The MPCA requests proposals from eligible applicants to run a community air monitoring pilot grant program. Eligible applicants include community nonprofits and partnering organizations who will develop a network of neighborhood air monitors in the Twin Cities metro area. Partnerships with other entities to achieve all aspects of the project are expected. The MPCA will prioritize projects that are in environmental justice communities, have extensive community engagement, and use a variety of sensors to gather data on a variety of pollutants. This grant is designed to monitor air quality on a neighborhood scale (with deployment of fixed continuous monitoring sensors as dense as is reasonably possible and mobile sensors deployed such that they cover each block within the network) in communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution, to engage those communities in outreach and cooperation, and to provide data to the MPCA that can help with decision making.
Applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time on June 28, 2024.
Questions and answers
Submit questions about this grant to grants.pca@state.mn.us with the subject line “Community Air Monitoring” no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time on June 14, 2024.
MPCA employees cannot answer questions about this grant opportunity, and direct contact regarding this RFP with any MPCA personnel may result in disqualification.
Informational session
The MPCA is hosting an online informational webinar for this RFP on April 25 at 3 p.m. (Zoom; passcode mpca2024). The webinar will serve as an online training designed to assist applicants applying to the RFP, a rundown of the SWIFT system used for applications, and an overview of the RFP itself.
Eligibility
Nonprofits within any of the seven counties in the metro area — which can perform neighborhood-scale air monitoring themselves, or that are partnering with entities that have expertise in neighborhood-scale air monitoring — are eligible to apply.
- Applicants must have experience and connections working with residents located in the area in which the community air-monitoring system is to be deployed.
- For-profit and municipalities may only apply as a partnering entity.
Additional considerations
Equity is the focus of this grant program. The agency will prioritize projects located:
- in areas with high illness rates linked to air pollution
- near facilities with recent air permit enforcement actions
- in an environmental justice area
The agency will also prioritize organizations with:
- outreach expertise
- a demonstrable record of local projects
- the ability to effectively plan and collect air quality data
- the ability to communicate that technical information to the public
Available funds
Total available funds: $4.85 million
Minimum award: $750,000 per project
How to apply
The request for proposal (RFP) and application materials can only be viewed through the online SWIFT portal. The RFP is termed an “Event” within the SWIFT system.
- Go to the online SWIFT portal.
- Click on "Bidding opportunities".
- Find the event by name (MPCA-Metro Community Air Monitoring Pilot Grant Pr) or ID (2000015623).
- Click "View Bid Package" to see the RFP and forms. (There’s no need to log in to see the documents.)
Grant applications are only accepted through the SWIFT portal.
- Register as a bidder in the SWIFT Supplier Portal, (Bidding = "applying")
- Choose "Register for an Account" and then "Register as a Bidder".
If you are already registered in the SWIFT system as a supplier (previously known as a vendor), use your supplier ID. Visit the SWIFT Supplier Portal under “Informational Tips” and “Supplier Portal Help” for more information. For questions about applying through SWIFT, please contact the Vendor Assistance Help Desk at 651-201-8100, option 1.
More information
The 2023 Minnesota Legislature set aside funds for air monitoring projects centering on the community in HF2310.