Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2020 P3 Q3
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering the 17th Annual People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Awards, a national student design competition that funds projects aimed at solving real-world environmental and sustainability challenges through research, development, design, and demonstration. The central idea of the program is the "P3 approach": proposals should show clear intent and practical potential to deliver benefits in three areas at the same time, improving quality of life for people, supporting economic prosperity, and protecting the environment. The competition emphasizes science-based, technology-driven innovation, meaning projects are expected to be grounded in scientific principles while also being oriented toward real applications and measurable outcomes.
This opportunity is structured as a discretionary grant program (Funding Opportunity Number: EPA G2020 P3 Q3) under CFDA 66.516, with the EPA as the sponsoring agency. The EPA expects to make about 20 awards, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $25,000 per project. The funding is designed to support early-stage but credible solutions that can be built, tested, and demonstrated, not just conceptual ideas. The program specifically highlights responsiveness to needs within the United States, including communities that are often underserved or face unique constraints, such as small towns, rural areas, tribal communities, and disadvantaged communities. In practice, that means competitive proposals will not only present a clever technical concept, but also explain who benefits, why the solution fits the context of the target users, and how the design choices reflect real-world constraints like cost, maintenance, access to materials, or local infrastructure.
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the official announcement, which commonly signals that the competition is intended for student-led teams operating through an eligible institution or other qualifying entity, as defined in the detailed eligibility section. Applicants are directed to follow the submission instructions in Section IV of the announcement, which typically covers required forms, narrative components, formatting, and where and how to submit. The opportunity was created on October 1, 2019, with an original closing date of November 19, 2019, indicating this is a specific annual cycle of the long-running P3 program.
Overall, the EPA P3 Awards are meant to spur practical, innovative student projects that can move beyond theory toward workable prototypes or demonstrations. A strong application would clearly connect the science and engineering behind the proposed solution to tangible human and economic benefits, while also demonstrating environmental protection outcomes, such as reduced pollution, improved resource efficiency, safer materials, healthier ecosystems, or lower energy and water use. The program is essentially looking for solutions that are simultaneously socially helpful, economically sensible, and environmentally responsible, with an emphasis on turning ideas into demonstrable results that could realistically be adopted or scaled in the communities they are designed to serve.Apply for EPA G2020 P3 Q3
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "17TH ANNUAL P3 AWARDS: A NATIONAL STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION FOCUSING ON PEOPLE, PROSPERITY AND THE PLANET" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.516.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 01, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 19, 2019 Please see Section IV of the announcement for additional submission information. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: EPA People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Awards (17th Annual)
What is the EPA P3 Awards program?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Awards is a national student design competition that funds projects focused on real-world environmental and sustainability challenges. Supported projects are expected to involve research, development, design, and demonstration, with an emphasis on moving beyond theory into something that can be built, tested, or shown to work in practice.
What does "P3" stand for, and what is the "P3 approach"?
P3 refers to People, Prosperity, and the Planet. The P3 approach means a proposal should show clear intent and practical potential to deliver benefits in all three areas at the same time: improving quality of life for people, supporting economic prosperity, and protecting the environment.
Who is the sponsoring agency for this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Is this opportunity a grant or a prize competition?
It is described as a discretionary grant program that operates as a national student design competition. Awards are made through a grant mechanism, with a defined funding opportunity number and CFDA listing.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this cycle?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EPA G2020 P3 Q3.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 66.516.
How many awards does EPA expect to make?
EPA expects to make about 20 awards.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $25,000 per project.
What kinds of projects is the P3 competition trying to fund?
The program funds science-based, technology-driven innovations aimed at solving environmental and sustainability problems. Projects are expected to be grounded in scientific principles and oriented toward real applications and measurable outcomes, with the ability to be developed and demonstrated rather than remaining purely conceptual.
Does the program fund conceptual ideas, or does it require a working prototype?
The funding is designed to support early-stage but credible solutions that can be built, tested, and demonstrated. The emphasis is on moving beyond purely conceptual ideas toward workable prototypes or demonstrations.
What does EPA mean by "science-based, technology-driven innovation" in this competition?
Based on the program description, proposals should be rooted in scientific principles and engineering or technical reasoning, while also being directed toward practical implementation. The goal is innovation that produces real, demonstrable results with measurable benefits.
What types of benefits should a strong proposal demonstrate?
A strong application should connect the underlying science and engineering to tangible benefits for people and the economy, while also showing environmental protection outcomes. Examples of environmental outcomes mentioned include reduced pollution, improved resource efficiency, safer materials, healthier ecosystems, and lower energy and water use.
Does the opportunity prioritize projects focused on the United States?
Yes. The program specifically highlights responsiveness to needs within the United States.
Are underserved or disadvantaged communities specifically mentioned?
Yes. The description calls out communities that are often underserved or face unique constraints, including small towns, rural areas, tribal communities, and disadvantaged communities.
How should applicants address the needs of underserved or constrained communities in their proposal?
Competitive proposals are expected to go beyond a clever technical concept by explaining who benefits, why the solution fits the target users, and how design choices reflect real-world constraints. The description highlights constraints such as cost, maintenance, access to materials, and local infrastructure.
What does "real-world constraints" mean in the context of this competition?
In this opportunity, real-world constraints refer to practical factors that affect whether a solution can actually be adopted. Examples provided include cost, maintenance requirements, access to materials, and compatibility with local infrastructure.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with further clarification referenced in the official announcement. The description indicates this commonly signals a student-led team applying through an eligible institution or other qualifying entity, as defined in the detailed eligibility section of the announcement.
Where do applicants find the official submission requirements?
Applicants are directed to follow the submission instructions in Section IV of the official announcement, which typically covers required forms, narrative components, formatting, and where and how to submit.
When was this funding opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on October 1, 2019, and had an original closing date of November 19, 2019, reflecting a specific annual cycle of the long-running P3 program.
What makes an application "competitive" for this EPA P3 cycle?
Based on the provided description, a competitive application clearly demonstrates the P3 approach (People, Prosperity, Planet), is science-based and technology-driven, and presents a credible plan to develop and demonstrate a practical solution. Strong proposals also explain the target users and context, including how the solution can work within real constraints and deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits.
What kinds of environmental outcomes does EPA appear to be looking for?
The program description suggests outcomes such as reduced pollution, improved resource efficiency, safer materials, healthier ecosystems, and reduced energy and water use, among other environmental protection benefits.
Is the intent of the program more about research or implementation?
The competition supports research and development, but it emphasizes design and demonstration and explicitly focuses on practical potential and measurable outcomes. In other words, it aims to push projects toward implementation-ready results rather than only academic research.
What is the overall goal of the EPA P3 Awards?
The overall goal is to spur practical, innovative student projects that can move beyond theory into demonstrable results, with solutions that are socially helpful, economically sensible, and environmentally responsible, and that could realistically be adopted or scaled in the communities they are designed to serve.
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