Funding Resources and Incentives for Energy-Related Programs
Dear Colleagues,
In Fiscal Year 2024, NCTCOG will focus on sending out quarterly updates with a digest of funding resources and incentives related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy resilience and other related topics that may be of interest to our members. This email is the fourth of these quarterly updates. We hope that you find this curated list helpful as you are considering implementing new projects or programs at your entity and are looking for funding! When considering any funding source or incentive program, please confirm your eligibility first and start the application process early!
A copy of these quarterly updates will be posted on the Energy Management, Efficiency, and Renewable Energy webpage for ease of reference. Did we miss an important resource or incentive that you are aware of? Share your feedback with our team!
Check out these new resources now available on the Conserve North Texas website!
Featured Funding and Incentives
Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program Round 2
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) supports the deployment of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the urban and rural places that people work and live, as well as along Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). Investments made through this program will help improve accessibility of modern and sustainable infrastructure for all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles.
The first category of funding is the Community Program, which is focusing on deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and alternative fueling infrastructure located along public roads and in other publicly accessible locations. The second category, the Corridor Program, is targeting strategic deployment of charging and alternative fueling infrastructure along AFCs. Applicants can choose to apply to one program or both.
A total of up to $800 million is available for new applications solicited under this NOFO, with an additional total of up to $521 million reserved for previously submitted applications that were unsuccessful in receiving funding under the FY2022/23 Round 1 NOFO.
Deadline: August 28, 2024
Eligibility: States or political subdivision of States; Metropolitan planning organizations; Unit of local governments, Special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function, including port authorities; Indian Tribes; U.S. Territories; Authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities or entities owned by one or more entities listed above; Groups of entities listed above; and State or local authorities with ownership of publicly accessible transportation facilities (Community Program only).
SuperTruck Charge Notice of Intent
On behalf of the Vehicle Technologies Office, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement entitled “SuperTruck Charge.” This opportunity would fund innovative research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of concepts for delivering innovative charging solutions for trucks, as well as support load management approaches and alleviate grid capacity challenges. This program will focus on the buildout of infrastructure necessary for better electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks, highlighting technologies to accelerate this process.
The area of interest that this funding opportunity will seek to address is grid-integration of high-power infrastructure charging solutions for medium- and heavy-duty EVs though optimal design of charging infrastructure and operations. It is anticipated that there will be two sub-topic areas:
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Truck deports concentrated near ports, warehouses, and other logistics operations; and
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Truck stops/travel centers along key freight corridors.
Deadline: This Notice of Intent was issued on April 24, 2024, but a Funding Opportunity Announcement has yet to be announced.
Eligibility: Demonstration teams may consist of MDHV OEMs, fleet/depot operators, travel centers, charging equipment OEMs, utilities, local governments, Clean Cities Coalitions, national laboratories, and other relevant partners.
Connected Communities 2.0
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will be awarding up to $65 million for innovative solutions that manage growing transportation, industrial, and building electric loads on the grid. By validating grid-edge technology innovations and providing new tools for grid planners and operators, utilities, automakers, and smart charge management service providers, Connected Communities 2.0 projects will aim to ensure a flexible, resilient, and appropriately sized grid through the development of new technologies.
There are two topic areas included in this FOA. Topic 1, Connected Communities 2.0, is focused on grid-edge technical measures that will improve the resiliency of the electric grid and prepare it for new loads. Topic 1a, Smart Charge Management, is focused on building confidence in the effectiveness of smart charge management at providing flexibility and value to the electric grid through various rural, suburban, and urban use cases. The learnings of these projects should help in the understanding and planning of new growth and peak loads, as well as to plan for physical and cyber threats to reliability and resiliency.
Connected Communities 2.0 supports progress towards an equitable, affordable, and decarbonized electric power system. Additional information on the goals of awarded projects can be found at the funding link below.
