Fast-approaching Deadlines for Solar for All Grant Applications
The EPA announced a Solar for All grant competition on June 28, 2023, offering $7 billion to encourage solar energy access in disadvantaged communities. Governments, tribes, and nonprofits can apply, with 60 applicants receiving funds ranging from $25M to $400M. The grant requires recipients to achieve meaningful solar energy benefits rather than merely executing projects.
The Solar for All grant program requires recipients to meet several criteria:
- Household Savings: The program must ensure at least 20% savings for all served households, either through direct financial benefits or equivalent non-financial benefits.
- Equitable Access to Solar: It should enhance access to residential solar power in low-income communities, ensuring a diverse range of households can benefit from solar energy.
- Resilience Benefits: The program should contribute to power grid resilience by providing power to disadvantaged households.
- Community Ownership: The grant encourages models that enable low-income communities to benefit from asset ownership.
- Workforce Development: It should invest in quality jobs and businesses in disadvantaged areas, prioritizing opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses.
Eligible applicants include:
- States or Territories
- Tribal Governments
- Multi-State Programs or Nonprofits that serve communities facing similar barriers to solar energy development.
Nonprofits must meet federal nonprofit criteria, operate for public interest, have the ability to invest in projects and work towards rapid deployment of low and zero-emission technologies. All recipients will need to comply with federal procurement rules, the Davis Bacon Act, and the Buy American Act.
If you’re interested in applying, here’s what you need to know:
To get started, you’ll need to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) before the deadline. Send your NOI via email to [email protected]. Make sure to include a signed letter and an attachment that provides the following details:
- Your name (the applicant’s name).
- The eligibility category you fall under (one of the three mentioned above).
- The number and type of application you’re submitting.
For more specific requirements, you can find them in the NOFO. Don’t forget, the deadline to submit your NOI via email to the EPA is midnight on the following dates:
- States, D.C., and Puerto Rico: July 31, 2023
- Territories, Municipalities, and Eligible Nonprofit Recipients: August 14, 2023
- Tribal Governments and Intertribal Consortia: August 28, 2023
After the NOIs have been submitted, applications will close on September 26, 2023. We anticipate that the award notifications will be sent out in March 2024, and if successful, grant funds will likely be distributed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Good luck with your application! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We’re here to help you through the process.
