Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program
Applied for and awarded 2019. Applied for and awarded in 2026.
CSFA Number: 532-00-2476
IEPA is making $1 million available for the next 2 years for Planning Grants to assist small and disadvantaged communities in developing a Project Plan that identifies a solution to their wastewater collection and treatment needs.
A well-developed Project Plan would allow communities to apply for the Construction Grant to construct wastewater collection and/or treatment solutions for areas where wastewater collection and/or treatment are presently non-existent or inadequate.
Criteria Selecting Proposals
All applications will be reviewed for administrative completeness and adherence to the competitive grant evaluation merit-based criteria described in the Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Applications found to be administratively complete will undergo a comprehensive, merit-based review performed in compliance with GATA and 2 CFR 200 Uniform Requirements.
EVALUATION CRITERIA, PRIORITIZATION SCORING SYSTEM AND SELECTION PROCESS
Complete applications shall be reviewed by an Evaluation Panel consisting of Illinois EPA, BOW, Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section staff who will rank and prioritize applications in accordance with the scoring system below:
The following points will be awarded based on the median household income (MHI) of the applicant’s service population as a percentage of the statewide average
MHI for the State of Illinois, as of the 2024 Census: $83,211
Community MHI Comparison Scale
| Points | MHI % Range | Estimated MHI Range |
| 25 | Below 60% | $49,900 or less |
| 20 | 60 – 69.99% | $49,901 to $57,415 |
| 15 | 70 – 79.99% | $57,416 to $65,700 |
| 10 | 80 – 89.99% | $65,701 to $74,000 |
| 5 | 90 – 99.99% | $74,001 to $82,378 |
| 0 | 100% + |
The following points will be awarded based on the applicant’s service population:
POINTS FOR POPULATION
- 15 Less than 1,000
- 10 1,000 – 4,999
- 5 5,000 – 9,999
- 0 At or above 10,000
The proposed project will provide wastewater collection and/or treatment to any area within Illinois EPA Areas of Environmental Justice Concern according to the
- IEPA EJ Start Tool: 25 Points.
“Environmental Justice (EJ)” is based on the principle that all people should be protected from environmental pollution and have the right to a clean and healthy environment.
Environmental justice is the protection of the health of the people of Illinois and its environment, equity in the administration of the State’s environmental programs and the provision of adequate opportunities for meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
More information regarding EJ policies and activities can be found on the following IEPA webpage: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/environmental-justice/Pages/default.aspx
UCPGP funds will be awarded per this Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) starting with the highest ranked (most points) project first. Available funds will be awarded to the next ranked project on the list until all available funds have been exhausted.
TIEBREAKER – If two, or more, projects receive the same number of points, the project(s) serving the SMALLER population will be ranked above any project serving a LARGER population.