Region 7 Science Program

What is the Regional Science Program?

The Regional Science Program links EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) with EPA's Regional Offices and emphasizes building networks and partnerships between Regional and ORD scientists, effectively transferring research results on high-priority regional science issues and conducting science outreach to the states, tribes, and communities.

On this page:

ORD Research and Small Business Funding Opportunities
Upcoming ORD Events, Webinars and Training
ORD Publications, Products, Resources and Toolkits

EPA Region 7’s Science Priorities are currently being updated to reflect Administration Priorities.

ORD Research and Small Business Funding Opportunities

FY25 Exchange Network Solicitation Notice Published on Grants.gov – Applications Due by March 24

The FY 2025 Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice is available at EPA-OMS-25-01, Fiscal Year 2025 National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice. Applications are due at grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EDT on March 24, 2025.
Additional guidance tools, including optional fillable templates for the cover letter, project narrative (work plan), budget narrative attachment form, and budget calculation tool, are available through the grants.gov listing and on the Exchange Network page.

EPA Research Grants – EPA’s Research Grants Program aims to stimulate and support scientific and engineering research that advances EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.

Research Grant Topics (on left at link above): Air Research, Climate Change Research, Ecosystems Research, Health Research, Safer Chemicals Research, Sustainability Research, and Water Research
Opens and closes: See “Open RFAs” at link above
Award amounts: Vary by topic

If you are interested in receiving email RFA updates on research funding opportunities, sign up on EPA’s website.

Recording of Region 7 Science Program/ORD Special Webinar: EPA STAR and P3 Program Overview

Recorded Monday, June 26, 2023
Want to learn more about ORD’s research funding opportunities for colleges and universities? ORD’s Dr. Intaek Hahn conducted a one-hour webinar on two researching funding opportunities:
- Science to Achieve Results (STAR)
- People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Student Design Competition
Dr. Hahn presented on both STAR and P3, solicitation announcements, criteria, process for submittals, timelines, and the process from submission to award to implementation.

Upcoming ORD Events, Webinars and Training

ORD Emergency Response Research Webinar Series – Cleaning Up Soil Contaminated with Pathogens

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, from 1 to 2 p.m. CST
Register here

U.S. Department of Defense SERDP-ESTCP Webinar Series – Thermal Energy Network (TEN) Feasibility Studies

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST
Register here

ORD Tools and Resources Training Webinar Series – Community Water System Service Area Boundaries

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, from 2 to 3 p.m. CST
Register here

ORD Tools and Resources Webinar Series – Alternative Water Sources to Augment Water Supplies

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, from 2 to 3 p.m. CST
Register here

U.S. Department of Defense SERDP-ESTCP Webinar Series – Enhancing Wildland Fire Management Tools for Military Land Use and Training

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CST
Register here

ORD posts upcoming events, webinars and training several months in advance, which EPA's research staff is participating in, hosting, or supporting in other ways.

Check out the EPA Research Events page often for updates.

ORD Publications, Products, Resources and Toolkits

Watch the Recording: Lead Reduction Updates and Lead Service Line (LSL) Identification and Replacement Webinar, Dec. 3, 2024

Strategic Research Action Plans, Fiscal Years 2023-2026 – ORD published the FY23-26 Strategic Research Action Plans (StRAPs) for these six National Research Programs (NRPs):

Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE)
Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS)
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA)
Homeland Security (HS)
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR)
Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC)

Region 7 had 23 representatives (internal and external) working with ORD to incorporate our science priorities into the StRAP. This is the most involvement Region 7 ever had, and the Region hopes to continue that level of involvement in future StRAPs to address our science needs.

Story Map

Region 7 Science Program’s Research Projects

In this story map, you can learn about the Region’s collaborative research projects that address environmental and health concerns. Extensive details and interactive maps about the 40-plus projects are in six categories: Water, Air, Cleanup and Remediation, Tool/Method Development, Contaminants of Concern, and SBIR/P3/STAR.