The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is hosting two equity-focused virtual listening sessions to inform the development of the $8.8 billion Home Energy Rebate Programs. 

These sessions are meant to inform how the DOE can create program guidance for Home Energy Rebate Programs that are accessible, equitable, and beneficial for low-income households, frontline communities, and historically underrepresented groups. 

These two listening sessions will be:

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7–8:30 p.m. ET

• For community-based organizations and grassroots energy and environmental justice groups. The goal of the session is to hear directly from leaders and members of organizations whose members could benefit directly from upgrades that could be funded through the home energy rebate programs.
• Register for this listening session.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 1–2:30 p.m. ET  

• For intermediary organizations that work with, support, or advocate for low-income households and disadvantaged communities. Such intermediary organizations include groups such as affordable housing providers, energy efficiency retrofit providers that are focused on projects for low-income households, and advocacy organizations pushing for greater access to housing and energy programs. 
• Register for this listening session.

In both sessions, DOE staff want to learn how DOE and program administrators from states, territories, and tribes can work with environmental and energy justice groups, equity-focused implementors, and equity-focused advocacy organizations and to promote and deliver home energy upgrades through these rebate programs.

In addition, DOE encourages equity-oriented stakeholders to respond with written feedback to the following Request for Information (RFI) on the Home Energy Rebate programs. The deadline to submit written feedback to the RFI is Friday, March 3, 2023. Stakeholders are strongly encouraged to submit responses to the RFI via this Microsoft Office Form; however, written responses can also be emailed to IRAHomeRebates@hq.doe.gov.