Region 10 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP)

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About GAP

In 1992, Congress passed the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act. This act authorized EPA to provide General Assistance Program (GAP) grants to federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia for planning, developing and establishing environmental protection programs in Indian country, and for developing and implementing solid and hazardous waste programs on tribal lands. Learn more about EPA's national GAP program.

National GAP Guidance and Capacity Indicators

Legal Provisions and Policies

Legal Provisions and Policies Applicable to Guidance for the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program summarizes many of the legal provisions and policies relevant to GAP.

Success Stories

Region 10 GAP Success Stories highlight successes in Region 10 tribal communities. Find recommendations for creating your own GAP success story and an optional template that you can download.

Apply for a GAP Grant

​EPA Region 10 administers GAP grants for tribes and tribal consortia in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We typically issue a notice of funding availability each year in the fall for work beginning the following fiscal or calendar year. Visit Region 10 Tribal Environmental GAP Funding to learn more.

Role of the Tribal Council

The Tribal Council guides the work, reviews and approves all grant application documents, accepts the grant award, supports GAP staff, and reviews staff reports to understand and track work plan activities. An informed and supportive Tribal Council is the underpinning for a successful environmental program.

  • Contact your EPA Tribal Coordinator to request a GAP presentation for your Tribal Council.
  • Contact Susan Conbere ([email protected]) to request the July 2017 presentation from the Region 10 webinar on Tribal Council Oversight of GAP.

EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan (ETEP)

An EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan (ETEP) is a strategic plan jointly developed by EPA and the tribe that outlines how they will work together to support the tribe's environmental goals.

Administrative Resources

GAP Overview and Grants Training

This EPA Region 9 presentation provides an excellent Overview of GAP and GAP-Eligible Activities (YouTube).  

We  recommend that all GAP grantees complete the course EPA Grants Management Training for Applicants and Recipients at least once during their 4-year funding cycle.  

Below are some of the resources available to help tribes manage their GAP grants:

GAP Work Plan

See also the GAP Technical Assistance Handbook for possible work plan ideas.

Budget

The following resources are available to assist Region 10 tribes in developing GAP budgets.

Indirect Cost Rates

Indirect cost rates help ensure that recipients are compensated for administrative costs incurred under an EPA assistance agreement (e.g., costs for renting space, utilities, accounting services, human resource services). Grantees that have an indirect cost rate should include them in their GAP budget.

Forms

The following EPA grantee forms are typically required when applying for a GAP grant:

  • EPA Form 4700 4 - Pre-award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and Recipients Requesting Federal Financial Assistance: This form is required with every grant application.
  • SF 424 - Application for Federal Assistance: This form is required with every grant application.
  • SF 424A - Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs: This form is required with every grant application.
  • EPA Form 5700 54 - Key Contacts Form: This form is required with every grant application.
  • EPA Form 6600 06 - Certification Regarding Lobbying: This form is required at the beginning of the four-year grant period for all grants over $100,000.

Other forms:

  • GAP Proposal Review Checklist (pdf) (326.96 KB, November 6, 2023) : This optional checklist may help applicants reduce errors in their GAP funding applications. 
  • SF 425 Federal Financial Report: This form is required annually within 90 days of the end of the performance period. In year four, the SF-425 must cover all four years of the grant and is due 120 days of the end of the performance period. 
  • Optional Self-Audit Form (docx) (47.82 KB, September 2020) : This form is designed to help tribes determine if their administrative and financial policies and procedures comply with federal guidelines. EPA encourages tribes to complete this form at least once every four years.

Progress Reports and Closeouts

GAP grantees are required to report on their project activities.

  • Progress reporting: The Code of Federal Regulations outlines the requirements, including a discussion of accomplishments measured against work plan commitments (activities); a discussion of the cumulative effectiveness of the work performed under all work plan commitments; a discussion of existing and potential problem areas; and suggestions for improving the work plan, including the timeline for making improvements if possible.  Grantees typically report quarterly but may negotiate a different reporting cycle with their EPA Tribal Coordinator. 

    Tribes may choose to use one of the following EPA templates or another template approved by their Coordinator.
  • Closeouts: EPA determines that projects funded by a grant or cooperative agreement are completed and administrative requirements are met through the grant closeout. See Tribal Grant Closeouts in Region 10 for a description of the reports that Region 10 tribal grant recipients need to submit and best practices to complete the process.

New Staff Toolkit

Getting started in GAP? Region 10's New Staff Toolkit is designed to help new tribal environmental staff understand the typical activities in the first year and throughout their GAP career.

Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs)

Tribes and intertribal consortia can choose to combine funds from multiple federal environmental grants into one Performance Partnership Grant (PPG). Visit Performance Partnership Grants for Tribes in Region 10 to learn more.

Tribal Consortia

A tribal consortium can use a GAP grant to help its GAP-eligible members achieve their environmental goals. Visit Tribal Consortia in Region 10 to learn more.

Partners

EPA works in collaboration with many organizations in Region 10 to help GAP grantees achieve their environmental goals. One example is the Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC), a partnership with EPA that furthers tribal environmental objectives at the regional level.

Many other partners also provide training, technical assistance, and/or financial assistance. Visit Region 10 Training and Technical Assistance to learn more.

Contacts

For questions about GAP, contact your EPA Tribal Coordinator.

For questions about other tribal work on air, land, and water issues, contact one of our EPA Tribal Specialists.

Region 10 Tribal Programs

Contact Us About Tribal Programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska
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Last updated on October 30, 2024