Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program | RDBCP REAP RES EEI 2018

Opportunity Information: Apply for RDBCP REAP RES EEI 2018

The Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: RDBCP REAP RES EEI 2018) is a mandatory USDA Rural Development grant competition administered by the Rural Business-Cooperative Service under CFDA 10.868, commonly associated with the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The purpose of this funding is to help eligible applicants in rural areas move forward with projects that either install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements, ultimately reducing energy costs, improving energy reliability, and supporting rural economic activity tied to business and commerce as well as the energy sector.

This particular notice directs applicants to review the official Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) published on March 13, 2018. The NOSA is hosted on the USDA Rural Development website (www.rd.usda.gov) and can be located by navigating through Programs and Services, then For Businesses, then Rural Energy for America Program. The NOSA is the controlling document for this opportunity, meaning it contains the specific rules that govern eligibility details, eligible project types, scoring or ranking criteria, required forms and attachments, submission instructions, and any special conditions. While the short description here does not list all requirements, it makes clear that the program is designed for project-level investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Eligible applicants are identified primarily as rural small businesses that are for-profit and agricultural producers. The source data also indicates eligibility for small businesses and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), which suggests that certain tribal entities may qualify depending on how they are organized and how they meet the program's applicant definitions. In practice, REAP typically focuses on applicants who will own the project and realize the energy benefits, such as a rural business upgrading equipment to lower energy use or a producer installing an on-farm renewable energy system. Because the eligibility standards can be technical (for example, what counts as "rural," what qualifies as a "small business," and what documentation is required to prove applicant status), the NOSA is essential for confirming whether a specific applicant and project meet the program rules.

The funding instrument type for this opportunity is a grant, and the activity categories are listed as Business and Commerce and Energy, reflecting the program's role in supporting operating cost reductions and modernization in rural enterprises. The award ceiling is stated as $500,000, meaning individual grant awards could be made up to that maximum amount for qualifying projects, subject to the limits and cost-share rules established in the NOSA. The listing does not provide an expected number of awards in the extracted data, so the number of funded projects would depend on available appropriations, the volume and quality of applications received, and how USDA prioritizes applications under the program's scoring and ranking framework.

Key dates included in the opportunity record show a creation date of March 27, 2018, and an original application closing date of April 30, 2018. That closing date indicates the deadline for submission under this specific 2018 cycle, and applicants would be expected to follow the NOSA for the exact time of day, submission method, and any requirements around paper versus electronic submission, as well as what constitutes a complete application package.

Overall, this opportunity is a USDA Rural Development funding pathway for rural for-profit small businesses and agricultural producers seeking to invest in renewable generation or energy-saving upgrades, with grants available up to $500,000 per award under the 2018 solicitation, and with the definitive requirements and instructions provided in the March 13, 2018 NOSA referenced on the USDA Rural Development REAP webpage.

• The Rural Business-Cooperative Service in the business and commerce, energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.868.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-04-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Small businesses.

Apply for RDBCP REAP RES EEI 2018

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