The Renew America’s Schools Program competitively selects and funds eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at public K-12 schools.
Donor Name: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/14/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This $500 million program is a first-of-its-kind investment made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as part of the Administration’s broader Action Plan for Building Better School Infrastructure. The program supports the implementation of infrastructure improvements in schools, with a focus on local educational agencies (LEAs) that qualify as rural and/or high poverty. The program will help create healthier learning environments, lower utility costs, and redirect funds to support students and teachers
There are nearly 130,000 K-12 schools in the United States, including both public and private schools. Each year, public schools alone spend more than $8 billion on energy costs, exceeding their combined annual budget for computers and textbooks.
Prizes
PRIZE (PHASE 1)
- PHASE 1 (PRIZE): Portfolio + Team = Up to 23 Winners at $300,000 cash prize each
- In Phase 1 (“Portfolio + Team”), competitors will identify a minimum of 10 schools/school facilities to be included in their application. The portfolio may span multiple LEAs. The portfolio should exhibit a high need for energy assessments and, ultimately, energy improvements. The goal of Phase 1 is for competitors to successfully assemble their project team, assemble their portfolio of school facilities, demonstrate the need for energy improvements at schools and school facilities in the defined portfolio, and outline their process to complete the tasks in Phase 2. Based on successful completion of Phase 1, winners will be invited to enter into negotiations with DOE for a Cooperative Agreement. Negotiations for a Cooperative Agreement will require additional steps as outlined below.
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (PHASE 2 and PHASE 3)
- ONLY winners from the Phase 1 Prize will be eligible to negotiate with DOE to receive a Cooperative Agreement for Phase 2 and Phase 3 funding.
- Phase 2 (“Strategic Plan + Energy Audits”) will be synonymous with Budget Period 1 of the Cooperative Agreement. Funding in Phase 2 will reimburse Recipients for costs associated with energy audits and strategic planning and design. DOE will3 allocate a set amount of funding per Recipient, determined by the number of schools or school facilities submitted in their Phase 1 application Phase 2, Recipients conduct The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Level 2 energy audits of all the schools/school facilities in the portfolio and develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan for implementing energy improvements. Energy audits and the Strategic Plan should provide schools with clear pathways to prioritize energy improvements, access private sector funding and/or tax credits, and realize high-impact health and safety benefits.
PHASE 3 (COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT)-Implementation = $7,000,000 to $14,000,000 per recipient
- Phase 3 (“Implementation”) will be synonymous with Budget Period 2 of the Cooperative Agreement. In Phase 3, DOE will allocate a set amount of funding per Recipient, determined by the number of schools/school facilities submitted in their Phase 1 application [see Table 1]. In Phase 3, Recipients oversee implementation of the energy improvements identified at the end of Phase 2. DOE will work with Recipients to ensure that high-priority energy improvements are implemented within the allotted budget for Phase 3. Phase 3 should directly advance the measurable goals of energy savings and high-impact health and safety benefits outlined in Phase 1.
Eligibility Criteria
One local educational agency (LEA) and one or more of the following:
- Schools;
- Nonprofit organizations that have the knowledge and capacity to partner and assist with energy improvements;
- For-profit organizations that have the knowledge and capacity to partner and assist with energy improvements; or
- Community partners that have the knowledge and capacity to partner and assist with energy improvements.
Domestic Entities
The proposed prime recipient and subrecipient(s) must be domestic entities. To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States; have majority domestic ownership and control; and have a physical place of business in the United States.
The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a prime recipient or subrecipient of this Cooperative Agreement:
- Institutions of higher education;
- For-profit entities;
- Non-profit entities; and
- State and local governmental entities, and Tribal Nations.
Note: Only Phase 1 Prize winners are eligible to enter into negotiations with DOE for a Cooperative Agreement (encompassing Phase 2 and Phase 3 awards).
For more information, visit DOE.
