Funding Database: Brownfields Cleanup

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Cleanup Grants provide funding for eligible entities to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields, or sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants or petroleum. EPA’s Brownfields Program aims to help communities revitalize brownfield properties, mitigate potential health risks and restore economic vitality. See a fact sheet on the Brownfields Cleanup Grants (PDF).

Brownfield revitalization can support community efforts to become more resilient to climate change impacts by incorporating adaptation and mitigation strategies throughout the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment process.

The Brownfields Cleanup Grants are part of EPA’s Brownfields Program.

What’s the Difference Between a Contaminant and a Pollutant?
A “contaminant” is the presence of a substance where it should not be or at high concentrations. A “pollutant” is a contaminant that can result in adverse health effects to resident communities.

Eligible Applicants

In North Carolina, local governments, regional councils of governments, redevelopment agencies, state governments, federally recognized tribes and nonprofits are eligible to apply. Some community development entities, limited liability corporations and limited liability partnerships are also eligible to apply. An applicant must also own the site for which funding is requested. 

Visit the Entities Eligible to Receive Brownfield Grants page for a full list of eligible applicant qualifications.

Eligible Projects

Brownfields Cleanup Grants fund the cleanup of sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum. An applicant may request funding to address hazardous substances or petroleum contamination at one or more brownfield sites. Brownfield sites where Brownfields Cleanup Grant funds were previously expended may not receive additional grant funding. 

View this information on sites eligible for Brownfields Cleanup Grants. 

EPA updates funding use guidelines each year. Refer to the list of solicitations to see the current and past opportunity descriptions. The fiscal year 2024 Brownfield Cleanup Grant Guidelines listed the following permissible uses of grant funding:

• Direct costs associated with the cleanup of a brownfield site
• Health monitoring of populations exposed to hazardous substances from a brownfield site
• Monitoring and enforcement of any institutional control used to prevent human exposure to any hazardous substance from a brownfield site
• The purchase of environmental insurance

Funding Amount

EPA posts the standard award range for Brownfields Cleanup Grants at below $2 million. Grant amounts above this cap are occasionally offered for projects addressing multiple brownfield sites. Refer to the Request for Applications for funding limits in each cycle.

• Applicants may request up to $500,000 to address cleanup on one brownfield site.
• Applicants may request up to $1 million to address cleanup on multiple brownfield sites.
• Applicants may request up to $2 million to address cleanup on sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants or petroleum.

EPA gives priority to requests less than $500,000. The performance period for these grants is up to four years.

Match Requirements

None.

Application Schedule

EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants run on an annual cycle, with grants typically closing in November.

Application Process

Applicants submit Brownfields Cleanup Grant applications through grants.gov. For the fiscal year 2024 opportunity, applicants were required to include a statement in response to the threshold criterion affirming that there was a sufficient level of site characterization from the environmental site assessment performed for the remediation work to begin on the site(s). 

Grant guidelines, applications, closing dates and general resources are available on the Grant Application Resources page. 

EPA recommends that applicants provide specific examples of how the proposed project will address climate vulnerabilities.

Application Assistance

If resources permit, EPA regions may conduct open meetings with potential applicants. Otherwise, EPA staff can offer limited support for questions about threshold criteria, site eligibility and site ownership. Check with your regional office for more information. The EPA Region 4 representative is Sara Janovitz.

Funding Source

EPA provides this funding through congressional appropriations.