USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service REAP
Applications for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants and combined grants and guaranteed loans of $20,000 or less must be submitted by October 31, 2019, to be considered for funding in FY2020. This program encourages projects that help rural communities make energy efficiency and renewal improvements. Applications are accepted year-round if projects are not dependent on getting funding at a certain time.
Who is eligible?
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Assistance: Agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Exact eligibility requirements depend on requested funding amount.
Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grant: Units of State, Tribal, or local government; institutions of higher education; rural electric cooperatives; public power entities; councils.
What types of projects are eligible?
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Assistance: Purchase and installation of renewable energy systems (wind, solar, renewable biomass, small hydro-electric, ocean, geothermal, or hydrogen derived from these renewable resources); energy efficiency improvements to existing operations
Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grant: Programs to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses evaluate their energy efficiency and the potential to incorporate renewable energy into their operations.
How much funding may a recipient receive?
This funding deadline is for small projects, capped at a project total of $80,000 ($20,000 grant funds). Throughout the year, applicants may apply for:
- • Renewable energy system grants: $2,500-$500,000
- • Energy Efficiency Improvement grants: $1,500-$250,000
- • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvements guaranteed loans: $5,000-$250,000
- • Grant and Guaranteed Loan Combination: Up to $750,000
- • Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance Grant: $1,500-250,000
What are the match requirements?
Recipients of grants must provide 75% of project costs (75% match).
Recipients of guaranteed loans or grant/loan combinations must provide 25% of project costs (25% match).
How may applications be submitted?
Grant applications may be mailed as hard copies or submitted online at www.grants.gov. Loan applications and combined applications must be mailed as hard copies.
NOTE: This notice of solicitation of applications has been published prior to passage of the appropriations act that will solidify REAP FY2020 funding; the final amount of funding will be published here when available. Based on historical mandatory funding, the program anticipates $50 million.
To read the entire notice of solicitation of applications, click here. To see Rural Prosperity Task Force report recommendations, click here. To find the legal codes that determine eligibility, click here. To learn more about getting help with grants through Morrison, contact us.