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Frequently Asked QuestionsIn addition to the Frequently Asked Questions below, you may also wish to explore a searchable archive of more than 600 EECBG Program questions and answers available here. PDF Version (PDF 222 KB) Download Adobe Reader
About Reporting and Accountability About Federal Laws and Policies that Apply to EECBG
About the EECBG Competitive Funds
About the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS)
About Eligibility for EECBG Funds
Q: What is the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program? A: The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) provides grants to U.S. local governments, states, territories, and Indian tribes to fund programs and projects that reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency. The Program represents a Presidential priority to deploy the cheapest, cleanest, and fastest energy sources. EECBG was authorized in Title V, Subtitle E of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), signed into law on December 19, 2007, and is modeled after the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Q: What is the purpose of the Program? A: Section 542 of Title V, Subtitle E of EISA (PL 110-140) describes the purpose of the EECBG Program as the following:
Additional goals of the Program are to spur economic growth and create and/or retain jobs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Q: What was the funding level of the Program in past years? A: The EECBG Program is new in 2009; it was funded for the first time by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Q: How much money is available? A: Congress appropriated $3.2 billion for the EECBG Program, most of which (over $2.7 billion) will be distributed through formula grants. The balance includes nearly $455 million for competitive grants, which will be awarded through a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) coming soon. Allocations to entities eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE are based on the following funding amounts:
In addition, each state must pass not less than 60% of its allocation on to cities
and counties within the state that are ineligible for direct formula grants from
the DOE. Each state decides how to award these sub-grants.
Q: What are the criteria for the formula grants? A: The population data used in determining EECBG Program funding allocation formulas is from the 2007 U.S. Census Population. For more detailed information on the formula, see the EECBG Formula Methodology (PDF 157 KB) as published in the Federal Register April 15, 2009. Download Adobe Reader.
State Formula
The formula for determining allocations to states includes three factors that are considered with equal weight: (1) the total population of the state; (2) the population of the state after subtracting the populations of all cities and counties eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE in that state; and (3) the total energy consumption in the state, less consumption in the industrial sector. City/County Formula The formula for determining allocations to cities and counties is based on two weighted factors - resident population, and daytime (commuter) population. The resident population factor receives a weight of approximately 70%, and the daytime population factor Tribal Formula The formula for Tribal governments is based on two weighted factors - tribal population, and the climatic conditions in each tribe's state, derived from heating and cooling degree days. The tribal population factor receives a weight of 75%, and the tribal climate factor receives a weight 25%. About the Use of Grant Funds Q: Generally, what can these funds be used for? A: Grant funds are to be used to assist State, local, territorial and Tribal governments in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions and total energy use, and to improve energy efficiency in all sectors. Q: What specific activities are eligible for use of the funds? A: Grant funds can be used community-wide as well as for government owned facilities and infrastructure projects. The following activities are eligible under the Program:
For more information about eligible activities under the Program, see the Subtitle E of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) document (PDF 88 KB) and the EECBG Program Funding Opportunity Announcement UPDATED ! (PDF 749 KB). Download Adobe Reader Q: How should activities be prioritized in planning for use of the funds? A: Energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy programs and projects are building blocks for increased economic vitality, energy security, and environmental quality. EECBG Program funds will have maximum impact if invested in ways that create and/or retain jobs and stimulate the economy in the short term while laying the foundation for a long-term and sustainable clean energy economy. The DOE encourages grantees to prioritize programs and projects that:
