Feature image: The LEED Gold Department of Public Works building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Image credit: City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge.

The bipartisan Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) provided $550 million to the Department of Energy (DOE) for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. These funds will be granted to states, local governments and tribes to help reduce energy and fossil fuel use and to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and infrastructure.

Use of grant funds

Funds granted by the EECBG program are to be used for activities such as

Developing an energy conservation strategy.
Conducting building energy audits.
Establishing an energy efficiency financial incentive or program.
Developing and implementing building energy codes to promote energy efficiency.
Bolstering participation in waste reduction and recycling programs that increase energy efficiency.
Developing and installing on-site renewable energy generation for eligible government buildings.

These activities are crucial to reducing emissions from the building sector, which is often responsible for the largest proportion of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in cities and communities.

Eligibility

Most program funding is available to eligible entities as defined by statute.

See the allocated amounts for eligible entities, determined by DOE, for states, local governments and tribes. States are required to pass through 60% of their allocation to cities and counties not eligible for direct grants and are required to file a plan detailing this process by July 31.

Eligible local governments and tribes have the option to apply for a program voucher in lieu of a grant, which streamlines the administrative burden. A program voucher allows program funding to be used for either technical assistance or equipment rebates. The program vouchers are suggested for local governments that have been allocated less than $250,000 or that do not have adequate staffing or experience administering a federal grant.

A DOE-hosted webinar detailing the voucher process is scheduled for April 13 at 3 p.m. ET.

For more specifics on eligibility and the application process, visit the EECBG application hub, which includes recent webinar recordings and detailed application instructions.

Applying for funds

The first step to applying for funds is to complete and return the pre-award information form by April 28 to access both grant and voucher funding through the program.

The program also provides $8.6 million in competitive funding. The timeline for applying for this funding is forthcoming.

Our involvement

USGBC is looking forward to helping states and communities best use EECBG funding to promote building decarbonization and improve the performance of local building sectors.

Learn more about USGBC’s work to support high-performance building policies at the state and local level by joining the advocacy working group.

Learn more about the EECBG program

Pre-applications to opt in to DOE energy efficiency grant program due April 28