Feedback Session on FY 2021 Exchange Network Grant Cycle & Solicitation Notice - July 29, 2021
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Feedback Session on FY 2021 Exchange
Network Grant Cycle & Solicitation Notice
July 29, 2021
3 – 4:30 PM Eastern Time
Agenda 1) Meeting Purpose 2) Notes on Participating on the Call 3) EN/FY21 Overview & Reminders 4) Specific Feedback Questions 5) Any Other Feedback
Purpose of the ‘Feedback Session on FY 2021 Exchange Network Grant Cycle & Solicitation Notice’ • EPA is currently in the process of drafting and updating the Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice for FY’22 • A critical part of this process is to solicit feedback from our stakeholders and current/potential grantees • We are looking for feedback on: • How useable and clear is the Exchange Network Solicitation Notice? • How helpful are the applicant tools? • How well do the funding opportunities meet the needs of our stakeholders?
Notes on Participating on the Call:
• Please note that EPA will not be able to incorporate all feedback received during this
call into future Exchange Network Solicitation Notices
• Additionally, EPA may not be able to address specific questions about the FY’22 EN
Solicitation Notice to ensure competition fairness in future grant cycles
• To preserve our audio quality, please remain muted unless you are speaking
• To unmute on Teams (computer): Select the microphone icon to unmute yourself
• To unmute on the phone: Dial *6
• We encourage folks to use the hand-raise feature on Teams when sharing
Please note that this call will be recorded.Notes on Teams:
• The mute icon on Teams looks like this: = Muted = Unmuted
• The hand-raising feature* on Teams looks like this:
• Access the Teams chat* by clicking this button:
*may not be available for all participantsNotes for Participants (Attendance) • If you did not pre-register for this session by emailing Shela Poke- Williams, please enter the following into the TEAMS chat: • Your organization/division name • Your tribe, state, or territory • For anybody who has called in (only),please unmute yourself and identify which organization you are with • EPA will maintain these records internally; they will not be shared with any third parties
EN Overview & Grant Funding Purpose
The EN is a collaborative partnership of EPA, states, territories, and tribes to foster
better environmental management and decision making through increased access to
timely, high quality environmental information
Grant Funding Purpose
• To develop technologies to share data among partners through the EN
• Develop underlying shared or reusable services that provide the
foundation of EN operations
• Make data available to partner personnel, the public or other
communities of interestFY’21 EN Grant Cycle • FY 2021 was the 20th year EPA awarded competitive funding to eligible partners for projects through the Exchange Network Grant Program • Between FY 2002 and FY 2021, EPA provided approximately $252 million for state, tribal and territorial awards and associated program support • EPA anticipates awarding over $9 million in grant funding to 45 grantees during the FY’21 Exchange Network grant cycle
Notable Changes to the FY21 Solicitation Notice • There were many updates to the FY21 EN Solicitation Notice, including: The renaming and streamlining (from 5 to 3) of the EN Funding Areas An increased emphasis on the E-Enterprise Digital Strategy (EEDS) Updated Evaluation Criteria (including new EEDS language) New ‘Individual Capacity Building with Mentorship’ funding opportunity Updated Applicant Guidance
EN Funding Areas
• Funding Area 1: Increased Data Access and Innovative Business Processes
• Appendix A: These funding opportunities were open to both individual applicants (up to $200,000) and
eligible partnerships (up to $400,000)
• Funding Area 2: Eliminate paper submittals and expand e-reporting
• Appendix B:These funding opportunities were open to both individual applicants (up to $200,000) and
eligible partnerships (up to $400,000)
• Funding Area 3: Augment the information management capacity of EN partners
• Appendix C: Three specific funding opportunities were available, dependent on applicant type: Individual
Capacity Building (up to $200,000); Individual Capacity Building with Mentorship (up to $215,000); and
Collaborative Capacity Building (up to $400,000)
• Only open to tribes and territoriesReminder: Participating on the Call • To preserve our audio quality, please remain muted unless you are speaking • Notes on unmuting yourself to speak: • On Teams (computer): Select the microphone icon to unmute yourself • On the phone: Dial *6 • We encourage folks to use the hand-raise feature on Teams when sharing
Any Feedback on EN Funding Areas/Funding Opportunities? • Do the funding opportunities within the FY’21 Solicitation Notice reflect current stakeholder interest areas?
