FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITY
Application Deadline: To Be Announced |
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND
CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM (EECBG)
– COMPETITIVE GRANTS
– Important News –
In the closing days of 2007, Congress passed the “Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007” (EISA). Title V, Subtitle E of that legislation authorized a new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) for states, local governments, tribes, and territories or consortia thereof. The Block Grant program was designed to address these basic purposes:
(1) Reduce fossil fuel emissions,
(2) Decrease total energy consumption, and
(3) Improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building, and other energy consuming sectors.
No funds were provided for the grants, however, until earlier this year as part of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (i.e., stimulus bill). That Act appropriated $3.2 billion for the EECBG program during fiscal year 2009. Of that amount, $2.8 billion is reserved for a formula grant program1 and approximately $400 million has been set-aside for a competitive national grant program open to all localities, regardless of population.
Grant Overview
The Department of Energy (DOE) reports that its first priority is to award the formula grants. Details on applying for competitive grants will be provided at some as yet unannounced date.
How To Apply
To prepare to apply for this competitive grant program, several steps should be taken. Agencies that have not applied for a federal grant before are advised that federal grant applicants must possess a DUNS (Data Universal Number System) number in order to submit grant applications. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and tracking entities receiving federal funds. If, after speaking to your chief financial officer, you determine that your county does not have a DUNS number or that your agency should have a separate one, you may obtain one from D&B.
In addition, applicants for federal funds must have a current registration in the federal government’s Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system. To remain active, a registration must be updated or renewed annually.
Counties applying for these funds must also register with as an E-Business Point of Contact and join the response team at FedConnect.
Further information regarding application procedures will be forthcoming from the Department of Energy. Management of this program is the responsibility of the Department of Energy’s Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs, a division of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Contact their agency for additional information at:
US Department of Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program
(877) 337-3463
Email: EECBG@netl.doe.gov
For assistance in applying, visit the EPA's Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency Toolkit.
1 See description of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) – Formula Grants.
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Prepared by the
Texas Association of Counties
Last Updated: April 7, 2009
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