Grants for Nonprofits - Energy

DOE is seeking input from universities, national laboratories, industry, and international entities regarding future work scopes for its major NE-funded research programs. This input includes research ideas, information, comments, feedback, and recommendations. All responses should be submitted via NEUP.gov as per the attached instructions. Eligible applicants include nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, private and public institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The grant aims to gather comprehensive input to guide the Office of Nuclear Energy's competitive research and development efforts.

The County of San Luis Obispo's Continuum of Care Builds Program aims to address and reduce homelessness by creating new Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units. This initiative is authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended by the HEARTH Act of 2009, and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The program aligns directly with HUD's overarching mission and strategic plan for FY 2022-2026, which focuses on creating strong, sustainable, and inclusive communities with quality, affordable homes for all. The target beneficiaries of the CoC Builds program are individuals experiencing homelessness, who will be served through new Permanent Supportive Housing projects. The primary impact goal is to reduce the prevalence of homelessness by addressing both immediate shelter needs and the underlying factors contributing to homelessness. This approach is expected to lead to improved outcomes for individuals and communities by providing stable housing and supportive services. The program prioritizes several key areas, reflecting HUD's strategic goals. These include supporting underserved communities and promoting equitable community development, strengthening the "Housing First" approach to reduce and ultimately end homelessness, and ensuring access to and increasing the production of affordable housing. Furthermore, the program emphasizes advancing sustainable communities by strengthening climate resilience, energy efficiency, and environmental justice, particularly for low-income households and communities of color. It also aims to integrate health and housing policies, recognizing housing's essential role in overall well-being. The expected outcomes of the CoC Builds program include an increase in the supply of Permanent Supportive Housing, leading to a measurable reduction in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County. By aligning with HUD's Strategic Plan, the program seeks to achieve better health outcomes for residents, foster more equitable access to housing opportunities, and build more resilient and sustainable communities. The maximum funding available for new PSH projects is $4,750,000, with up to $1,000,000 designated for supportive services, indicating a comprehensive approach to both housing and the necessary support systems for long-term stability. The foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change are rooted in the belief that providing permanent supportive housing, coupled with comprehensive services, is the most effective way to address chronic homelessness. By fortifying support for underserved communities and implementing the Housing First approach, the program anticipates that individuals will achieve greater stability, improve their health, and integrate more fully into their communities. The program's success will be measured by the creation of new PSH units, the number of individuals successfully housed, and the long-term reduction in homelessness, all contributing to HUD's vision of quality, affordable homes for all and stronger, more inclusive communities.

This program provides up to $25,000 in reimbursement funding to support new or expanding businesses in Cadillac's designated districts, aimed at stimulating growth and revitalizing commercial spaces.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, and tribal entities to enhance urban forestry and community engagement in disadvantaged communities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The O’Connor Fund for Historic Preservation, established in 2000 by Pam and Terry O’Connor, is administered by the City of Kalamazoo to support historic preservation activities within the city. Its core mission aligns with the Kalamazoo Historic Preservation Commission (KHPC)'s goals, aiming to safeguard and enhance Kalamazoo's historical resources. The fund provides grants between $2,000 and $10,000 to eligible projects that contribute to the preservation of buildings, areas, and other resources more than 50 years old. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are 501(c)(3) or other non-profit organizations, public agencies, and governmental units operating within the city of Kalamazoo that own historic properties. The impact goals are centered on fostering a vibrant historical landscape, ensuring the longevity of significant structures, and promoting an understanding of the city's heritage. The fund seeks to prevent dilapidation, encourage respectful rehabilitation, and support comprehensive planning efforts that contribute to the overall historic preservation strategy of Kalamazoo. The fund prioritizes projects that fall into two main categories: Rehabilitation Projects and Preservation Planning Projects. Rehabilitation projects focus on the physical restoration and repair of exterior components of historic resources, including roofs, chimneys, walls, windows, doors, fire escapes, elevators, and foundations. Preservation Planning Projects encompass a broader range of activities such as Economic Feasibility Studies, Historic Building Condition Reports, architectural rehabilitation plans, historic district study reports, under-represented communities surveys, and designation nominations. All projects must be carried out or supervised by qualified professionals. Expected outcomes include the successful preservation and rehabilitation of historic structures, the creation of robust preservation plans, and increased community engagement with Kalamazoo’s historical assets. Measurable results could include the number of historic properties successfully rehabilitated, the completion of planning documents that inform future preservation efforts, and the designation of new historic sites or districts. The fund's strategic priorities are deeply integrated with the KHPC Annual Work Plan, goals and plans of Imagine Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County Housing Plan, and the Michigan Statewide Historic Preservation Plan, signifying a comprehensive approach to historic preservation as a component of broader community development and cultural enrichment.

This project will develop technical and economic assessments of storing and retrieving hydrogen blends and/or pure hydrogen as well as California-specific decision-making tools, risk mitigation strategies, market and policy recommendations, and community engagement approaches related to those facilities.

Regional Scale Collaboration to Facilitate a Domestic Critical Minerals Future: Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative The planned Research and Development will provide a regional scale understanding of critical minerals prospectivity and provides insight into the potential materials that may be sourced from domestic secondary and unconventional feedstocks across the United States. The work will contribute to the development of a framework that addresses economic and supply chain barriers, leads to pilot scale demos, and broaden scope to include advanced carbon or critical mineral bearing material products.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Minnesota to develop and implement trauma-responsive care practices in pediatric health settings, particularly for marginalized communities.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and small businesses in Michigan to enhance training and education for the clean energy workforce while improving access to support services for participants.

The California Climate Crisis Act (AB 1279, 2022) established targets to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 85% below 1990 levels and reach carbon neutrality by 2045. Supporting this legislation, the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) 2022 Scoping Plan specifies that carbon removal activities such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are new approaches that will need to be deployed to help achieve these GHG emissions reduction goals. Carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization is a promising approach in facilitating adoption of carbon capture and carbon removal while partially diverting the need for long term transportation and underground storage of CO2. Current CO2 utilization technologies are at an early stage of development and bear technical, economic, and market uncertainty. The carbon footprint associated with the energy consumption required to convert CO2 into value-added products prevents large-scale deployment of these technologies. The purpose of this solicitation is to improve the energy efficiency of innovative approaches and processes for manufacturing commodities using CO2 captured from industrial operations burning fossil gas. The goal is to decarbonize difficult-to-abate industrial fossil gas use via carbon dioxide utilization to create value-added products.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments and nonprofits in Maryland for energy efficiency upgrades and solar installations in homes occupied by low- to moderate-income residents.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Alaska for projects that strengthen their internal operations and improve their effectiveness through capacity-building initiatives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to municipalities, non-profits, and community boards in New York State for revitalizing areas impacted by brownfields through planning and environmental assessments.

The Michigan Office of the Environmental Justice Public Advocate in the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) offers the Environmental Justice (EJ) Impact Grant program. This program is designed to reduce environmental health burdens and impacts within Michigan’s Environmental Justice communities. The core mission of this grant aligns with the broader goal of promoting environmental equity and public health, particularly in areas disproportionately affected by environmental issues. The primary target beneficiaries of this program are residents within Michigan’s Environmental Justice communities. The overarching impact goal is to positively affect these residents by funding place-based and equity-focused projects. This direct focus on communities facing environmental injustice ensures that the grant addresses critical needs where they are most prevalent, aiming for tangible improvements in their living environments and health outcomes. The program prioritizes several key areas for funding. These include community improvement projects aimed at enhancing public health, initiating or expanding monitoring of background pollution levels in air, water, or soil (with air monitoring equipment classified as air quality sensors and not for regulatory use), new or improved equipment or management techniques to improve indoor air quality in schools, and the remediation/redevelopment of contaminated or blighted sites. These priorities reflect a comprehensive approach to environmental justice, addressing both pollution and its direct impacts on community well-being. Expected outcomes include measurable improvements in public health through community projects, enhanced understanding of pollution levels via monitoring, better indoor air quality in schools, and the revitalization of environmentally degraded areas. The program has a total of $20,000,000 available, with a maximum of $500,000 per applicant. This substantial funding allows for significant, impactful projects. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Tribes, community-based non-profit organizations (including grassroots and frontline organizations), schools, institutions of higher education, and local governments, reflecting a strategic approach to engage diverse stakeholders in achieving environmental justice.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for projects that advance the development and testing of wave energy technology, targeting distributed, community, and utility applications in the United States.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on empowering low- and moderate-income communities and underserved populations in New England and parts of New York.

The 2024 Housing Development and Beautification Grant Program in Ohio offers substantial redevelopment grants of $5,000 for eligible projects exceeding $20,000 per unit, with contractor estimates required. There is also a $7,500 grant for eligible new home construction, with developer budgets required. The grants can be used to subsidize the cost of constructing new housing units or rehabilitating existing ones, as well as for creating new housing units through adaptive reuse of non-residential properties. Additionally, there is a 50% grant assistance (up to $3,000) for exterior home repairs visible from the street, such as painting and roof repairs. The program also provides a $5,000 grant for eligible home purchases of one-, two-, and three-family residences that will be owner-occupied. Certain permits, inspections, and registered contractors may be required to participate in the program.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to projects that expand electric vehicle charging access for residents of multi-family housing, particularly in disadvantaged or low-income communities, promoting EV adoption and reliable charging solutions.

This program provides funding to educational institutions and organizations to develop and implement training programs that address workforce gaps in the nuclear reactor industry, ensuring safe operations and supporting the growth of new reactor technologies.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC) Commonwealth Hydro Program aims to increase energy production and reduce environmental impacts from hydropower facilities eligible for the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (MA RPS). The program provides funding for various projects, including construction, new technology deployment, relicensing, and feasibility studies for eligible hydropower generation facilities. The overarching mission of MassCEC, as implied by this program, is to advance clean energy technologies and promote sustainable energy practices within Massachusetts by leveraging existing hydropower infrastructure and encouraging innovation in the sector. The program targets a range of beneficiaries, including commercial, industrial, institutional, non-profit, or public entities that demonstrate long-term site control over project locations and water rights. The impact goals are centered on increasing the efficiency and capacity of hydropower facilities while simultaneously reducing their environmental footprint. This includes improving fish and eel passage, mitigating fish passage injury and mortality, and enhancing downstream water quality by increasing dissolved oxygen levels. Key priorities and focuses for funding include upgrades to existing hydropower facilities (e.g., turbine replacement, automated controls, improved fish passage), projects undergoing FERC relicensing to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, the development of new hydropower facilities eligible for FERC conduit exemptions, and the deployment of advanced hydropower technologies such as fish-friendly hydropower and in-stream hydrokinetic power. Feasibility studies for these types of projects are also supported. Expected outcomes include a significant increase in renewable energy generation from hydropower facilities within Massachusetts, improved ecological health of waterways adjacent to these facilities, and the widespread adoption of more environmentally sound hydropower technologies. Measurable results would include the amount of additional energy generated, the number of successful upgrades and new facility deployments, and quantifiable improvements in environmental indicators like fish passage rates and water quality. While a specific "theory of change" or "strategic priorities" for MassCEC beyond the program's objectives are not explicitly detailed, the program's design clearly aligns with a strategy of investing in both the modernization of existing renewable energy infrastructure and the development of innovative solutions to address environmental concerns associated with hydropower. This approach suggests a belief that targeted financial support can accelerate the transition to a cleaner energy grid while ensuring ecological sustainability. The grant offers between $100,000 to $500,000, with a maximum cap of $300,000 or 50% of actual costs, demonstrating MassCEC's commitment to substantial investment in impactful projects. Eligibility criteria ensure that funded projects contribute to the state's renewable energy goals, maintain FERC compliance, and have a useful life of at least twenty years.