DOE Community Energy Connectors: Regional Clean Energy & Economic Development Support

The U.S Department of Energy’s (DOE), Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) is seeking to establish a network of regional partner organizations (Regional Partners), led by an administrator (Administrator), to provide technical assistance and capacity building support to communities. The initiative will serve Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program entities (local, state, Tribal, and territorial governments), and connect them with one another, key stakeholders, community-based organizations, funders, industry, and other organizations in the region that may work together to advance local clean energy, energy efficiency, and economic development initiatives.

The EECBG Program is a $550 million grant program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It is designed to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and to improve energy efficiency. There are 2,708 EECBG formula eligible governments across the country, including 5 U.S Territories, 50 States, 774 federally recognized Indian Tribes, and 1,879 local governments. In addition, states are required to subgrant a portion of their EECBG Program funds to other local governments.

Through this Community Energy Connectors initiative, DOE aims to support EECBG grantees and EECBG state subgrantees as they pursue place-based, community-driven economic development and environmental opportunities through clean energy deployment. By standing up a network of Regional Partners across EECBG’s extensive network, the initiative will:

1. Strengthen local clean energy support systems by engaging utilities, philanthropy, community-based organizations, academic institutions, industry, regional planning organizations, councils of government, economic development agencies, advocates, non-profit organizations and others that can contribute to the planning, implementation and scaling of clean energy projects and programs in their region.
2. Build awareness, coordination, collaboration, and capacity among stakeholders through in-person and virtual convenings, workshops, and trainings.
3. Identify and address place-based challenges, opportunities, and priorities through direct technical assistance and community engagement.
4. Support communities in turning clean energy and economic development goals and ideas into “shovel-ready” projects.
5. Ensure governments are set up for future success after completion of their EECBG Program projects.

DOE is seeking applications from both individual organizations and teams of organizations. Teams are strongly encouraged. An ideal team will consist of one Administrator and 5-10 Regional Partners. If applying as a team, please only submit one application per team. If applying individually, DOE may match your organization with other organizations across the country, to form a full team. Organizations may apply both as part of a team and individually, if desired.

To facilitate the formation of teams, Community Energy Connectors is establishing an online Teaming Partner List where organizations can express interest in partnering with others and share contact information.

• If you are interested in being added to the teaming partner list and having your information shared with others, please click here to complete this form
• To access the current list of teaming partners, please click here and use the password: SCEPTEAM
• ‍By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of its contact information for the purposes of connecting potential applicants with each other. By enabling and publishing the Teaming Partner List, SCEP is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. SCEP will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

Performer Roles & Responsibilities

DOE is accepting applications from both individual organizations and teams of organizations. Teams are strongly encouraged. An ideal team will consist of one Administrator and 5-10 Regional Partners.

Administrator

In close coordination with SCEP, the Administrator will work to manage and coordinate activities across the network of Regional Partners. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Establishing standard processes, procedures, and expectations across the Regional Partner network
• Conducting outreach, promotional, and communications tasks, including standing up a public-facing webpage  
• Reporting key metrics, outcomes and success stories to DOE
• Ensuring key milestones and deliverables are met
• Managing and distributing funds to Regional Partners

The Administrator may also serve as a Regional Partner, if desired.

‍

Regional Partners

In close coordination with the Administrator and SCEP, Regional Partners will work to identify, engage with, and provide support to EECBG Program and other government entities in their respective regions. Due to the place-based nature of this initiative, it is expected that Regional Partners may take unique and custom approaches to providing support to communities in alignment with their region’s local context. If applying as a team, each Regional Partner’s approach, plan, and expected outputs and deliverables should be clearly described in the application and workplan, and should address priority clean energy challenges, opportunities, and goals faced by communities in their region. DOE is not pre-defining Regions. Instead, the Regional Partners must describe in the application their definition of their region, including geographic boundaries of current organizational reach and scope, as well as a strong description of the types of communities the organization serves.

