The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  States, U.S. territories, local governments, and Indian Tribes can apply for a grant from the $2.7 billion set aside for energy efficient upgrades, weatherization projects, and more.

 

In April, Emmanuel Hales of Virginia United Green posted a video explaining the grant process in more detail. The video serves as a great introduction to the grant process. For government entities that still have questions about these grants, Green For All has a pamphlet to help answer your questions and get you started on the grant application process.

 

The pamphlet, Understanding the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program (PDF), is broken down into eight sections: Program Basics, Program Funding, Program Principles & Outcomes, Timeline, Recommendations, Influencing EECBG Spending, Exemplary Implementations and Resources.

 

EECBG funding can be used for energy audits, the development and implementation of energy efficiency programs, establishing energy efficiency financial incentive programs, replacing traditional traffic and street lights with LED or other efficient systems, and much more.

 

The application deadline is June 25, 2009, at 8 p.m. and the U.S. Department of Energy will make grant awards within 60 days of receiving a completed application. At that point, the funding recipient will have 120 days to submit a strategy proposal.  The DOE will then approve or deny the strategy proposal within the next 120 days.

 

If a grant is approved and funded, the monies must be committed within 18 months and used within 36 months of the date of the award. This ensures that the grants are used on projects that can make an impact now, when the economy needs all the help it can get.

 

For more information on the program, including an application and detailed instructions, visit the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program website.

 

Photo: Ted Percival