WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Donald “DJ” LaVoy today announced that USDA is seeking applications for grants to offset high energy costs in rural areas.
USDA is making the funding available through the High Energy Cost Grant program. This program helps state and local governments and nonprofit agencies acquire, construct, extend, upgrade or otherwise improve energy generation, transmission or distribution facilities. Grants may also be used to install on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.
Eligible projects must be in communities where the average residential home energy expenditure is at least 275 percent of the national average. USDA expects to award up to $10 million for Fiscal Year 2020.
Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight, no later than April 27, 2020.
Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by midnight Eastern Standard Time on April 27, 2020.
USDA encourages applications that will support recommendations made in the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB) to help improve the quality of life in rural America. Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust and sustainable economies through strategic investments in infrastructure, partnerships and innovation. Key strategies include:
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Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
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Developing the Rural Economy
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Harnessing Technological Innovation
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Supporting a Rural Workforce
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Improving Quality of Life
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