About Eligibility Q: Who is eligible to apply for formula grants? A: U.S. cities, counties, states, territories, and Indian tribes are eligible to receive funds under the EECBG Program. The DOE uses the most recent and accurate population data from the U.S. Census to determine eligibility. States For the purposes of the EECBG Program, the definition of "state" includes the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and the following territories of the United States: Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Specifically, the State Energy Office of each state is eligible to apply. Cities For the purposes of the EECBG Program, the definition of "city" includes city equivalent units of local government such as towns or villages. Consolidated city-county governments will be considered as cities. A city is eligible for a direct formula grant from the DOE if it has a population of at least 35,000, or if it is one of the 10 highest populated cities of the state in which it is located. Cities that do not meet the eligibility requirements for direct formula grants from the DOE are still eligible for Program funds through the state in which they are located. Counties For the purposes of the EECBG Program, the definition of "county" includes county equivalent units of local government such as parishes or boroughs. Consolidated city-county governments will be considered as cities. A county is eligible for a direct formula grant from the DOE if it has a population of at least 200,000 or if it is one of the 10 highest populated counties of the state in which it is located. County populations calculated for eligibility for direct formula grants from the DOE do not include the populations of cities within them that are eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE. Counties that do not meet the eligibility requirements for direct formula grants from the DOE are still eligible for Program funds through the state in which they are located. Indian Tribes All Federally recognized Indian tribes and any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688; 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) are eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE. Q: How do we know if we are eligible? A: For a list of entities eligible for formula grants and allocation amounts, see State and Local Government Grant Allocations | Tribal Grant Allocations. For eligibility information regarding funding from states, contact your State Energy Office. For contact information for your State Energy Office, visit the National Association of State Energy Officials. About the Application Process Q: Are there any pre-application requirements? A: Yes. In order to apply for EECBG Program formula funds, a three-step registration process is required of all applicants. Please allow 21 days to complete the registration process. Step 1: Request a DUNS Number at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do Step 2: Register with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) at: Step 3: E-Business Point of Contact must register in FedConnect at: https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/ Q: How do we apply to receive a formula grant from the DOE? A: Applications for the EECBG Program must be submitted through FedConnect. For complete application instructions and Program information, read the Funding Opportunity Announcement UPDATED ! (PDF 749 KB). Q: What is FedConnect? A: FedConnect is an online resource where federal agencies post opportunities and make awards via the web. For more information about FedConnect, download and read: https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/PublicPages/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf Q: How do we apply for a competitive grant from the DOE? A: The DOE's first priority is to award the formula grants. Details on applying for competitive grants will be provided soon in a Funding Opportunity Announcement for competitive funds under the EECBG Program. Q: How do we apply for funds from our state? A: Contact your State Energy Office to request information on your state's plan for awarding sub-grants under the EECBG Program. For contact information, visit the National Association of State Energy Officials. Q: When will applications be accepted? A: Applications are being accepted now through FedConnect. Q: What is the deadline to apply? A: The application due date for states is June 25, 2009 at 8:00:00 PM Eastern Time. The application due date for cities, counties, and Indian tribes eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE is June 25, 2009 at 8:00:00 PM Eastern Time. Q: How will we know that our application has been approved? A: The DOE's project management team will review each application to ensure that the grantee has developed a strategy for use of grant funds with activities eligible under the EECBG Program, and that the proposed budgets are acceptable. Q: Will my allocation come to me automatically or do I have to apply for it? A: To receive your funding allocation, you MUST submit an application. The deadline for the submission of all applications is Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:00 pm ET. For a list of entities eligible to apply for a direct formula grant from DOE, please see Attachment A of the Funding Opportunity Announcement, or the allocation tables, both of which are available on the EECBG homepage. In order to submit an application, you must first be registered in FedConnect and complete the following one-time actions. These five (5) actions must be completed in order for you to submit an application in response to this funding opportunity. You may already have completed steps 1 and 2 for previous funding opportunities with the federal government. If you have, you may proceed directly to step 3. Applicants must:
