U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
This Request For Proposals (RFP) solicits proposals from eligible entities for grants
and cooperative agreements to be awarded pursuant to a portion of the $475 million Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative included in Public Law 111-88, the Department of the Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 which is in furtherance of
President Obamas Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (the Initiative) announced in February
2009. The President and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with
15 other federal agencies, have made restoring the Great Lakes a national priority. The Initiative
builds on the prior efforts of agency, business, public interest, and other leaders which resulted in
the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (GLRC Strategy) and the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative Action Plan now being developed. This RFP represents EPAs major
competitive grant funding opportunity under the Initiative and is one of several funding
opportunities described in the Initiatives Interagency Funding Guide. This RFP, in conjunction
with other funding opportunities under the Initiative, will be used to competitively provide
funding to eligible entities to address the most significant Great Lakes ecosystem problems and
efforts in five major focus areas:
Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern, including pollution prevention and cleanup of
the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes.
Invasive Species, including efforts to institute a zero tolerance policy toward new
invasions.
Nearshore Health and Nonpoint Source Pollution, including a targeted geographic focus
on high priority watersheds and reducing polluted runoff from urban, suburban and,
agricultural sources.
Habitat and Wildlife Protection and Restoration, including bringing wetlands and other
habitat back to life, and the first-ever comprehensive assessment of the entire 530,000
acres of Great Lakes coastal wetlands for the purpose of strategically targeting restoration
and protection efforts in a science-based manner.
Accountability, Education, Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication and Partnerships,
including the implementation of goal- and results-based accountability measures, learning
initiatives, outreach and strategic partnerships.
