EPA’s FY 2027 Brownfields Job Training competition is open through September 23, 2026. The program can fund up to $300,000 over a project period of up to three years to recruit, train, and place unemployed and underemployed residents into environmental work connected to brownfields assessment, cleanup, remediation, safety, and site revitalization.
Source + trust record
Source checked as of September 18, 2026. Primary authority: EPA FY 2027 Brownfields Job Training Grants and EDD WSIN26-05.
Check result: The competition remains open through September 23, 2026. EPA allows requests up to $300,000 for project periods no longer than three years. The current EPA NOFO, FAQs, and Grants.gov record control eligibility, allowable training, application requirements, and any amendment. This AI-assisted brief does not receive human legal or compliance review. Official sources control.
WDB decision strip
| Status | Action | Primary owner | Deadline | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPEN FEDERAL GRANT | GO / NO-GO NOW | Grants + Environmental / Construction Sector Lead | Sept. 23, 2026 | Environmental careers · Brownfields · Safety training · Placement |
The bottom line
A strong Brownfields Job Training application starts with local cleanup and employer demand, not with a generic occupational-training curriculum.
EPA wants projects that recruit local unemployed or underemployed residents, train them for environmental work connected to brownfields and related hazardous-substance or petroleum work, and place graduates into full-time sustainable employment. With the deadline close, the immediate question is whether an eligible lead already has the employer, site, community, and training relationships needed to submit a credible project.
The go / no-go screen
| Question | Go when… | Pause when… |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible lead | An eligible entity can own the EPA award and grant compliance. | Applicant eligibility is being assumed instead of checked against the NOFO. |
| Brownfields connection | The region has real cleanup, remediation, environmental, or site-reuse work connected to brownfields needs. | The proposal is mainly general construction or workforce training with a weak brownfields link. |
| Employers | Environmental employers can validate occupations, skills, certifications, placement demand, and wages. | Placement depends on projected jobs with no employer commitment. |
| Target population | The project has a credible way to recruit local unemployed and underemployed residents who can benefit from the pathway. | Recruitment is an afterthought. |
| Delivery capacity | Training, supportive services, employer connection, case management, and placement roles are already owned. | The partnership is still deciding who will run the project. |
What EPA can support
EPA describes Brownfields Job Training as preparation for environmental employment in areas such as sustainable remediation, chemical safety, and site preparation for brownfields revitalization. The FY 2027 competition allows requests of up to $300,000 and project periods of up to three years. The NOFO and current EPA FAQs control eligible applicants, allowable training, budget rules, coalitions, and other application requirements.
Where a WDB can add value
- Labor-market validation: identify occupations, wages, employers, projected hiring, and adjacent career pathways.
- Recruitment: connect AJCC customers and community partners to the project where appropriate.
- Funding braid: identify complementary WIOA or partner resources for eligible participant needs not covered by the EPA award.
- Employer services: organize employers around curriculum, work experience, interviews, and placement.
- Regional strategy: connect brownfields cleanup to construction, environmental services, water, utilities, infrastructure, climate resilience, or related sector work.
What to do before September 23
- Confirm applicant eligibility in the FY 2027 NOFO.
- Use EPA’s current application resources, FAQs, webinar materials, and sample format.
- Validate the occupations and employers the project will serve.
- Define the participant pathway from recruitment through training and full-time placement.
- Check that proposed courses are eligible for Brownfields Job Training funding.
- Finalize partner roles, data, placement commitments, budget, and grant-management ownership.
Watch out
- Do not assume a general environmental or construction course is automatically eligible.
- Do not use WDB interest as a substitute for employer hiring demand.
- Do not wait until award to build the placement network.
- Use the live EPA/Grants.gov materials for the application; this brief is a decision aid.
Source authority
EDD WSIN26-05 — FY 27 Brownfields Job Training Grants
U.S. EPA — FY 2027 Brownfields Job Training Grants
Status: EPA lists the FY 2027 competition as open with applications due September 23, 2026. The EPA NOFO and Grants.gov record control eligibility and application requirements. Source checked September 16, 2026.