EPA and Corporation for National Community Service Announce Partnership to Leverage Grant Resources to Support Indian Tribes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Corporation for National and Community Service announced that Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) grants may be used as match funding for tribally-sponsored AmeriCorps programs.

More than $3 million worth of AmeriCorps funding is dedicated to support tribal communities every year, but often, tribal governments face financial challenges that prevent them from providing the required matched funding. AmeriCorps members help address key challenges facing Native American communities, including education, disaster response and

environmental preservation. EPA manages GAP to assist eligible tribal governments in building environmental programs needed to regulate and manage their environments. The combination of AmeriCorps grants and EPA program funding such as GAP enable tribal governments to bring in energetic, committed people to help build an environmental program.

“In this time of limited resources, it is critical that our tribal partners are aware of and able to use all available EPA financial

support to ensure tribal environmental needs are being addressed,” said Michelle DePass, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of International and Tribal Affairs. “This initiative is another example of how EPA is working to ensure that all communities have equal opportunity to develop solutions to their most pressing environmental problems.”

Two types of AmeriCorps grants are available specifically for Indian Tribes: a planning grant (up to $50,000) to help support a tribe's development of a future AmeriCorps program, or an operational grant to recruit AmeriCorps members to serve the community. AmeriCorps members can help tribes expand services, build capacity, develop partnerships, create sustainable programs, and recruit and manage other volunteers, and AmeriCorps members receive a living allowance, education award, and other benefits.

“AmeriCorps members are a valuable resource to help tribal leaders meet immediate community needs and make a lasting difference,” said John Gomperts, Director of AmeriCorps. “We are pleased to team up with EPA to find ways to make it easier for tribes to participate in AmeriCorps, and encourage tribes that are interested to apply.”

The AmeriCorps grant application deadline is January 18, 2012. To use EPA grant funds as match for AmeriCorps grants, the proposed activities must be within the scope of EPA’s work. Examples of eligible activities include conducting environmental education, performing assessments of indoor air quality or household pesticide usage, and assessing baseline environmental conditions.

Additional Information:

More information on AmeriCorps Grants: Leveraging Environmental Support:

http://www.epa.gov/tribal/pdf/americorps-gap-fact-sheet-122111.pdf

More information on EPA’s tribal program: http://www.epa.gov/tribal/

More information on AmeriCorps: http://www.americorps.gov/

Current AmeriCorps funding opportunities:

http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa.asp