U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday announced that the department is making $300 million available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to expand renewable energy and support energy-efficiency projects for people living in rural America. Two significant changes to this additional funding include an increase in the maximum Federal grant share from 25% to 40% of total project cost and an increase of maximum grant amounts from $250,000 to $500,000 for energy efficiency projects and an increase from $500,000 to $1,000,000 for renewable energy systems. Projects in underserved areas are prioritized for funding under this notice. Join USDA Rural Development for a stakeholder call for an update on implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Information, including funding availability, IRA-specific program changes and links to Federal Register funding notices will be provided. More >>
