EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Up to $4,000,000
Federal cleanup grants for contaminated site owners
The EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant program provides up to $500,000 (or up to $4 million enhanced) to eligible site owners to remediate properties contaminated by hazardous substances, petroleum, or pollutants. Funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, FY2026 awards have the 20% cost-share requirement waived. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and qualifying for-profit entities that own the contaminated site. Cleanup enables redevelopment for clean energy, manufacturing, mixed-use, and community benefit projects.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $4,000,000
- Realistic amount
- Most standard awards are $300,000–$500,000. Enhanced awards ($1M–$4M) require demonstrated large-scale contamination and…
- Deadline
- FY2026 cycle: site characterization letter deadline June 15, 2026; application deadline typically 90 days after Notice of Funding Opportunity posting on Grants.gov (check current NOFO for exact date)
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Must own or control a brownfield site (property contaminated by hazardous substances, petroleum, or pollutants) meeting CERCLA Section 101(39) definition
- Eligible entities: local governments, tribes, states, land clearance authorities, regional councils, redevelopment authorities, nonprofits, and qualifying for-profit entities
- Applicant must not be a responsible party for the contamination (i.e. you did not cause or contribute to the contamination — or a specific exemption applies)
- Site must have completed adequate environmental assessment (Phase I and Phase II) before applying for cleanup funds
- Non-state/tribal applicants must obtain a letter from their state/tribal environmental authority confirming site characterization by June 15, 2026 (FY2026)
- Only one cleanup grant application permitted per applicant per competition cycle
- Site must be located in the United States
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Environmental cleanup and remediation of hazardous substances, petroleum, pollutants, or contaminants
- Soil removal, treatment, and disposal
- Groundwater remediation systems
- Demolition of contaminated structures
- Vapor intrusion mitigation
- Site preparation activities directly related to remediation
- Community outreach and involvement activities tied to cleanup
- Project management, oversight, and reporting costs directly related to cleanup
Ineligible expenses
- Purchase of the brownfield property
- Site acquisition costs
- New construction or development costs unrelated to cleanup
- Administrative overhead costs exceeding program limits
- Costs incurred before grant award date
- Cleanup of sites with active CERCLA or RCRA federal enforcement actions (generally)
How to apply
-
1
Confirm site eligibility
Verify the property meets CERCLA Section 101(39) brownfield site definition. Review EPA eligibility exclusions. Confirm you do not qualify as a responsible party for the contamination. Contact your EPA Regional Brownfields coordinator for pre-application consultation — this is strongly encouraged.
~4 hrs
-
2
Complete Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments
If not already done, commission Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and Phase II ESA (sampling/testing to characterize contamination). Cleanup grants require documented site characterization. If you need assessment funds first, apply for an EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant.
~8 hrs
-
3
Obtain state/tribal environmental authority letter (non-state/tribal applicants)
Request a letter from your state or tribal environmental authority confirming the site's characterization status or providing an assessment timeline. This must be submitted or received by June 15, 2026 for FY2026 cycle.
~10 hrs
-
4
Register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov
Ensure your organization has an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and SAM.gov registration. Register on Grants.gov if not already. SAM.gov registration typically takes 1–2 weeks for new registrants.
~3 hrs
-
5
Prepare and submit grant application on Grants.gov
Complete the application package per the NOFO: SF-424, project narrative, budget justification, site characterization documentation, community involvement plan, and letters of support. Submit via Grants.gov before the NOFO deadline.
~60 hrs
Phase II environmental assessment data must be in hand before applying — skipping this step is the #1 rejection reason. Contact your EPA Regional Brownfields coordinator before writing a single page of the application; they will tell you exactly what your region prioritizes and which sites are competitive.
Deadline & timing
The June 15, 2026 date is the deadline for non-state/tribal applicants to submit letters from environmental authorities confirming site characterization readiness or providing assessment timelines. The full grant application deadline is set in the NOFO posted on Grants.gov — monitor EPA Brownfields listserv (epa.gov/brownfields) for exact dates. FY2026 is a live funding cycle under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.