A Basic Introduction to EnergyRelated ARRA Funding Opportunities

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A Basic Introduction to Energy-Related ARRA
Funding Opportunities

• Updated Aug 6, 2009

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Table of Contents

• Introduction Purpose Overview
• Part I - Steps You Need to Take Before
  Applying for ARRA Grants and Contracts
• Part II - Summary of Energy-related ARRA
  Funding Opportunities
• Part III - Useful Links and Additional
  Resources

Note Web links in PowerPoint are only active in
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Purpose

• This guide was developed to help Washington
  State entities learn how to navigate the ARRA
  funding landscape and identify energy-related
  ARRA funding opportunities.
• The focus of this guide is on grant and contract
  opportunities.
• ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
  (aka Recovery Act or Stimulus)

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ARRA Overview

• The 787 billion in Recovery Act funding is being
  distributed into the economy through various
  means
• Formula grants (aka block grants or direct
  grants)
• Competitive grants
• Contracts
• Loans and loan guarantees
• Tax incentives
• Bonding authorities
• Discretionary allocations
• Funds began to be allocated in early 2009 and
  will continue through late 2010/early 2011.
• Each program differs, but most must be spent or
  obligated by late 2010/early 2011.
• New funding opportunities are announced on an
  ongoing basis, so its a good idea to check back
  regularly or subscribe to RSS feeds.

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ARRA Overview, cont.
Pathways of Funding
General overview of the different paths ARRA
dollars flow into our economy
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What about ARRA subgrants through State and
Local governments?

• Some ARRA funds are directed to State and local
  agencies.
• These agencies then redistribute some of those
  funds through sub-grants, loans, contracts and
  other means.
• Grant opportunity announcements and application
  procedures take place through the state and local
  agencies.
• Different rules may apply for subgrants and local
  contracts.

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Part I

• Steps You Need
• to Take Before Applying for
• ARRA Grants and Contracts

Note This section focuses on the steps for
Federal funding opportunities. Different rules
may apply for ARRA funds distributed through
state and local agencies.
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What Should I Do First?
There are several steps you must take before
your organization can apply for any federal grant
or contract

• Request a DUNS number (takes 1 business day)
• Register in CCR (Contractor Central Registration)
  (can take 2 days to 2 weeks)
• Register as a vendor on FedConnect
• Register on Grants.gov (can take between 3-5
  business days or as long as two weeks)
• Make sure you are eligible. All grants have
  eligibility requirements. Dont waste your time
  applying for a grant you are not eligible for!
• Pay attention to ALL deadlines. (e.g., Some
  grants require a Letter of Intent (LOI) prior to
  submitting full applications.

Take these steps early to avoid missing grant
application deadlines! The time between a grant
posting and its deadline is on average 6-8
weeks.
NOTE If you are not sure if your
company/organization already has a DUNS number
and CCR account, you can find out by following
the instructions at the links above as you go
through these steps.
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Where Do I Look for Federal Grant Opportunities?

• There are two main web portals to Federal grant
  announcements
• Grants.gov
• Lists all Funding Opportunity Announcements
  (FOAs) and links to application forms and
  instructions. You can browse by category, agency
  or perform an Advanced Search.
• Direct link to Recovery Act opportunities only
  www.grants.gov/applicants/recovery.jsp
• Some applications can be submitted through
  Grants.gov.
• Grants.gov sometimes links to forms and
  instructions located at FedConnect.
• Use Grants.gov to browse grant opportunities and
  find grant reference numbers (DE-FOA-XXXXXXX) .
• FedConnect.net
• Also lists all FOAs, application forms and
  instructions.
• Use FedConnect to get forms and instructions for
  a particular grant based on the reference number
  you found off Grants.gov.

Since Grants.gov is experiencing system overload
due to ARRA, some application submittals will be
taken through a different portal. Read on for
more information.
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How Do I Search for a Specific Grant?

• To Search for GRANTS
• Once youve found the grant you are interested in
  on Grants.gov, copy the Reference Number
  (DE-FOA-XXXXXXX).
• Go to www.FedConnect.net
• Click on "Search Public Opportunities.
• Select "Reference Number" in the Search Criteria
  drop down box and paste in the Reference Number
  of the funding opportunity you are interested in,
  followed by clicking the Search button.
• Click on the appropriate link after search
  results are displayed.
• On the right side of the screen, click on BODY
  under the Solicitation or Amendment folder 
  if multiple amendments exist, click on the most
  recent award amendment.

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Where Do I Look for Federal Contract
Opportunities?

• To Search for CONTRACTS
• Go to FedBizOpps.gov- FedBizOpps provides a
  comprehensive database of all major government
  solicitations, contract awards, subcontracting
  opportunities, surplus property sales and foreign
  business opportunities with the federal
  government.
• Click on Search for Recovery Opportunities
• Check back often. Businesses seeking government
  work should visit FedBizOpps often and register
  there to be notified of newly posted
  opportunities in their industries.
• See FAQ for more info

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Is There An Easier Way to Find ARRA Funding
Opportunities?

• In some cases, the best source of up-to-date
  funding announcements are on specific Federal
  Agency Recovery websites. Some of the most
  relevant agencies for energy-related grants are
  listed below.
• US Dept of Energy (DOE) www.energy.gov/recovery/
  funding.htm
• US Dept of Labor (DOL) - www.doleta.gov/grants/fin
  d_grants.cfm
• US Dept of Interior (DOI) - recovery.doi.gov/press
  /doi-funding-opportunities
• US Environmental Protection Agency -
  www.epa.gov/recovery
• Bookmark these links and check back often as
  more funding opportunities become available.
• You can also subscribe to RSS feeds or different
  email lists to stay up-to-date on the latest news
  and information. (Grants.gov RSS feed)

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Where Can I Find Support for My Application?

• See each FOA for the specific contact person
• DOE helpdesk offers initial consultations
• WA Dept of Commerce (formerly CTED) has a list of
  contacts for Commerce-related programs
• If you are having problems with FedConnect, you
  can call the support desk at 1-800-899-6665 or
  email support_at_FedConnect.net.

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Part II

• Summary of
• Energy-related ARRA
• Funding Opportunities

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Major Funding Opportunity Lists

• Dept of Energy (DOE) Funding Opportunities
• Dept of Labor (DOL) Funding Opportunities
• Dept of Defense (DoD) Recovery Plans Awards are
  mostly through contracts, some grants
• WA State Dept of Commerce Opportunities (formerly
  CTED)
• State Energy Program
• Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant
  Program
• Synopsis of Energy-related Tax Incentives

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Part III

• Useful Links
• and Additional Resources

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Recovery Websites for Bookmarking

• Federal Agency Recovery Plans Overview
• www.recovery.gov/?qcontent/agency-recovery-plans
  
• DOE Funding List
• www.energy.gov/recovery/funding.htm
• WA Commerce Recovery Site
• http//www.commerce.wa.gov/site/1164/default.aspx
  
• DOL Recovery www.dol.gov/recovery/
• DoD Recovery www.defenselink.mil/recovery/
• Prosperity Partnership ARRA Coordination
  www.prosperitypartnership.org/recovery
• Grants.gov Recovery site
• www07.grants.gov/applicants/recovery.jsp
• FedConnect www.fedconnect.net
• FedBizOpps www.fbo.gov

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Additional Online Resources on ARRA

• Stoel Rives Stimulus Resource Center
• Source Stoel Rives
• Can Your Cleantech Business Get Stimulus Funds?
• Source Perkins Coie
• Infrastructure Initiatives in the ARRA
• Source KL Gates
• Summary of Energy-Tax Provisions of 2009 Recovery
  Act
• Source Schwabe, Wight and Williamson

Disclaimer For information purposes only. This
is provided only as an indicative selection of
online resources - there are many more providing
summaries and insights into ARRA. The source
organizations listed have no association with
PSRC/Prosperity Partnership.
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Contact

• If you have any feedback or would like to add
  other resources we missed in this guide, please
  email recovery_at_psrc.org