ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thanks for a wonderful year and congratulations to everyone who has won a grant and/or completed a grant application in 2024! For 18 months, the MCC has hosted Federal Funding Fridays and we are happy to know that participants continue to find value in being in community with others, across sectors, learning, sharing and working towards securing funding for climate efforts. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to continuing these calls in 2025!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- NO CALL ON DECEMBER 27th! (January 3, TBD)
- Free Grant Training Workshops with MCC/SIUE
- Grant Processes Overview 1-Day Workshop: New date: January 24, 2025 in Des Moines, IA. A few spots remain, register today!
- Also Check our Grant Training for info about other free Grant Training Opportunities coming up in 2025–more updates coming by mid-January!
- Save $$$ and register for the Midwest Climate Summit early! April 30 – May 2, 2025 in Madison–we hope to see you there!
- ICYMI: USDA announced yesterday that they will pause accepting applications for the IRA Funding under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The last day to submit a new IRA application for FY 2025 funding will be December 31, 2024, at 4:30 PM local time (in the applicant’s time zone)!!!! They are anticipating to reopen sometime in late Spring 2025.
- Still taking 25% grant or 75% loan
- Community Change Grants scuttlebutt: expect to hear back in March for last round of applications just submitted by final deadline
- What to know about IRA funding in next presidency, a couple resources:
- Lawyers for Good Gov’t overview
- WRI Continuing Clean Energy Progress Under the Trump Administration
- MCC looking for way to pass around knowledge of IRA benefits to representatives to keep as much funding as possible
AWARDS
- DOE Announced Nonprofits Selected for $2 Million Energy Upgrade Funding Opportunity to Improve Energy Efficiency and Lower Utility Costs in Nonprofits Across 17 States. BUILT Nonprofits is a $2 million funding opportunity from the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program (in BIL). 10 of the 17 are Midwest nonprofits!
- Covenant House Illinois, Inc. (IL)
- Community Health Care, Inc. (IA)
- Peace Neighborhood Center (MI)
- Crow River Players, Inc. dba Little Theatre Auditorium (MN)
- Community Partnership of SE Missouri (MO)
- National Avenue Christian Church (MO)
- Neighborhood Innovation Center (MO)
- Star House (OH)
- Operation Fresh Start (WI)
- WRTP BIG STEP (WI)
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program – potentially open again next annually
- Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
- ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS IN RURAL OR REMOTE AREAS (ERA)
- Min cost share: 5% to 20%
- Concept papers due February 27, 2025
- Full applications due August 28, 2025
- (Wisconsin only) 2025 Rural Energy Startup Program
- To be opened again soon
- $75,000 – $125,000
- Deadline unknown (late spring? March?)
- No cost share
- (Wisconsin only) 2025 Energy Innovation Grant Program
- For main campus or BC campus
- Highly competitive
- Open again in the next month
- $250,000 – $1,000,000
- Deadline unknown (March 1 again?)
- Cost share not required but recommended
- U.S. Department of Energy’s Partnerships to Accelerate Training & Hiring for Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP PATHs) Prize
- Due February 12
- Workforce development in tandem with north campus project
- $40,000 in round one; need to partner with GEOL program and tech colleges, industry, etc.
- Connected Communities 2.0 Partnership Intermediary Agreement
- Complementary to the CC 2.0 program grants under review from DOE
- Due Jan 9, 2025
- $1,000,000 award
- No cost share required
- Partnership Intermediary Agreement, NOT a grant
RESOURCES
- What to know about IRA funding in next presidency, a couple resources: