Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OW OGWDW 22 02

The FY 2022 Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water opportunity is a discretionary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding program that supports hands-on training and technical assistance (TTA) for public water systems, with a particular focus on small systems. The central aim is to strengthen the ability of these systems to consistently deliver safe drinking water by improving operational performance, compliance capacity, and planning for infrastructure needs that directly protect public health. The EPA is looking for applicants that can show a proven track record of delivering practical, results-oriented assistance to water systems, meaning the agency is not just funding reports or general outreach, but support that translates into measurable improvements in system performance and customer outcomes.

A major theme running through this funding opportunity is targeting assistance to communities of need while also aligning drinking water support with broader national priorities. EPA explicitly highlights three connected priorities: making sure funds deliver significant benefit to drinking water systems that need it most, addressing climate-related challenges, and advancing environmental justice and equity. In practice, this means applicants are expected to design programs that do more than offer generic training. Competitive proposals would typically demonstrate how they will prioritize disadvantaged or underserved communities, reduce persistent inequities in drinking water risk and affordability, and help systems prepare for climate impacts such as flooding, drought, source water degradation, extreme weather disruptions, or other stressors that affect water quality and service reliability.

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more active role for EPA in the funded work compared with a standard grant. Cooperative agreements often involve substantial federal involvement in areas such as program direction, coordination, or oversight, which can be important for nationwide initiatives, consistent technical standards, and alignment with EPA strategies. The funding activity category is environment, and the associated CFDA numbers are 66.424 and 66.436, which are commonly tied to drinking water and public water system support activities. The EPA also emphasizes that this funding is intended to ensure ongoing access to resources that help public water systems implement infrastructure improvements and operational changes that reduce health risks, protect the environment, and mitigate environmental justice concerns tied to drinking water service.

The opportunity anticipates awarding a total of about nine cooperative agreements, organized across three National Priority Areas described in the Request for Applications (RFA). EPA expects roughly one to five awards in National Priority Area 1, and about one to two awards in each of National Priority Areas 2 and 3. While the specific content of each priority area is defined in the RFA, the structure signals that EPA is intentionally spreading awards across multiple priority tracks rather than funding a single national provider, and that at least one priority area is expected to have broader scope or larger scale given the higher expected number of awards.

From an eligibility standpoint, the listing indicates "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which typically means eligibility is broader than just state or local governments and may include nonprofits, universities, tribes, quasi-governmental entities, or other qualified organizations, depending on the RFA. However, EPA clearly sets a high bar on capability: applicants should be able to demonstrate experience providing effective technical assistance to public water systems and the capacity to deliver work at the scale and complexity implied by national priority areas, potentially including multi-state coverage, partnerships, training development, field assistance, and performance tracking.

Key administrative details include the Funding Opportunity Number EPA OW OGWDW 22 02, with the opportunity created on December 12, 2022. The original closing date was January 26, 2023, and EPA directs applicants to the announcement (including Section IV) for the official submission requirements, methods, and any additional deadlines or clarifications. The award ceiling listed is $22,000,000, which indicates the maximum award amount available under the opportunity as published, and reinforces that this is a high-impact program aimed at generating tangible improvements in drinking water system capacity and outcomes, especially for smaller systems and communities facing the greatest challenges.

  • The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2022 Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.424, 66.436.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Dec 12, 2022.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 26, 2023 Please refer to the announcement, including Section IV, for additional information on submission methods and due dates.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $22,000,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the FY 2022 Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water opportunity?

This is a discretionary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity that supports hands-on training and technical assistance (TTA) for public water systems, with a particular focus on small public water systems. The purpose is to strengthen these systems' ability to consistently deliver safe drinking water by improving operational performance, compliance capacity, and planning for infrastructure needs that directly protect public health.

What is the main goal of this EPA funding program?

The central aim is to improve the day-to-day and long-term capacity of public water systems (especially small systems) to deliver safe drinking water. The opportunity emphasizes measurable improvements in system performance and customer outcomes, including stronger operations, better compliance capacity, and more effective planning for infrastructure needs tied to public health protection.

What types of activities does EPA want to fund under this opportunity?

EPA is looking to fund practical, results-oriented training and technical assistance that translates into tangible improvements for public water systems. The description indicates EPA is not focused on funding reports or general outreach alone; instead, it is prioritizing hands-on support that can be linked to measurable improvements in operational performance and drinking water outcomes.

Who is the program intended to benefit?

The program is intended to benefit public water systems, with particular emphasis on small systems and on communities of need. The opportunity also highlights the importance of directing benefits to drinking water systems that need support the most, including disadvantaged or underserved communities.

What national priorities are emphasized in this funding opportunity?

EPA explicitly highlights three connected priorities: (1) ensuring funds deliver significant benefit to drinking water systems that need it most, (2) addressing climate-related challenges, and (3) advancing environmental justice and equity. Applicants are expected to align proposed work with these themes.

How is environmental justice and equity expected to show up in proposed projects?

The opportunity indicates that competitive proposals would typically show how the program will prioritize disadvantaged or underserved communities, reduce persistent inequities in drinking water risk and affordability, and mitigate environmental justice concerns tied to drinking water service.

How is climate resilience addressed in this opportunity?

Applicants are expected to help systems prepare for climate impacts that affect water quality and service reliability. Examples mentioned include flooding, drought, source water degradation, and extreme weather disruptions or other stressors impacting drinking water systems.

What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This generally implies a more active EPA role in the funded work compared with a standard grant, potentially including involvement in program direction, coordination, or oversight to support consistent standards and alignment with EPA strategies.

How many awards does EPA expect to make?

EPA anticipates awarding a total of about nine cooperative agreements under this opportunity.

How are the expected awards organized?

The opportunity is organized across three National Priority Areas described in the Request for Applications (RFA). EPA expects roughly one to five awards in National Priority Area 1 and about one to two awards in each of National Priority Areas 2 and 3.

Does EPA plan to fund one national provider or multiple providers?

The structure described suggests EPA intends to spread awards across multiple priority tracks rather than fund a single national provider, with different expected award counts across the three National Priority Areas.

What is the funding activity category for this program?

The funding activity category is environment.

What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The associated CFDA numbers listed are 66.424 and 66.436, which are tied to drinking water and public water system support activities as described in the opportunity summary.

Who is eligible to apply?

The eligibility field is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)." This typically indicates broader eligibility than only state or local governments and may include entities such as nonprofits, universities, tribes, quasi-governmental entities, or other qualified organizations, depending on what the RFA specifies.

What capabilities does EPA expect applicants to demonstrate?

EPA sets a high bar for capability. Applicants are expected to demonstrate a proven track record of delivering effective technical assistance to public water systems and the capacity to deliver work at the scale and complexity implied by the National Priority Areas. This may include multi-state coverage, partnerships, training development, field assistance, and performance tracking.

What does EPA mean by "hands-on" training and technical assistance?

Based on the description, "hands-on" refers to practical support that directly helps systems improve operations and outcomes, rather than purely producing reports or conducting general outreach without clear, measurable changes in system performance.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA OW OGWDW 22 02.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on December 12, 2022.

What was the original application closing date?

The original closing date listed is January 26, 2023.

Where are the official submission requirements and instructions located?

EPA directs applicants to the official announcement materials, including Section IV, for submission requirements, the method of submission, and any additional deadlines or clarifications.

What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed is $22,000,000, which reflects the maximum award amount available under the opportunity as published.

How does this funding relate to infrastructure improvements?

The opportunity emphasizes ensuring ongoing access to resources that help public water systems implement infrastructure improvements and operational changes that reduce health risks, protect the environment, and mitigate environmental justice concerns related to drinking water service.

Is this program focused only on compliance, or also on longer-term planning?

It addresses both. The description highlights improving compliance capacity while also strengthening planning for infrastructure needs that directly protect public health.

Is EPA primarily interested in research and publications under this opportunity?

No. The opportunity text indicates EPA is seeking practical, results-oriented assistance and is not just funding reports or general outreach. The intent is support that leads to measurable improvements in system performance and customer outcomes.

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