At minimum, it is expected that Regional Partners will host at least one in-person workshop per year and provide regular direct technical assistance to communities based on their specific needs. Depending on the needs of communities within each region, workshops and direct technical assistance should focus on activity areas including but not limited to:

1. Coalition or partnership building, networking and matchmaking to connect EECBG governments with one another and with key stakeholders in their regions, to co-develop clean energy action plans, identify opportunities for collaboration, and establish long-term funding strategies to continue clean energy investment after the EECBG Program has ended. Key stakeholders could include financiers (e.g., banks, equity investors, community development finance institutions, etc.), industry representatives, nonprofits, community-based organizations, community leaders, environmental justice groups, academic institutions, researchers, utilities, philanthropic donors, trade associations, contractors, advocates, local experts, and more.
2. Creating long term strategies and near-term energy plans, guided by community-driven priorities and stakeholder input.
3. Building local capacity, technical skills, and understanding of the federal funding and technical assistance landscape. This includes but is not limited to providing trainings and workshops around federal tools and resources. Topics may cover the federal grants process, federal requirements such as BABA/NEPA/Davis Bacon, basic clean energy technology information (e.g. Energy 101, Utilities 101), etc. This could also include connecting governments to DOE funding and technical assistance opportunities and other existing resources and support services.
4. Helping communities' advance concepts or ideas to “shovel-ready” clean energy projects that are technologically feasible, can be funded or financed, and have buy-in from community leaders and stakeholders.
5. Specific support to advance EECBG-funded projects, including troubleshooting, convening, providing education, facilitating teaming, data gathering and helping to advance strategies to sustain and scale their EECBG Program work.

Priority Communities

SCEP is seeking to establish a network of organizations that represent diverse geographies and community types, with a focus on underserved communities. SCEP will prioritize applications from organizations that have expertise and  demonstrated experience working with Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, disadvantaged communities (according to the Climate and Economic Justice Economic Screening Tool), energy communities (as defined by the Inflation Reduction Act), and U.S. territories.

Budget & Performance Period‍

A total of $6M in funding may be awarded to performers through this opportunity, over three years. We encourage applicants to provide detailed budget information within their workplan. For teams, please include how the $6M in funds will be allocated to each Regional Partner, and the Administrator, over the full 3-year performance period. For individual applications, total funding requests should range anywhere from $400,000 to $1,000,000 over the 3-year performance period.

Application & Workplan Narrative

Submissions for this opportunity are due NLT January 28, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET. In addition to the fields included in the application form, applicants are required to upload a clear and detailed workplan that includes, at minimum:

1. A description of your organization or team, the proposed region(s) & communities served, and a high-level vision of your proposal that speaks to the expected impact. (E.g. Who will you serve? What place-based challenges, opportunities, or goals are you tackling? Why is this important? What will result from your proposed efforts?)
2. A description of the approach you/your team plans to take. This should include:
   • Specific activities, outputs and deliverables.
   • Key millstones & timelines for achieving planned activities
   • A plan to engage and conduct outreach to governments in you/your team's regions(s)
3. Information about how you/your team’s proposed vision, approach and plan specifically supports underserved communities (e.g., Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, territories, energy communities, and disadvantaged communities)
4. Metrics for success (e.g., # of in-person workshops, # of workshop attendees, # of communities engaged through direct TA, etc.)
5. A description of any additional creative or innovative offerings that you/your team brings that would increase the value and impact of the Community Energy Connectors
6. A budget breakdown that includes information on level of effort across the 3-year performance period.

Note: If submitting a team application, make sure to clearly define each Regional Partner’s approach, plan, and expected outputs and deliverables, and how activities purposed under this opportunity will address the priority clean energy challenges, opportunities, and goals faced by communities in their region, as identified in the application form.

• Sign up for the Teaming Partner List closing January 28, 2025: Click Here to Sign Up
• View the List and contact potential partners here (password: “SCEPTEAM”): Click Here to View Potential Partners

How to Participate

1. Review the resources from the Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session on December 18, 2024 under Webinar Resources.
2. Attend the Office Hours on January 14, 2025 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET - Click Here to Register
3. Complete the submission and upload here: Click Here to Submit (Submissions are due NLT January 28, 2025 by 3:00 PM ET)

We have CAPTCHA enabled feature on our meetings. For a best webinar experience, we recommend downloading the Microsoft Teams software to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.