Deadline: Concept papers are due August 20, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. E.T., and full applications are due October 10, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. E.T. An informational webinar is being hosted on July 29, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. CDT.
Eligibility: Higher education institutions; for-profit entities; non-profit entities; and state and local governmental entities, and Indian tribes
Community Change Grant Program
The EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) is accepting applications on a rolling basis for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, advance clean energy, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. Click here to view the Community Change Grants NOFO which was modified on February 12, 2024.
Eligible entities that are interested in receiving technical assistance (TA) to prepare and develop their application for the Community Change Grants Program must submit a complete technical assistance intake form at https://communitychangeta.org/request-technical-assistance by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on August 16, 2024. Click here to learn more about the TA for the Community Change Grants.
Deadlines: Requests for Technical Assistance are due by 10:59 pm CST on August 16, 2024. Applications are due by November 21, 2024.
Eligibility: Entities eligible to apply under this NOFO are: Partnerships between two community-based non-profit organizations (CBOs). A partnership between a CBO and one of the following: a Federally-Recognized Tribe, a local government, an institution of higher education. Other organizations and entities may be able to participate and be involved in the Community Change Grants projects as collaborating subrecipients and/or procurement contractors selected in compliance with competition requirements.
Large Animal and Solar System Operations (LASSO) Prize
The American-Made Large Animal and Solar System Operations (LASSO) Prize offers up to $8.2 million in cash prizes to multi-stakeholder teams that develop impactful projects to deepen our understanding of the co-location of photovoltaics (PV) and cattle grazing operations (cattle agrivoltaics).
The LASSO Prize will bring together solar developers, farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders to form teams, build pilot sites, generate data on cattle agrivoltaics best practices, use cases, costs, applicable business models, associated energy and agricultural outcomes, host field days, and more.
Funded by the U.S Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), the LASSO prize supports pilot and demonstration projects that are designed to gather and share information about costs, business models, and energy and agricultural outcomes associated with cattle agrivoltaics. The prize also seeks to support relationship-building between the solar energy and agricultural communities and generate best practices that will help expand the industry.
Deadline: Applications open on August 30th and close on October 14th, 2024.
Eligibility: Please view the FAQs and Resources for this funding opportunity for more information on eligibility.
Learn more here: https://www.herox.com/LASSO
Grant Writing and Application Resources
One Last Note
EPA Launches EJSCREEN 2.3, The Community Environmental Justice Mapping Tool & Trainings
The U.S. EPA has completed an annual update to EJScreen, the EPA's publicly available environmental justice (EJ) screening and mapping tool. EJScreen 2.3 makes important improvements to better meet the needs of users, including a redesigned and enhanced report, a new environmental indicator with corresponding indexes, and refreshed demographic and environmental data. The main purpose of the annual EJScreen updates is to incorporate the newest available demographic and environmental datasets.
EJScreen 2.3 improvements including new environmental indicators and map layers, interface improvements, and updated demographic and environmental data. The new environmental indicators, with corresponding EJ and supplemental indexes, will map noncompliance of drinking water systems and satellite measured nitrogen dioxide levels in the air. EJScreen 2.3 will also feature new map layers on extreme heat, modeled drinking water service areas, private drinking water wells, and EPA environmental justice grants.
This new version of EJScreen will make interface changes aimed at helping users better understand the data and modernizing aspects of the tool. The update will use the 2018-2022 American Community Survey demographic data from the U.S. Census and refreshed EPA data for the environmental indicators. Click here to view details on these changes in the Change Log website.
The EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights will hold multiple trainings and office hours to help users with the update. Trainings are provided as structured webinars on EJScreen 2.3. Office hours are a chance for the public to talk with EPA EJScreen experts about many topics including how to use and apply the tool, technical issues, and any other questions. Registration is not required for training or office hours. Click here for more information on office hours and training. The next scheduled Office Hours are August 21, 2024, at 11 am CST. Click here to join.
NCTCOG Staff Contacts:
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