Entities that may apply to this FOA as the prime applicant are only those U.S. local governments and State-recognized Indian tribes that are ineligible for the EECBG Program Formula grant. To confirm your eligibility to be the prime applicant, check that your jurisdiction is not included in these lists:

EECBG Program Eligible Uses & Program Guidance

DOE has published program guidance to provide more information about eligible uses of EECBG Program Funds, share examples of high-impact projects, and provide clear links for technical assistance opportunities across a range of project areas. For more information, see EECBG Eligible Activities and Program Guidance.

Ideal projects will create meaningful impacts on local economies, engage a variety of community partners and have a strategy to deliver on the goals of the Justice 40 initiative. Proposals may be for planning, strategy development and analysis or for implementation and scaling. 

Proposals may span a wide range of topics, including electric transportation, renewable energy, and building efficiency and/or electrification. In total there are 14 eligible use areas outlined in law:

1. Development and implementation of an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.
2. Retaining technical consultant services to assist the eligible entity in the development of such a strategy.
3. Conducting residential and commercial building energy audits.
4. Establishment of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.
5. The provision of grants to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies for the purpose of performing energy efficiency retrofits.
6. Development and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation programs for buildings and facilities within the jurisdiction of the eligible entity.
7. Development and implementation of programs to conserve energy used in transportation.
8. Development and implementation of building codes and inspection services to promote building energy efficiency.
9. Application and implementation of energy distribution technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency.
10. Activities to increase participation and efficiency rates for material conservation programs, including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement programs that lead to increases in energy efficiency.
11. The purchase and implementation of technologies to reduce, capture, and, to the maximum extent practicable, use methane and other greenhouse gases generated by landfills or similar sources.
12. Replacement of traffic signals and street lighting with energy efficient lighting technologies.
13. Development, implementation, and installation on or in any government building of the eligible entity of onsite renewable energy technology that generates electricity from renewable resources, including:
    • solar energy
    • wind energy
    • fuel cells
    • biomass
14. Programs for financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission transportation (and associated infrastructure), capital investments, projects, and programs, which may include loan programs and performance contracting programs, for leveraging of additional public and private sector funds, and programs that allow rebates, grants, or other incentives for the purchase and installation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission transportation (and associated infrastructure) measures.

DOE encourages eligible entities to team up on a single application in order to (1) ease the administrative burdens associated with managing a federal grant, (2) maximize the scope, reach, and level of ambition for the proposed projects and programs, and (3) encourage sharing of capacity, knowledge, expertise, lessons learned and best practices across jurisdictions.

Successful team applicants that are selected for funding will be eligible to also receive a DOE-sponsored, full-time fellow to be located in the prime applicant’s offices and support their endeavors under this program. 

Partner organizations, such as non-profit organizations, quasi-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, regional organizations, utilities, national labs (also referred to as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)), and private companies may not be applicants for this program, but may be partners or participants on proposed projects. A local government or state-recognized tribe must be the prime applicant, but partner organizations may be sub-recipients. Private companies, utilities and foundations may also participate, and could consider providing cost share to the effort, although cost share is not required for any applicant. See more about eligibility below. 

DOE is compiling a “Teaming Partner List” to facilitate the formation of new project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations who may wish to participate on an application to express their interest to other applicants and to explore potential partnerships. Updates to the Teaming Partner List will be available in the EERE Exchange website. The Teaming Partner List will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

Sign up to be added to the Teaming Partner List.

For detailed information, see pages 44-48 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement. The general criteria are listed below:

• Impact on near term and long-term greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel use, and/or energy use; and/or increase in the use of clean energy.
• Community engagement and benefits, consistent with the Justice40 Initiative, including a planned or completed community engagement strategy and additional benefits to the community(ies), such as economic opportunities, job creation/retention, energy cost reduction, improved energy reliability, and/or positive health outcomes.
• Viability of the plan and strength of team, including the technical feasibility, financial viability, and support from the local government or tribal leadership.

Visit the Infrastructure Exchange to apply. For detailed information on the application process, see pages 22–44 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement. 

Concept papers are brief descriptions of the project proposal, team members, and requested budget amount. The concept paper template is available here. DOE will review the concepts and either encourage or discourage applicants to submit a full application. Applicants may submit a full application regardless of whether they are encouraged or discouraged to do so.  

Submit your concept paper through the Infrastructure Exchange by June 5, 2023.

Full applications will go into further details of the project proposal, team qualifications, budget and workplan, and community benefits plan.

Submit your full applications through the Infrastructure Exchange by August 7, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET.

EECBG Program Competitive Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

DOE held its first webinar to explain the design and application process of the EECBG Program Competitive Grant.

• View the presentation slides.
• Watch the competitive grant webinar recording.

Learn more about the EECBG Competitive Program! This recording is from a second session of the introductory webinar linked above, however it features additional questions and answers that may be useful to applicants.

• View the presentation slides.
• Watch the second competitive grant webinar recording.

This webinar provides EECBG applicants with tools and knowledge they need to implement Justice40 goals into their EECBG projects.

• View the EECBG Justice40 presentation slides.
• Watch the Justice40 webinar recording.

For more information about the EECBG Competitive Program, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Did you submit a question about the EECBG Competitive Program? Check out responses to questions, updated weekly. Note: questions may have been submitted to the community@hq.doe.gov inbox, in a webinar Q&A, or elsewhere.

Write to us at  community@doe.hq.gov.