*Applicants who are not registered with CCR and FedConnect, should allow at least 10 days to complete these requirements. Please note that some of the applications documents need to be downloaded from Grants.gov. Other documents are to be created using forms attached to the FOA, and others do not have an established format and are to be created in the format of the applicants’ choice. Detailed application instructions can be found in the Funding Opportunity Announcement on pages 21-22. For more information about FedConnect, see the “Ready, Set, Go!” pdf, which includes helpful instructions on how to navigate through the system. Q: Does the application process include an opportunity to receive feedback from DOE if submitted projects are not acceptable? What happens if my application is denied? A: If your application is not initially approved or if any submitted projects are not acceptable, you will be informed of the specific issues that need to be addressed in order to satisfy the requirements of the program. Per statute, eligible entities may revise and submit their proposed strategy “as many times as necessary” to get approval. About Reporting and Accountability Q: How will success be measured? A: Grantees will be required to report regularly to the DOE on five metrics:
About Federal Laws and Policies that Apply to EECBG Q: Are EECBG activities subject to NEPA? What types of activities are likely to need a NEPA review? A: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to base their major decisions on high quality environmental information. While all EECBG activities are subject to NEPA, not all will be subject to the same levels of review. Some proposed activities will likely qualify for categorical exclusions, which means that neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required. Other proposals, however, will need an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement, which could delay the award process and the ability of the grantee to obligate and expend program funds within the required timeframes. More detailed information on which proposed activities will likely qualify for a categorical exclusion can be found in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. Grantees are encouraged to consider the impact of NEPA when developing their EECS. Q: What would be the best case scenario for a time frame for turn-around of DOE review of projects/programs needing NEPA review? A: The time it takes to perform the requisite NEPA review depends on the level of review required and the complexity or novelty of the proposed action. Projects that qualify for a Categorical Exclusion can theoretically be completed by the NEPA Compliance Officer (NCO) prior to award in as little as an hour or as much as a few days. Projects requiring an Environmental Assessment (EA) typically take three to six months and can take longer. Projects requiring an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) typically take 12 to 15 months but can extend out for years depending on the proposal. About the EECBG Competitive Funds Q: What is the application process for competitive funds? A: Details on applying for competitive grants including eligibility and award criteria will soon be provided in a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement. About the Award Process Q: What is the “effective date of award”? How will I know what this date is? How soon will I have access to the funds after the effective date of award? A. The effective date of award is typically the date on which the grant award is signed by the Contracting Officer. This date is identified on the Agreement Face Page of the award document. Access to funds through ASAP (Automated Standard Application for Payments) can happen as soon as your ASAP account is established with the U.S. Treasury. Q: Can a grantee start incurring expenses prior to the awarding of funds, and be reimbursed by the grant? A: Any work you do prior to approval of your application is done at your own risk. However, you may be able to recoup pre-award costs of expenditures up to 90 days prior to the effective date of the award. The pre-award costs must first be reviewed by DOE to determine if they were incurred in direct support of an approved activity and if they meet the requirements of the appropriate cost principles. DOE will not consider any pre-award costs incurred before 2/17/09, the date the Recovery Act was signed. Any EECBG formula grant applicant that desires reimbursement for pre-award costs must include details on those costs in their application. About Eligible Activities Q: Can funds be used for assessments or feasibility studies? A: Most assessments and feasibility studies will be eligible activities. For instance, grantees may retain technical consultant services to assist in the development of an EEC strategy, including formulation of energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy usage goals; identification of strategies to achieve those goals through efforts to increase energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel emissions or reduce energy consumption through investments or by encouraging behavioral changes. Q: Can EECBG grant funding be used for acquisition of alternate fuel vehicles? A: Yes, if you can show that this purchase is consistent the purpose of the program (e.g., by reducing total energy use/greenhouse gas emissions of the grantee and/or improve energy efficiency, while also creating jobs and offering long-term benefits). Q: Do the eligible activities for use of funds apply to cities and counties that receive program funds from their State Energy Office? A: Yes. Q: Is there a requirement for a minimum amount spent on a program or project? A: No minimum is required. Q: Can funds be used to pay the salary of government employees or contractors who are developing and/or implementing our EEC strategy, such as a Sustainability Coordinator? If so, does this expense fall under administrative costs? A: EECBG funds may