USDA Rural Development is seeking applications for its Energy Audit and Renewable Energy Development Assistance (EA REDA) grant program. The program can provide up to $100,000 in grant assistance to eligible applicants for the purpose of conducting energy audits and renewable energy development assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses.
Eligible applicants include units or instrumentalities of State, tribal, or local government, land-grant college or university or other institution of higher education, rural electric cooperatives, public power entities, and Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils.
The assistance must be provided to agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Rural small businesses must be located in eligible rural areas. Assistance provided must consist of energy audits, renewable energy technical assistance, or renewable energy site assessments. Eligible project costs include, but are not limited to, salaries directly related to the project, travel expenses directly related to the project, office supplies, and administrative expenses (up to five percent of the grant). Ineligible project costs include, but are not limited to, payment for construction related activities, purchase or lease of equipment, goods or services provided by a person or entity who has a conflict of interest, cost incurred in preparing an application package, and funding political or lobbying activities.
The program has an application deadline of 4:30 pm local time on January 31, 2017. See page 71689 of the October 18 Federal Register or https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-energy-audit-renewable-energy-development-assistance/ne more information. Contact Jeff Carpenter, Nebraska Energy Coordinator, at (402) 437-5554 or jeff.carpenter@ne.usda.gov with inquiries or questions.