The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $500,000 grant to the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in Washington D.C. The funding aims to support the recruitment, training, and placement of workers in community revitalization and cleanup projects at brownfield sites in the District of Columbia.
"Thanks to President Biden’s unwavering commitment to historically overburdened communities, EPA is investing $1.4 million in Brownfields Job Training grants in the Mid-Atlantic Region," stated Adam Ortiz, EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator. "These grants are changing lives and improving communities, as well as making a generational impact."
The Center for Nonprofit Advancement intends to train 100 students and place 75 of them in environmental jobs. Successful trainees will receive up to eight federal certifications.
"This grant will enable the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (the Center)/Atmos Foundation team to deepen our engagement with the community, creating a meaningful environmental workforce, and fostering partnerships to tackle environmental challenges together in the Washington DC metro area," said Glen O’Gilvie, CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. "We are deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited to embark on this journey towards a more sustainable world, hand in hand with our community."
Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these grants aim to promote economic opportunity and environmental justice across underserved U.S. communities.
EPA's Brownfields Job Training Program supports organizations developing skilled workforces where brownfield sites are being assessed and prepared for reuse. Many program graduates live in areas impacted by environmental stressors and gain certifications that enhance their career prospects. These certifications cover lead and asbestos abatement; hazardous waste operations; mold remediation; environmental sampling; analysis; and health safety training.
President Biden's leadership has resulted in historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law into U.S. brownfields infrastructure totaling over $1.5 billion via EPA’s Brownfields Program.
Since its inception in 1998, EPA has awarded 430 grants worth over $113 million through its job training programs resulting in more than 23,400 individuals completing training with over 17,400 placed into careers related to land remediation and environmental health safety roles.
For additional information about selected Brownfields Job Training grant recipients or how organizations can apply or inquire about these grants visit EPA's Grant Factsheet Tool online.
