FY2020 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program | EPA OMS 20 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OMS 20 01

The FY2020 National Environmental Information Exchange Network (Exchange Network or EN) Grant Program is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding opportunity designed to strengthen how environmental data is collected, managed, exchanged, and used across government partners and other participants. At its core, the program supports projects that use the Exchange Network framework to make environmental information move more smoothly between organizations, so it can be relied on for regulatory work, oversight, and day-to-day environmental decision making. The emphasis is on modern, interoperable approaches that make data easier to share, easier to find, and more useful once it is shared.

A major focus of the opportunity is improving environmental data sharing through shared and reusable services. Rather than funding one-off, custom-built systems that only work for a single program or agency, the grant encourages applicants to build or enhance services that can be reused by multiple partners. This includes work that enables standardized exchanges and reduces duplication, helping co-regulators and other stakeholders avoid repeating the same development effort in multiple places.

Another key aim is streamlining data collection and exchange workflows so that information is available faster and in a form that supports timely decisions. Many environmental programs depend on routine reporting, updates from monitoring systems, and the ability to compile information across jurisdictions. This opportunity seeks projects that reduce bottlenecks, simplify submissions, automate steps where appropriate, and generally shorten the time between data generation and data availability for analysis and action.

The program also prioritizes improving data quality and expanding access by supporting capabilities such as discovery, publishing, outbound services, and analytical services. In practical terms, that means projects that make it easier for users to locate the right dataset, understand it, and use it with confidence. Publishing and outbound services can help push data to other systems or audiences in consistent formats, while analytical services can help transform raw data into insights that environmental managers can apply to planning, compliance, permitting, emergency response, and other operational needs. The overall intent is to make environmental data not just available, but genuinely usable.

In addition, the opportunity calls for developing foundational Exchange Network shared services that reduce burden and avoid costs for co-regulators and the regulated community. Foundational services typically refer to core building blocks that many exchanges rely on, such as common components for moving data securely, validating data against standards, or enabling consistent reporting. By investing in these foundational elements, the program aims to lower long-term maintenance costs and reduce the effort required for partners to participate effectively in environmental data exchanges.

A further priority is expanding and improving participation in the Exchange Network by strengthening the information management and technology capabilities needed to fully participate. This includes efforts that help organizations meet the technical and operational requirements of the network, adopt standards-based approaches, and improve their readiness to exchange data reliably. The funding opportunity notes that specific priorities and eligible activities are summarized in Section I-E of the funding opportunity announcement, which is where applicants would look for the detailed list of what EPA is seeking to fund under the FY 2020 competitive process.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the EPA under CFDA 66.608, with awards made as grants and/or cooperative agreements. The opportunity is identified as EPA OMS 20 01. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $400,000 and an estimated 30 awards expected, suggesting EPA intended to fund a relatively broad set of projects rather than a small number of very large efforts. The opportunity was created on February 5, 2020, with an original closing date of March 25, 2020, while also noting that applicants should consult Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for closing date details and any related submission instructions or exceptions. Eligibility is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," meaning the announcement itself would define exactly which types of entities could apply (for example, certain governmental entities, tribes, or other qualifying organizations, depending on the specific eligibility language in the full notice).

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a targeted investment in data infrastructure and services that make environmental information more interoperable, more timely, higher quality, and more accessible. The Exchange Network program is oriented toward practical, standards-based improvements that can be shared across partners, reducing repeated costs and helping environmental programs operate with better information and less friction.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2020 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.608.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 05, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 25, 2020 See Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement for close date information.. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for EPA OMS 20 01

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