Assistance to High Energy Cost Rural Communities

 

Assistance to rural communities with extremely high energy costs.

Active 10.859 Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Not applicable. Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended, Title I, Section 19, Public Law 106-472, 114 Stat. 2058, 7 U.S.C. 918a. Eligible applicants include States, political subdivisions of States, for-profit and non-profit businesses, cooperatives, associations, organizations, and other entities organized under the laws of States, Indian tribes, tribal entities, and individuals. The governments and entities located in any U.S. Territory/possession or other area authorized by law to receive the services and programs of the Rural Utilities Service or the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended, are also eligible. Projects must serve rural communities in which the annual average residential expenditure for home energy is at least 275 percent of the national average. Energy cost eligibility benchmarks are included in the published Notice of Funding Availability. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Grant applications are accepted in response to a Notice of Funding Availability published in the Federal Register and Grants.gov. Application requirements are described in the published notice and on the agency web site. Application materials may also be requested from the Agency. Grants will be awarded based on competitive ranking of applications according to published evaluation criteria for technical merit and community need. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 120 to 180 days. Typically from 120 to 180 days. Selection of grant finalists will be announced approximately 90 to 180 days after the application deadline. Final Grant awards will be approved after completion of environmental review and other pre-obligation requirements. Applicants may appeal rejections of ineligible applications to the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service under procedures in program regulations at 7 CFR Part 1709. Applicants may not appeal numerical rankings of competitive grant applications. Not applicable. Grant applications will be ranked competitively based on published evaluation criteria. All projects must serve rural communities with extremely high energy costs. Funds must be used to acquire, construct, extend, upgrade, and improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities in which the average annual expenditure for home energy costs is at least 275 percent of the national average. Energy efficiency and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems are eligible. Not more than 4 percent of amounts made available in grant funds may be used for planning and administrative expenses. Funds may not be used to pay utility bills, fuel costs, or operating expenses. Performance Reports: .Grantees will be required to report on progress of their projects using performance metrics proposed in the grant application and incorporated into the grant agreement as approved by RUS. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements, Subpart F, Audit Requirements (Revised, December 26, 2013)nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Subpart F. Annual audit or Management Report The Grantee must maintain records in accordance with requirements of program regulations, the grant agreement and 2 CFR Part 200. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grant agreements will typically run for three years; extensions for good cause shown may be granted at the sole discretion of the RUS. After signing of the grant agreement and compliance with any additional conditions, the grantee may request advances and reimbursements for eligible expenditures. Advances and reimbursements will be disbursed over the term of the grant on request of the grantee. None/Not specified. Christopher McLean
1400 Independence Ave., Stop 1560

Washington, DC 20250 US
christopher.mclean@wdc.usda.gov
Phone: 2027209545 http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/high-energy-cost-grants 12-0403-0-1-452 (Project Grants) FY 22$14,442,929.00; FY 23 est $10,000,000.00; FY 24 est $10,000,000.00; FY 21$1,939,425.00; FY 20$8,180,899.00; FY 19$8,668,431.00; FY 18$21,793,415.00; - Minimum award is $100,000 and maximum is $3,000,000. 7 CFR Part 1709, 7 CFR Parts 1767 and 1773, and 2 CFR Part 200, Not applicable.