities sector, Congress, under the American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a grant program under Section 1459E of the Safe Drinking Water Act, to accelerate career pipelines in the water utilities sector and provide access to water utility workforce opportunities. In addition, under Clean Air Act Section 138(b)(2), which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Congress authorized EPA to award grants for workforce development activities that help reduce green-house gas emissions and other air pollutants that benefit disadvantaged communities as defined by the EPA Administrator and we are soliciting projects for this under project area 6 in Section I.C. of this Request for Applications (RFA). Through this grant program, EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants as described in Section III.A of the RFA to assist in the development and utilization of innovative activities relating to workforce development and career opportunities in the water utility sector, which may include: (A) expanding the use and availability of activities and resources that relate to the recruitment, including the promotion of diversity within that recruitment, of individuals to careers in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector, including stormwater; (B) expanding the availability of training opportunities for (i) individuals entering the water and wastewater utility sector; and (ii) individuals seeking to advance careers within the water and wastewater utility sector; (C) expanding the use and availability of activities and strategies, including the development of innovative activities and strategies, that relate to the maintenance and retention of a sustainable workforce in the water and wastewater utility sector; and (D) expanding the availability of workforce development and training that enables drinking water and wastewater utility workers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other air pollutants to benefit disadvantaged communities.

## Questions people ask

### Is EPA-R-OW-OWM-23-02 still open?

No. It closed on November 17, 2023.

### Who can apply for Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program?

Environmental Protection Agency accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Grant Program?

Closed November 17, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $1.0 million each. About $20.8 million in total across about 20 awards.

### Who has won Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program (SDWA 1459E) grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were National Rural Water Association, The Water Tower Institute, Inc, Grand Rapids Community College. The program made 21 awards worth $19.4 million in that time.