Note: Applications to the EPIC Air Quality Fund are now closed. If you would like to be notified when applications reopen in 2025, please fill out this form.
Q: What type of entities can apply for these awards?
A: This call for applications is open to governmental and non-governmental organizations of any type, including universities, non-profits, for-profits, corporates, NGOs, and CSOs. Organizations are required to be legally authorized to receive funds from a US institution. Organizations are required to have a working bank account that is able to accept funds from a US institution.
Q: Applicants from which countries are eligible to apply?
A: Applications from all countries are welcome, except for those on the US Department of State’s “State Sponsors of Terrorism” List. Please note the EPIC Air Quality Fund will prioritize applications that address air quality issues in 75 countries identified by EPIC’s Air Quality Award Team as high and medium-high opportunities for closing nationwide PM2.5 data gaps. (See list of countries here.) The applicant must verify that it is legal to operate PM2.5 monitoring equipment, measure PM2.5, and share such data publicly in their country.
Q: Can individuals apply for these awards?
A: No, individuals may not apply on their own. Any individual interested in applying must do so in partnership with an organization that meets the above criteria.
Q: What kind of air quality monitoring projects will be supported by this fund?
A: This fund aims to support projects that will establish long-term, stationary, outdoor air quality monitoring networks in their country, make this data openly available and dissemination of this data within the community through the development of activities that leverage this data. We will not be able to support projects that involve indoor air quality monitoring, mobile air quality monitoring and projects that make use of wearable air quality monitors.
Q: What does ‘fully open access’ to air quality monitoring data mean?
A: ‘Fully open access’ means that the data are provided in its physical form (as a mass concentration in micrograms per cubic meter), the data are provided regularly and in a timely manner (e.g. hourly data provided in near-real time) with geographic coordinates, and the data are provided in a programmatic fashion (e.g. through an API and able to be added to open data platforms). Read more here to understand how we are defining ‘fully open data.’ Applicants will be asked to provide a detailed plan for how they will make their data fully open. The data must be shareable through a CC-BY-4.0 license and in a format that is compatible with this format. This document further outlines the open data requirements of these awards and an assessment of whether popular air quality monitoring companies’ data policies meet our open data requirements.
Q: Do you have recommendations on which sensors to use?
A: No. We leave this choice open, as there are many different types of sensors that fit many different types of situations requiring differing sensor capabilities. However, since we require fully open access air quality data to be generated from these awards, it should be noted that not all companies selling air quality monitoring devices allow their users to own the data they produce and therefore share the data downstream. Please see this document, which further outlines the open data requirements of these awards and an assessment of whether popular air quality monitoring companies’ data policies meet our open data requirements. Applicants are free to choose a sensor company outside of this list provided, they can show documentation from the air quality manufacturer that they, the applicant, would a) own the data and b) are allowed to share data on an open, public platform that meets a CC-BY-4.0 license.
Q: What does national-level impact mean in context to this application?
A: The overarching goal of the project is to not just measure and share PM2.5 data, but to achieve a national-level impact on air pollution, through a variety of means, including but not limited to: increased awareness; heightened ambition in policy, greater government, philanthropic, development assistance or other financial investment; and of course actual decreases in PM2.5 levels (though we do not expect such reductions will yet be measurable during the18 months of the funding). By ‘national-level’ impact, we mean impacts that can have a systemic effect on how air pollution is viewed or addressed in the country, rather than nationwide mitigation measures (e.g. distribution or increased awareness of masks, filters, etc.). We expect funded local actors/organizations will have specific plans – and actual measurable impacts – that will vary from country to country. Examples of ‘systemic national-level impact’ could be work that spurs the creation or raises the ambition of an air quality standard, activates an influential group of leaders within the country toward advocating for a specific air pollution policy, etc. Whereas some groups may hold workshops with the data, others may invest in apps, specific policy objectives, or myriad of other activities, depending on what their judgment is on what activities will affect change in their national level environment. Please note: We are not interested in academic or technical impacts unless they somehow were to feed directly into national level impacts on air pollution.
Q: What exactly does near real-time mean? Do we report the data: one data point per hour, per day, per week?
A: The specific frequency at which data is reported—whether it be every 10 seconds, hourly or daily—can vary from vendor to vendor or project to project. We have intentionally allowed for flexibility in this regard to accommodate this variation, encouraging participants to provide timely and relevant air quality information openly. Ideally, the time resolution should be at least daily.
Q: The accuracy in measuring PM2.5 levels significantly influences the choice of air quality monitoring instruments, which in turn affects the budget. What degree of precision and uncertainty is required? Is it necessary to report open data to EPIC in terms of micrograms per cubic meter?
A: We don’t have specifications on precision or uncertainty, but rather request that the data precision be ‘fit for purpose’ – meaning, coarse precision is okay to move forward certain clean air activities (e.g. certain awareness campaigns or ‘litmus test’ activities), while much more precise data would be needed in others. We ask that you use instrumentation that successfully allows you to achieve national-level impact with the precision needed to do so. The only limitation on air quality instrument type is that it is produced by a company in which the user (the awardee) is legally able to share the data in a fully open manner downstream. Please see this document, which further outlines the open data requirements of these awards and an assessment of whether popular air quality monitoring companies’ data policies meet our open data requirements.
Q: How do I apply?
