Clean Air Act Grants Under the Inflation Reduction Act - Instructions for Developing the Work Plan Narrative and Sample Work Plan Template

Sep 11, 2026

Provides guidance for IRA Clean Air Act grant applicants on developing required work plan elements for EPA assistance agreements. Describes what the narrative should cover, including project title, period, performance location, roles and responsibilities, strategic plan reference, and a concise project description. Includes a sample spreadsheet template to capture work plan components, outputs, outcomes, milestones, and semi-annual progress reporting, plus definitions and budget-detail instructions and cost itemization categories.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Part 1: Narrative Description of the Project

Project Title and Project Period

Place of Performance and Applicant Information

Roles and Responsibilities and Strategic Plan Reference

Project Description

Part 2: Sample Work Plan Template

Spreadsheet structure and progress reporting

Definitions for work plan components, commitments, outputs, and outcomes

Related regulations (40 CFR)

Part 3: Budget Detail

Budget categories and cost itemization

Guidance for updating the template

Clean Air Act Grants Under the Inflation Reduction Act Instructions for Developing the Work Plan Narrative and Sample Work Plan Template United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air and Radiation February 2023 Clean Air Act Grants Under the Inflation Reduction Act Instructions for Developing the Work Plan Narrative and Sample Work Plan Template The IRA CAA Grant Program Guidance provides an overview of required grant Work Plan elements. This document provides additional information to support to grant applicants in developing the Work Plan for their IRA Clean Air Act project. Specifically, this document provides more detailed instructions for what should be included in the narrative description of the project and offers a sample work plan and reporting template in the form of a spreadsheet for capturing work plan commitments, milestones, budget details, and to facilitate progress reporting, which is required on a semi-annual basis. Applicants may attach additional information beyond what is addressed in this document to their work plan,(e.g., emissions inventories, emissions reductions calculations, etc. ), but such additional information is optional. Part 1: Narrative Description of the Project The narrative (not to exceed 3 pages) should include the following information: • Project Title: One descriptive sentence only. • Project Period: Note the start and end date of the project period (not to exceed 3 years from the project start date) . • Place of Performance: List the primary place of performance and any nonattainment area(s) within the place of performance where the benefits of the project will be realized. For example, place of performance can be described as an entire state, county, city, census tract, or nonattainment area. • Applicant Information: Applicant organization, address, primary contact name, phone number, ande-mail address. • Roles and Responsibilities: A discussion of the roles and responsibilities of the grantee and any other project contractors or subawardees that are contemplated. This section should correspond to the budget details regarding contractors and subawardees. • Strategic Plan Reference: The narrative should include a section that notes “The commitments in this work plan support EPA Strategic Plan Goal 4 (Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities); Objective 4.1 (Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts) .” • Project Description: Briefly describe the project (total number of pages not to exceed 3 pages) . Part 2: Sample Work Plan Template The sample work plan template worksheet entitled Work Plan and Reporting, illustrates how project outputs, outcomes, and milestones can be captured in a spreadsheet format. While not required, using this template to document the specific outputs, outcomes and milestones for an individual IRA Clean Air Act project will help ensure that the Work Plan and the project itself comply with EPA Order 5700.7A1: EPA’s Policy for Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements. Refer to Linking Assistance Agreements to Environmental Results for more information. The template works best if using the desktop version of Excel. The template can also be used to document semi-annual progress reports, which are required. These progress reports are integrated into columns H and J of the first worksheet of the spreadsheet template entitled Work Plan and Reporting. Progress reports should describe and evaluate progress towards the specific work plan outputs and outcomes, measured against targeted milestones. Additional progress reporting and EPA comment columns may be added as desired or needed. The following definitions may be helpful as you are completing the work plan: o Work plan component. A negotiated set or group of work plan commitments established in the grant agreement. A work plan may have one or more work plan components. o Work plan commitments. The output

FAQs

What information must be included in the project narrative work plan?

The narrative (up to 3 pages) should include the project title, project period dates, place of performance (including any nonattainment areas), applicant information, roles and responsibilities, the required EPA Strategic Plan Goal 4 reference text, and a brief project description.

How should applicants use the sample Work Plan and Reporting spreadsheet template?

The template captures work plan commitments, milestones, outputs, and outcomes in spreadsheet form. It is designed for tracking semi-annual progress reports, which are integrated into specified columns of the first worksheet, with additional reporting and EPA comment columns added as needed.

What does the template require for budget detail and what costs must be itemized?

A dedicated worksheet provides budget detail by category and component. Applicants must itemize costs across personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual costs, other direct costs, indirect costs, and total costs.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks