Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas Funding Opportunity Announcement | DE FOA 0002970

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002970

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002970) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) competitive grant opportunity run by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). It is part of DOE's larger, $1 billion Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This specific FOA makes roughly $300 million available to support clean energy demonstration and deployment projects in rural or remote U.S. communities, defined for this program as places with populations under 10,000. The intent is not simply to fund one-off projects, but to prove out practical energy solutions that can be copied in other rural or remote locations and scaled over time.

At its core, the opportunity focuses on delivering direct, measurable benefits to rural and remote energy customers. DOE is looking for projects that can lower energy bills, improve access to reliable power, increase resilience during disruptions and extreme weather, and reduce environmental harms associated with legacy energy systems. OCED emphasizes that rural communities face very different conditions and constraints, so the FOA is structured to allow a wide range of project types, sizes, and approaches. To reflect regional differences, the FOA is organized into nine geographic regions, and applicants must identify at least one applicable region and the climate risk(s) their project will help address. DOE encourages applicants to leverage regional strengths (such as local natural resources, existing industries, and community institutions) and to ground proposals in the realities of local energy challenges and economic conditions.

The ERA Program has three stated goals that shape what DOE wants to fund. First, it aims to deliver tangible customer and community benefits through replicable projects that reduce costs, improve access and reliability, and/or reduce environmental harm. Second, it aims to demonstrate new models for rural or remote energy systems by pairing climate-resilient technologies with stronger business structures, innovative financing strategies, and improved community engagement practices. Third, it seeks to build long-term clean energy knowledge and capacity in rural America so communities are better positioned to plan, operate, maintain, and expand their own energy solutions rather than relying indefinitely on outside expertise.

A major theme of the FOA is "de-risking" investment in rural energy infrastructure. DOE expects funded projects to use commercially viable or near-commercial technologies, showing that these solutions can work under rural constraints like long feeder lines, limited local utility staffing, constrained capital markets, harsh weather exposure, supply chain distance, or isolated microgrid needs. The demonstrations are meant to produce practical insights for follow-on investment: lessons about technology performance, project delivery methods, workable business models, financing approaches, permitting and siting strategies, and community engagement practices. OCED also signals that it wants projects that clarify pathways to good-paying jobs, including union jobs where applicable.

To ensure communities see real and equitable outcomes, applicants are required to submit a Community Benefits Plan (CBP). The CBP is meant to show, in a concrete and measurable way, how the project will engage the community and workforce, support labor standards and workforce investment, advance the Justice40 Initiative goal (that 40 percent of overall benefits from certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities), and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). DOE notes that applicants will have different levels of experience with this kind of planning, and indicates it will support awardees in strengthening and implementing their CBPs over time. The FOA also stresses using local workers and local resources as much as possible, and where outside partners are needed, incorporating meaningful participation from local businesses, labor unions, underserved and underrepresented groups, federally recognized Tribes, and tribal and indigenous communities.

Replicability is treated as a central requirement rather than a nice-to-have. DOE is looking for projects that build confidence among the decision-makers who can enable broader adoption: utilities, lenders and financiers, and Tribal, state, and local governments. A project can be considered replicable even if the technology itself is not brand new; for example, demonstrating an established clean energy technology for the first time in a rural setting, scaling an approach to a larger size, or proving a new way to speed siting and permitting to expand energy access. DOE also highlights use cases such as improving self-reliance for communities with limited grid access, reducing environmental harms from existing generation, and supporting economic development and job creation that strengthens overall community resilience.

From an administrative standpoint, this FOA is a discretionary funding opportunity and will be awarded as cooperative agreements, meaning DOE expects substantial involvement during the project (as is typical for large demonstration efforts). Eligible applicants are broad and include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments and other Tribal organizations; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits). The posting lists an award ceiling of $100,000,000 and an expectation of about 28 awards. The opportunity was created March 1, 2023, with an original closing date of June 28, 2023. Concept papers and full applications are required to be submitted through OCED Exchange at https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/, and the FOA repeatedly emphasizes that this is the required submission portal.

• The Department of Energy, Headquarters in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas Funding Opportunity Announcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.255.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 01, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 28, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 28 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

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