Renew America's Nonprofits

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the $50 million Renew America’s Nonprofits Program – referred to in President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot Program – to reduce carbon emissions, improve health and safety, and lower utilities costs at buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This first-of-its-kind investment in the nonprofit sector aims to help nonprofits make high-impact energy efficiency improvements that will create cleaner, healthier community spaces, while generating sustainable savings so that critical funds can be redirected toward mission-driven work. It also aims to stimulate widespread energy improvements in the nonprofit sector, promoting the formation of partnerships between stakeholders to create a pipeline of energy and cost-saving projects that will continue beyond the life of the grant.

Congratulations to the Prime Selectees of the Renew America’s Nonprofits Grant!

Renew America's Nonprofits Prime Selectees 2023: Map of the US with Projected Portfolio Impact of Prime Selectees

Learn more about the Prime Selectees for the Renew America's Nonprofits grant!

Selectees were announced on October 25, 2023. Nine nonprofit organizations will share $45 million in awards, and collaborate with 38 partners, to deliver energy improvements in approximately 300 nonprofit buildings across the country – including 28 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Prime Selectees now enter the award phase, and will submit portfolios identifying subrecipients, efficiency projects, and a complete picture of their impacts by approximately June 2024. To date, Prime Selectees have already indicated plans to support nonprofits with diverse missions including emergency response services, support for unhoused populations, support for refugees, protection against domestic violence, protection against food insecurity, housing, religious services, health services, and more. To stay up to date on the progress of the Renew America’s Nonprofits program, sign up for our distribution list below.

View the Current Teaming List

DOE will use an aggregation model, represented in the diagram below, to implement the Renew America's Nonprofits program. To facilitate engagement and partnership-building between the various stakeholders in the Renew America's Nonprofits grant, DOE has established a Teaming List. Prime Selectees will have access to the Teaming List as they are finalizing their subrecipient portfolios over the coming months.

The Teaming Partner list will continue to be updated after the application deadline, to facilitate continued connections across the nonprofit community. Join the teaming list to let other stakeholders know you are interested in working together. Please note that this is not an application.

Spotlighted Questions

1. We have joined the Teaming List. When will we hear from someone?

The Teaming List is a tool intended to help organizations with complementary goals connect and explore partnerships - including prospective Prime selectees and subrecipients. It is not a source of news/updates from the DOE. If you would like to receive updates about program and Prime selectees, tools, resources, and additional opportunities from the Renew America's Nonprofits program, join our mailing list. If you would like to explore a partnership with another organization on this list, please reach out to them directly using the contact information provided.

2. My organization is hoping to be a subrecipient. What are our next steps?

DOE is not responsible for the formation of partnerships between prospective Prime and prospective subrecipients. However, we have provided the Renew America's Nonprofits Teaming List to help connect organizations that may wish to partner with each other. We recommend reviewing the current teaming list for potential candidates, researching their backgrounds, and contacting them using the contact information provided. As a best practice, we recommend exploring relationships with multiple candidates to promote best fit and normalize expectations.

Related Resources

Federal Funding Opportunities for Nonprofits 

EERE Funding Programs View open funding opportunities from the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

Grants.gov (List of Federal Grants) Search by eligibility for “Nonprofits”, then filter by the category “Energy” and “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)” to find relevant federal funding opportunities for energy improvements. 

Tax Credits for Nonprofits 

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency Find tax credits, rebates and savings available in your state. 

Direct Pay for Tax Credits White House factsheet explaining how nonprofits can now access tax credits for clean energy through direct pay, following guidance from the Treasury. 

Tools & Resources 

Better Buildings Initiative Solution Center Resource center of building solutions by building type, sector, technology, or barrier.  

DOE Buildings Asset Score Audit This tool allows users to generate energy retrofit measure recommendations and energy savings estimates. Create a login then score the building and review the associated Energy Asset Score Report.  

Justice40 Initiative Learn about the whole-of-government initiative to ensure 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. 

National Community Solar Partnership Ecosystem which enables organizations to interact with each other, funders, and solar providers. NCSP also provides technical assistance, including credit-ready guidance. 

Renew America's Nonprofits Grant Information

Learn More

Review the Renew America's Nonprofit's Virtual Office Hours 1

Review the Renew America's Nonprofits Virtual Office Hours 2

Renew America's Nonprofits Office Hours 2 Presentation Slides
Renew America's Nonprofit's Office Hours 2 Recording (Starts at 16:55)

Spread the News!

Review our Digital Engagement Toolkit for ways to engage with, and amplify the news of, the Renew America’s Nonprofits grant and its Selectees.

Eligible Uses

Grant funds will support the installation of materials to reduce energy or fuel use in buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

The Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) intends to use an aggregation model to implement the Renew America’s Nonprofits program. In this model, successful nonprofit applicants would be “prime” recipients of the awards, characterized by their ability to curate a portfolio of “subrecipients”— nonprofits seeking to implement energy efficiency upgrades in buildings they own and operate—and to provide technical assistance, program, and project management for these organizations.

To expand their capabilities, potential prime recipients may plan to work with partner organizations which are not required to be 501(c)(3) nonprofits.