Winrock - U.S. Programs

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

Welcome to the Arkansas Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program a program of the Arkansas Energy Office administered by Winrock International. Funding for this program comes from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

Program Objectives

The purpose of the EECBG program is to assist Arkansas cities and counties in creating and implementing strategies to:

  • Reduce fossil fuel emissions;
  • Reduce energy use;
  • Improve energy efficiency in the building, transportation, and other appropriate sectors; and
  • Create and retain jobs.

Eligibility

This is a competitive grant program open to all Arkansas municipal and county governments except for those listed below that receive EECBG funds directly from the U.S. Department of Energy.

  • Ineligible cities: Conway, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Rogers and Springdale
  • Ineligible counties: Benton, Crawford, Crittenden, Garland, Lonoke, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Washington, and White

City and county governments can apply for many different activities with community partners, but applications for funding must be submitted by the city or county government itself.

Award Information

A total of $5,000,000 is available for awards under this funding opportunity. Applicants may apply for a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $750,000.

Eligible Activities

The following activity types are eligible for funding through this program. An entity may submit only one project application, but multiple activities may be included within the application.

  1. Conducting residential and commercial building energy audits. This includes hiring technical consultants to conduct such audits. Energy auditors must be certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI), Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) or other certifying entity as approved by the Arkansas Energy Office.
  2. Establishment of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements. This includes programs such as revolving loan funds, guaranteed and low-cost loan programs, on-bill financing strategies and other innovative tools.
  3. Provision of grants to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies for the purpose of performing energy efficiency retrofits, provided that:

    Activities Are Limited To:

    • installation of insulation;
    • installation of efficient lighting;
    • heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC) and high-efficiency shower/faucet upgrades;
    • weather sealing;
    • purchase and installation of ENERGY STAR appliances as replacements for existing appliances;
    • installation of solar powered appliances with improved efficiency; and
    • replacement of windows and doors.
  4. Development and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation programs for buildings and facilities within the jurisdiction of the entity, provided that:

    Activities Are Limited To:

    • design and operation of the programs;
    • identifying the most effective methods for achieving the maximum participation and efficiency rates;
    • public education, measurement and verification protocols; and
    • identification of energy efficient technologies.
  5. Development and implementation of building codes and inspection services, and associated training and enforcement of such codes in order to support code compliance and promote building energy efficiency.
  6. Replacement of street lighting with energy efficient technologies.
  7. Development, implementation, and installation on or in any government building of onsite renewable energy technology that generates electricity from renewable resources, provided that:

    Activities Are Limited To:

    • Solar Electricity/Photovoltaic – systems or unit on existing rooftops and parking shade structures must be sized for the load of the particular building it is installed on; or a 60 KW system or smaller unit installed on the ground within the boundaries of an existing facility.
    • Wind Turbine - 20 KW or smaller.
    • Solar Thermal - system must be 20 KW or smaller.
    • Solar Thermal Hot Water - such as appropriately sized for small buildings.
    • Combined Heat and Power System - boilers sized appropriately for the buildings in which they are located.
    • Biomass Thermal - 3 MMBTUs per hour or smaller system with appropriate Best Available Control Technologies (BACT) installed and operated.
    • Combined Heat and Power System - boilers sized appropriately for the buildings in which they are located.
    • Biomass Thermal - 3 MMBTUs per hour or smaller system with appropriate Best Available Control Technologies (BACT) installed and operated.

Important Dates

  • Request for Applications issued on February 22, 2010
  • Optional Letter of Intent to Submit Application due March 22, 2010
  • Applications due and must be delivered by 12:00 pm (noon) Central on April 30, 2010
  • Estimated notification of finalists for awards: June 11, 2010
  • Estimated public announcement of funding awards: July 12, 2010
  • Estimated project implementation period: July 2010 - May 2012

How To Apply

  1. Download the Request for Applications for full program description and directions.
  2. Download the Letter of Intent to Apply and submit your letter by March 22, 2010 (optional).
  3. Download the Project Application Form and the Activity Narrative Form and prepare your application. Applications must be received by 12:00 pm (noon) on April 30, 2010. Please consult the Request for Applications for submittal instructions.

For full program information, please download the Request for Applications.

For questions or clarifications, please e-mail jfrueauff@winrock.org or call 1-877-99-EECBG

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