Free, user-friendly, digital tools to help with your brownfields revitalization projects
Kansas State University’s Technical Assistance to Brownfields program helps communities and other stakeholders with their brownfields redevelopment efforts. Our digital tools make it easier to write grants and conduct site inventories for brownfields cleanup and revitalization projects.
TAB’s user-friendly e-tools are available to any community or tribe in all 10 EPA Regions. Learn more and sign up for your free account.
TAB EZ: Brownfields Grant Writing Tool
https://www.ksutab.org/e-tools/tab-ez
KSU TAB is excited to announce a soft launch of the new TAB EZ platform on Monday, October 13th. Login and explore the tool's enhanced features in preparation for the FY26 MAC grant competition!
Note: TAB EZ is still undergoing final polishing and updates. Thus, any content drafted may be lost upon release of the final version. Be sure to save and export any content you would like to have available for your FY26 grant application. TAB EZ updates, including FY26 MAC Grant Guidelines, will be finalized 10-14 days following the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) release. Any questions or issues encountered using the tool may be directed to KSU TAB Regional Coordinators: https://www.ksutab.org/contact/tab-coordinators.
This transition enhances the look and flow of the grant writing tool, designed to provide a more intuitive and efficient user experience. To ensure a smooth transition, KSU TAB will be providing comprehensive tutorials to help users learn and navigate the new system. These resources will be available upon the new platform's launch.
Important Action Required for Current Users: Grant applications written in the current TAB EZ platform will not be automatically transferred. It is crucial that all users export existing grant applications from the current platform to a Word document. Once TAB EZ is re-launched in mid-September, users will have an opportunity to copy and paste content from old applications into the new platform. Migration will not occur automatically.
To facilitate this process and ensure a smooth transition, users will retain access to the current version of TAB EZ until 1 December 2025. This extended access period is designed to give you ample time to download any existing grants applications and have that content available for input into the new platform.
This online tool helps streamline and simplify the grant writing process when applying for EPA brownfields multipurpose, assessment, revolving loan fund and cleanup (MAC) grants. TAB EZ helps level the playing field for smaller local governments and communities — and giving them a better chance of obtaining grant funds — by providing a framework for proposals as well as strategies and tips to save time.
Benefits of TAB EZ
- Free and user friendly
- Helpful tips and resources
- Examples of successful proposals
- Framework follows EPA grant guidelines
- Document export supports Word and PDF formats
- Collaborative for multiple users
- Password-protected to prevent unauthorized access
Note:
- TAB EZ cannot write a specific and compelling proposal on its own. Incorporate your unique ideas and approaches for an effective application.
- TAB EZ is not a substitute for reading the EPA grant guidelines. It distills key information but is not comprehensive for every scenario.
BiT: Brownfields Inventory Tool
https://etools.ksutab.org/tools/bit
This tool, available online and as a mobile app, helps with comprehensive site inventories and brownfields program management. BiT was initially designed for users working under an EPA cooperative agreement requiring submittals through the Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) and has evolved over time to be so much more. Anyone establishing a site inventory database or consolidating environmental administration information will find BiT helpful.
Mobile App
BiT Mobile lets you access and update site data while working in the field, even when you’re out of range of cell service or Wi-Fi. Modify existing information, create new sites, add a new program, take photos or generate GPS coordinates — all on the go. Then simply sync with the online tool once you have internet access.
Benefits of BiT
- Free and user friendly
- Helpful resources and instructions
- Easy data entry and document uploads
- Import and export data for individual or multiple sites
- Mapping feature displays sites and sample locations
- Collaborative for multiple users
- Password-protected to prevent unauthorized access
BiT was developed by the TAB program at Kansas State University with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Community Benefits Calculator: Is the public investment worth it?
Download the Community Benefits Calculator Tool
Are you faced with decisions about whether public funding and/or incentives should be invested in a redevelopment project? The KSU TAB Community Benefits Calculator is a great tool to begin an evaluation of public investment for community benefit. This tool estimates net financial cost or gain of a project relative to investment of public money, provides a high-level assessment of financial risk, and evaluates a project's alignment with community goals. Outputs include a project summary that may assist with general public education, discussions with decision-makers and potential funders about items of interest such as jobs, private investment and other eternal monies, and increased value to adjacent properties. The Community Benefits Calculator may be used to forecast project results or document the results of a recently completed project.
Before You Begin to use the tool, you will need to download a copy of the Community Benefits Calculator to your computer. Additionally, having the following data accessible is advisable:
- All estimates, parties to the development, or project memos you may have
- An idea of the money that is currently backing or set aside for this project
- Access to the county assessor's website
- Any financial projections of the redeveloped site
Check out the Community Benefits Calculator Examples Below:
Private Investment (Brewery) Example_2024_06_21.xlsx
Community Benefit (Public Pool) Example_2024_06_21.xlsx
Note: The Community Benefits Calculator is a screen-level tool. Seeking professional advice is encouraged before making final redevelopment project decisions. KSU TAB is ready to help -- just reach out!
Help us continue to improve the Community Benefits Calculator Tool by providing feedback in this survey!
PEER: Platform for Exploring Environmental Records
The Platform for Exploring Environmental Records (PEER) is an interactive, open-source data tool that informs brownfields redevelopment and planning decisions. The tool aggregates and displays publicly-available environmental records in an easy-to-use, accessible way. By using PEER, communities can immediately find critical site data to help them begin assessment, save time and money, and draw in the right professionals, partners, and resources to move forward. For each environmental record, PEER provides a Revitalization Risk Rating (RRR), which indicates the likelihood of encountering a release of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant on the associated property.