be used for compensation of employees or contractors. Whether or not the administrative cost cap applies depends on the nature of the responsibilities of the staff hired. Administrative activities are those that cannot be identified with any single program but are necessary to the general conduct of the activities of the entity organization. This could include such items as the overall direction of the organization, record keeping, budgeting and business management. Entities should follow their established processes and procedures with regards to what items are considered administrative and what items are not considered administrative. Q: Can EECBG funds be used on projects that are included in an approved budget for the next fiscal year? A: Yes, if the funds are be obligated with 18 months and expended within 36 months of the effective date of award. Q: What types of activities can yield sustained benefits beyond the grant period and contribute effectively to energy market transformation? A: While many activities can yield sustained benefits beyond the grant period and contribute to energy market transformation, some of the most effective include programs that employ innovative financial incentive mechanisms such as Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs); partnering with utilities to offer on-bill financing of efficiency measures to customers; revolving loan or other loan programs that offer no or low interest rates; power purchase agreements (PPA); and financing energy efficiency improvements through property tax bills or mortgages, particularly where amortization schedules are lengthened beyond a single owners’ time frame. Programs that impact a large percentage of a population can also be effective in market transformation including time-of-sale energy audits and establishment of forward capacity markets that allow efficiency aggregators to bid in among others. Q: Can funds be used to make casinos more energy efficient? A: No. The Recovery Act prohibits, without exception, the use of funds for gambling establishments. Q: Can funds be used to reduce energy use for swimming pools? A: No. The Recovery Act prohibits, without exception, the use of fund for projects related to swimming pools. Q: Can funds be used to plant trees or implement urban forestry or green roof projects? A: Applicants may propose programs and projects which use the siting of trees and other landscape shading techniques for the purpose of decreasing the energy consumption of buildings. Applicants must estimate the specific energy use and GHG emissions reductions resulting from these activities. Q: Can we use the block grants for efficiency improvements in water management and conservation, and wastewater treatment? A: Yes. The water and wastewater treatment sectors account for as much as 3% of electricity use in the U.S. In the drinking water sector, pumping accounts for about 90% of energy use, whereas in wastewater treatment the majority of energy use is due to treatment processes. EECBG funds can be used to increase energy efficiency in and reduce total energy consumption of wastewater treatment facilities, and for projects that increase energy efficiency or reduce energy use in the management or provision of water services to the public. Q: Can funds be used for energy efficiency or conservation projects in schools? A: Yes. Q: What types of financial incentives or mechanisms can funding be used for? A: Financial incentive programs include, but are not limited to, energy saving performance contracting, on-bill financing, and revolving loan funds. Grantees may propose any financial incentive activity that meets the purposes and requirements of the program. Innovation and the potential to replicate good ideas are encouraged. About the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS) Q: How much detail needs to go into the EECS? A: There is no prescribed level of detail. The EECS is not intended to constitute a comprehensive sustainability strategy for a grantee, or to supplant any such existing strategy. The scope of the EECS is the set of activities undertaken with EECBG program funds. Activities and plans beyond the scope of the EECS may be referenced as deemed appropriate. If your application is denied due to an insufficient level of detail in your EECS, you will be notified what steps you need to take to revise it for resubmission. Q: Do I need to conduct a comprehensive emissions inventory for my community in order to report on GHG emissions saved? A: A comprehensive emissions inventory for the entire community is not necessary. You need only baseline the activities that will be impacted by the activities funded by the EECBG program. You should use the start date of these activities as your baseline. Q: In order to produce an EECS, we may need to hire a consultant. Do you have a sample RFP that might assist in selection process? A: The Department cannot provide such a sample RFP. Q: Can we submit project and program ideas early and get some feedback from DOE? A: The Department cannot pre-approve specific projects. Per statute, however, eligible entities may revise and resubmit applications “as many times as necessary” for approval. DOE encourages you to work within your peer networks to get and provide feedback on strategies and activities prior to submission of your application. Q: If a submitted EECS is not approved, would the entity lose all or part of its allocation? A: No. All eligible entities are expected to receive their allocation. If your application is not initially approved, you will be informed of the specific issues that