Unsewered Communities Planning Grant (UCPGP)

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is administering the third round of its Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program (UCPGP) with the goal of supporting small and disadvantaged communities across Illinois in developing viable wastewater infrastructure solutions. This initiative is particularly focused on helping communities that currently lack proper wastewater collection or treatment facilities, or whose systems are significantly inadequate. The central deliverable of this grant is the creation of a comprehensive Project Plan that can serve as the foundational requirement for applying to the Construction Grant in the future. IEPA is offering a total of $1 million through this round of UCPGP, which is sourced from loan repayments to the Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP). Grants will be competitively awarded, with the agency expecting to distribute between 33 and 50 individual awards, each capped at a maximum of $30,000. The funding may be used to contract third-party planning services necessary for developing a Project Plan. Eligible costs include those associated with developing and reporting on grant-required outputs. However, several activities are ineligible, such as land acquisition, design and construction engineering, construction itself, and planning tied to rehabilitating existing systems or future growth-related developments. Moreover, costs incurred outside the duration of the executed Uniform Grant Agreement (UGA) are not reimbursable. Only public sector applicants in Illinois are eligible for this opportunity. Specifically, eligible applicants must be local government units such as counties, municipalities, townships, and similar political subdivisions whose primary function is managing water or wastewater infrastructure. Applicants must also be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State and complete the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) registration and pre-qualification process. This includes registering with the System for Award Management (SAM), possessing a valid Unique Entity ID, submitting the Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ) for FY 2025, and ensuring they are not listed on state or federal exclusion lists. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis beginning December 10, 2024, and will continue to be accepted until all available funds are exhausted. Because the application process is rolling, applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals as early as possible to secure funding. Incomplete applications will be disqualified from consideration. Only fully compliant, pre-qualified applicants will be considered for funding. The IEPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals based on available resources or ineligibility of specific project components. Key contacts for this opportunity include Kaitlyn Holtsclaw, who can be reached at Kaitlyn.M.Holtsclaw@illinois.gov or by phone at 217-782-2027. Additional contacts include Jillian Fowler, Rachael Heaton, and Julie Matthews. Fiscal inquiries, particularly regarding GATA and budget documentation, should be directed to EPA.GATA@illinois.gov or by phone at 217-558-3386. All correspondence should be directed to the IEPA Bureau of Water office in Springfield, Illinois. Applicants are expected to comply with both state and federal grant requirements, including 2 CFR § 200 and all mandates under GATA. Grantees will be required to submit periodic financial and performance reports, as well as a final project evaluation. The IEPA also retains the right to repurpose awarded funds in the event that an applicant fails to meet the required execution timelines or deliverables.

Ensure registration and pre-qualification through the GATA portal is complete before applying. Submit early due to rolling application window and limited funds.