A: To apply, please fill out this application form, which encompasses sections on personal details, information about your entity, a compliance checklist, project details and budget. It is crucial to provide accurate and complete information across all required documents and sections of the form. An incomplete submission will not be considered for evaluation.
Q: Can I make an email submission?
A: No, submissions made by email will not be accepted. All submissions must be made by filling out this application form. To assist you in preparing for the online submission, you can preview the form and review all relevant documents HERE.
Q: I missed attaching a document as a part of the application. What should I do?
A: If you realize that you missed attaching a document after submitting the form, unfortunately, there is no way to resubmit or edit your application. Please ensure that you correctly attach all documents before submission.
Q: Can an applicant submit more than one application?
A: No, each applicant is allowed to make a single submission only. The submission of multiple applications, by the same applicant, will lead to the disqualification of all submissions associated with that application. Applications from the same organization but being led by different teams will be accepted. If there are two applications from the same organization, there should be no overlap in team members between the applications.
Q: Is the two-paragraph limit on budget justification flexible?
A: The 2-4 paragraph limit on budget justification is set to streamline the review process and ensure concise communication. For any questions, please write to us at clean-air-info@uchicago.edu.
Q: Are there any restrictions on how the funds are utilized?
A: The primary goal of this initiative is to empower local actors by providing them with significant autonomy in the allocation of awarded funds, enabling them to direct these resources towards efforts that they deem most critical for their air quality monitoring projects. This autonomy is designed to empower applicants to prioritize and channel resources into areas they identify as most vital for the success of their projects. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, purchasing equipment essential for air quality monitoring, conducting data collection and analysis, compensating project personnel, organizing outreach activities, and covering other costs that are directly associated with the project’s execution and implementation. All such expenses must be clearly outlined and justified within the project details and budget section of the application form to ensure transparency and alignment with project goals.
Q: Can external funds be used to supplement this project?
A: Yes, applicants are welcome and encouraged to enhance the scope of their projects by supplementing the awarded funds with additional funds. At the time of application, any known additional funds and how they will be used can be indicated in the application. If external funds are brought in after an award has been made, we request this also be shared with the EPIC Air Quality Award team.
Q: After the project’s completion, who retains ownership of the instruments purchased for the project? Additionally, is it possible for these instruments to remain operational at their installed locations once the project has concluded?
A: The applicants will have full ownership of all instruments purchased during the project and are encouraged to continue their operation at the installed locations after the project has concluded.
Q: Are the recipients of awards expected to collaborate?
A: While collaboration among award recipients is not a requirement of this initiative, it is equally important to note that there are no restrictions against it. Participants are free to engage in collaborative efforts should they find it beneficial to their projects’ goals and outcomes. The EPIC Air Quality Award committee will also be seeking ways to promote opportunities for collaboration amongst awardees and the wider international air quality community.
Q: What is the budget limit for regional or multiple countries proposals?
A: The funding amount is the same as any single award: about 50,000 USD for projects involving lower-cost sensors and 75,000 USD and up for ones with higher grade/reference grade equipment. Proposing multiple countries does not increase the amount per award.
Q: Is there a limitation on the number of countries that can collaborate when applying for this fund? (e.g., the project is implemented in Country A, coordinated from Country B, with some administrative/technical purchases in Country C)?
A: No, there is no limitation on the number of countries that can collaborate. Applicants have the flexibility to assemble their team from different countries and nationalities. However, applicants must provide a justification for forming such a diverse collaboration. The team lead should consider themselves a local actor in the country in which the project is implemented.
Q: Can the proposal include a hybrid air quality monitoring network including a combination of BAM and low-cost air quality monitoring?
A: Yes, that would be completely acceptable as long as the project generates and shares outdoor, stationary PM2.5 data for 12 months over an 18 month period with the intention of creating national-level impact on the clean air action through additional activities and the data is accessible to the public in a fully open manner.
Q: Does the EPIC AQ Fund application process require to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and initial SAM.gov registration?
A: The procedure for application to the EPIC AQ Fund does not require any such prior registrations.
- To ensure all compliances are met, there are two steps you can take in advance:
- If your application is selected, you will be required to fill out one of the following forms below. Please select the one that applies to you.
- For foreign (non-US) entities, W-8 BEN-E – Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner (Entity): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8bene.pdf
- For US-based entities, W-9 – Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
Note: The above form does not need to be submitted along with your initial application.
2. Ensure your organization has a bank account capable of receiving funds in USD from a US organization.
Q: Will the EPIC AQ Fund team be able to connect potential partners to facilitate applications?
A: Applicants are solely responsible for assembling their own teams and forging partnerships. The EPIC AQ Fund team does not provide assistance in connecting potential partners for the application process.
Q: Can an entity send multiple applications for different communities in different countries?
A: Any given team – and specifically any single person – can be a PI on just one application. So if an entity would like to send in multiple applications for different countries, different teams/PIs from the same entity (e.g. University) must apply in separate applications.
Q: What is the deadline for submitting applications?
A: It is important that applicants submit their fully completed application form no later than 10 September 2024 at 11:59PM in the applicant’s local time zone. To note: Outstanding applications received before this deadline may be evaluated before this date on a rolling basis, so we suggest getting your application in as soon as possible. Late submissions received after this deadline will not be accepted.