need to be addressed in order to satisfy the requirements of the program. Per statute, eligible entities may revise and submit their proposed strategy “as many times as necessary” for approval. Q: If I provide an EECS with my application using Attachment D or E of the Funding Opportunity Announcement, does that mean I cannot use EECBG funding to develop a more complex and complete strategy? A: If you submit Attachment D or E of the Funding Opportunity Announcement with your application and it is approved, you may still use your allocated funds to develop a more comprehensive energy strategy or plan for your community. If you do not submit Attachment D or E of the Funding Opportunity Announcement with your application, you must submit a comprehensive EECS within 120 days of your effective award date. Q: If I do not submit my strategy with my application, is it necessary to use EECBG funds to develop my EECS conservation strategy? A: There is no requirement that the development of a satisfactory EECS be funded with EECBG program funds. Q: What are the requirements for the EECBG regarding public input and participation in the development of the EECS? A: There are no specific requirements regarding public participation in strategy development. However, transparency and accountability are both principles of the EECBG program as well as enforceable objectives of the Recovery Act. Grantees should consider their unique circumstances regarding the near and long term benefits of various ways to involve the community in public policymaking and implementation, and structure their process accordingly. Q: Once an EECS is submitted and approved, can it be amended by the grantee? What is the process for that? A: Yes, amendment may be possible. This would typically be done through an amendment to the grant award. A request would need to be submitted to the DOE award administrator who would outline the detailed process for revising the EECS. About Eligibility for EECBG Funds Q: I am not eligible for a direct grant from DOE. Are there any other ways I can apply for funds under the program? A: Yes. You may apply for a grant under the competitive portion of the EECBG program. Details on applying for the competitive grants will soon be provided in a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement. You may also be eligible for program funds or a sub grant through your State Energy Office. For contact information for State Energy Offices, please visit the National Association of State Energy Officials. Q: Will direct formula communities also be eligible to apply for EECBG funds from their state Energy Office? A: At least 60 percent of the EECBG funds allocated to each state must be sub-granted to units of local government within that state that are not eligible for direct grants from DOE. A State may choose to spend the remainder of its funding in ways that benefit communities that qualified for direct grants. Please contact your State Energy Office for information on how your state plans to use its funds and award sub grants. About Leveraging EECBG Funds Q: Are funds limited to distribution only in the jurisdiction to which they are allocated? A: No, funds are not limited to distribution only in the jurisdiction to which they are allocated. Further, DOE encourages grant recipients to coordinate with each other to leverage funds and resources to maximize benefits. Q: If we have received monies from other Federal, state, or other public programs, can this be used in conjunction with other federal funding opportunities? A: Yes, other public and private funding can be used in coordination with EECBG funds and leveraging of funds is encouraged. Q: Is a public-private partnership project eligible? A: Leveraging of EECBG program funds with private funding is encouraged. Q: What other DOE programs have funding opportunities for these types of activities? A: The funding provided under the EECBG program supplements other Federal funds from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, including State Energy Program and Weatherization Assistance Program grants. For more information on Recovery Act funds, please visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/recovery/. For information on all EERE financial opportunities, visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/financing/. Q: How is EECBG similar to or different from the State Energy Program? A: The State Energy Program provides grants to states and directs funding to State Energy Offices from technology programs in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. States use grants to address their energy priorities and program funding to adopt emerging renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. For more information on the State Energy Program, please visit http://eere.energy.gov/state_energy_program/. For information on the State Energy Program Recovery Act Funds, visit http://eere.energy.gov/state_energy_program/recovery_act.cfm. About the Reporting Process Q: We are required to report on jobs created and/or retained, energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed, GHG emissions reduced, and funds leveraged. What are the minimum "acceptable" levels we need to reach in each of these areas, or are there minimum requirements? What would happen if we don't meet a minimum requirement? A: There are no required minimums. However, grantees are strongly encouraged to maximize success under each of these areas in order to benefit themselves and meet or exceed the stated purposes and objectives of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. |