Any Feedback on Evaluation Criteria?
• Any specific feedback on the expansion of Criteria 3D & 3E to include the E-Enterprise
Digital Strategy (EEDS)?
• The EEDS (2020) serves as a high-level framework for environmental enterprise and
continues to evolve based on new technological developments and changing
programmatic needs
• Asks projects to demonstrate alignment with the three EEDS principles:
• The ‘Information Centric Approach’
• The ‘Shared Platform Approach’
• The ‘Customer Centric Approach’Evaluation Criteria Points Evaluation Criteria Points
1. Project Outputs and Outcomes Leading to Environmental Results (10 Points) 4. Budget, Resources and Key Personnel (20 Points)
A. Supporting EPA Strategic Goals/Environmental Outcomes 5 A. Clearly Outlining a Detailed Budget 5
B. Tracking, Evaluating, and Measuring Progress 5 B. Qualifications of the Project Manager/Key Personnel 5
2. Project Feasibility and Approach (12 Points) C. Appropriate Budgeting 5
A. Project Roles and Responsibilities 5 D. Managing Funds Efficiently and Timely 5
B. Programmatic Involvement 5 5. Past Performance (12 Points)
C. Commitment to Registering New and/or Reused Resources 2 A. …with previous EN Grant Program assistance agreements: 12
3. Alignment with Exchange Network Funding Areas (46 Points) - The overall percentage of progress reports submitted by
their due date... (6 Points).
A. Defining Project Goals and Outputs 5 - Whether semi-annual reports as submitted under prior
assistance agreements historically demonstrate sufficient
B. Aligning Goals with EN Program Funding Areas 5 progress… (2 points).
- Whether grantees with past grants funded since 2011
C. Connecting Goals to Business and Administrative Needs 5 have registered tools, resources, services, data flows
and/or the reuse of existing resources… (4 Points).
D. Demonstrating Technical Understanding 9
B. …[without] any previous EN Grant Program assistance 6
E. Enhancing Data Sharing and Availability 14 agreements and the application explicitly states this (6 points).
F. Commitment to Reuse Existing Resources 8
…does not explicitly state that this (0 points).
Total: 100Any Feedback on Application Guidance Appendices?
• What other improvements could List of Applicant Support Appendices from the Solicitation Notice
be made to improve the clarity • Appendix E: Detailed Instructions for Preparing and Submitting
Application
and usability of the SN?
• Cover Letter Overview
• Project Narrative Overview
• Mandatory Grant Attachments
• Any feedback on the provided • Additional Attachments (as applicable)
• Detailed Instructions for Submitting Applications
applicant guidance appendices?
• Appendix F: Optional Pre-Submission Checklist
• Appendix G: Glossary of Terms, Phrases, and AcronymsAny Feedback on the Applicant Resources/Templates?
The following applicant guidance resources are available on
• What other improvements could the EN website:
be made to improve the clarity • Optional Cover Letter Template
and usability of the templates? • Optional Project Narrative Template
• Optional Budget Narrative Attachment Form Template
• Application Attachments Overview
• Any other feedback on the
• FY21 Solicitation Notice Webinar (slidedeck)
applicant resources?
• FY21 Exchange Network General FAQs
• FY21 Exchange Network FAQs
https://www.epa.gov/exchangenetwork/exchange-network-grant-program#ResourcesAny Other Feedback?
Contact Us: If you would like to provide additional feedback on the FY’21 EN Grant Solicitation Notice or the application process, please email your comments to Erin McGown at mcgown.erin@epa.gov by August 15th, 2021. Additional EPA Contacts: Erika Beasley: EN Grant Program Manager Beasley.erika@epa.gov Wendy Blake-Coleman: Branch Chief, Information Exchange Partnership Branch blake-coleman.wendy@epa.gov
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