The Brownfields Program is designed to empower states, tribes, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfield properties, like preserving them as greenspace. A Multipurpose Grant is for communities that have identified an area (like a neighborhood) with one or more brownfield sites.

Eligible Uses

This program provides funding to conduct a range of eligible activities that ultimately result in a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (an assessment that tests for possible soil, air, and groundwater pollution), a brownfield site clean up, and a Revitalization Plan.

Recipients may use a portion of the Multipurpose Grant for eligible participant support costs, which can include stipends to compensate an individual’s time and travel costs for participating in project-related meetings and community engagement efforts.

Eligible Recipients

State, local, and tribal governments are all eligible, including Tribal organizations and non-profit organizations. Nonprofit organizations that conduct political lobbying, like 501(c)(4) registered nonprofits, are not eligible for EPA funding.

Approx Annual Funding Amount

This varies year by year, though it typically is funded around $14 million. Grants are for up to five years and are capped at $800,000 per project. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invested an additional $150 million into the Multipurpose Grant.

Cost Share Requirements

It varies year to year if the program requires a cost share; there is no cost share required for FY23.

Application Cycle

Application solicitations are typically released in September with applications due in December.

Contact

Regional contacts

Other Info

  • This program is covered under the Justice40 Initiative.
  • A brownfield is a property that may contain a pollutant, hazardous substance, or contaminant, which creates a barrier to redeveloping that property.