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Renew America’s Schools Prize 2024 – Phase 1

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Grant Insights

The purpose of the Renew America’s Schools Prize 2024 – Phase 1 is to partner with public school stakeholders to facilitate substantial additional investment, prioritize schools with higher needs, minimize administrative burden, and build enduring capacity in Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to maximize impact equitably and efficiently. The goal of Phase 1 is for applicants to successfully assemble project teams, their portfolio of schools/school facilities, demonstrate their need for energy improvements at the defined portfolio, and outline their process to complete the tasks in Phase 2 and Phase 3. Program funds are authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The agency intends to award projects aligned with the Administration’s Goals of addressing historic inequities in school facilities investments, reducing school energy expenditures, helping schools lead the nation in solving the climate crisis, and creating well-paying union jobs. 

Key Updates U.S. Department of Energy –  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Golden Field Office 
Funding Opportunity
Renew America’s Schools Prize 2024 – Phase 1 

NOFO Release Date 03/20/2024 
Application Due Date 06/13/2024 by 5:00 p.m. EST via www.herox.com/renewschoolsprize
# of Programs Phase 1 – Portfolio + Team 
Total Funding Available  $500,000,000 
Award Minimum $300,000 (Up to 23 winners will receive a cash prize of $300,000 each) 
Award Maximum $300,000 (Up to 23 winners will receive a cash prize of $300,000 each) 
Recipient Cost-Share/Match Requirements: The DOE requires an applicant cost-share of 5% for the Cooperative Agreement in Phase 2, and a minimum 25% for the Cooperative Agreement in Phase 3.  
Summary

Phase 1 – Portfolio + Team: Competitors will identify a minimum of 10 schools/school facilities to be included in their application. The portfolio may span multiple LEAs. The portfolio should exhibit a high need for energy assessments and, ultimately, energy improvements. The goal of Phase 1 is for competitors to successfully assemble their project team, assemble their portfolio of school facilities, demonstrate the need for energy improvements at schools and school facilities in the defined portfolio, and outline their process to complete the tasks in Phase 2 and Phase 3.

Based on successful completion of Phase 1, winners will be invited to enter into negotiations with DOE for a Cooperative Agreement which will require additional steps. DOE is continuing to gather information for the “Teaming Partner List” to facilitate the formation of project teams for this Prize. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations who wish to participate in an application to express their interest to other competitors, explore potential partnerships, and form project teams.  

Updates to the Teaming Partner List: Available on the HeroX Prize page. 

Any organization that would like to be included on the Teaming Partner List should fill out this Microsoft Form or email the information to Schools@doe.gov with the subject line “Teaming Partner Information.” 
Eligible Applicants An eligible entity is described as a consortium of: One LEA and one or more of the following:  
  • Schools;
  • Non-Profit Organizations; For-Profit Organizations; and Community Partners with the knowledge and capacity to partner and assist with energy improvements.
The proposed prime recipient and subrecipient(s) must be domestic entities. The following domestic entities are eligible as prime recipients or subrecipients: 
  • Institutions of Higher Education;
  • For-Profit Entities;
  • Non-Profit Entities;
  • State and Local Governmental Entities, and Tribal Nations.
Special Consideration Only winners from the Phase 1 Prize will be eligible to negotiate with DOE to receive a Cooperative Agreement for Phase 2 and Phase 3 funding. 

Updated Community Benefits Plan: 
To support the goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy, BIL-funded projects are expected to (1) support meaningful community and labor engagement; (2) invest in America’s workforce; (3) advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); and (4) contribute to the President’s goal that 40% of the overall project benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities (the Justice40 Initiative). 
To ensure these goals are met, Selectees must update their Community Benefits Plan (submitted for Phase 1) to reflect how their project incorporates the four objectives stated above. 
Notes

This program seeks applications that not only address the need for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, but also create innovative and sustaining partnerships, leverage funding and economies of scale, and provide replicable and scalable models for sector-wide change. 

Looking Forward: 
Eligible Types of Energy Improvements for Phase 3 –  
Energy improvements in Phase 3 (“Implementation”) may take the form of repairs, renovations, or installations to the facility envelope systems for items such as air conditioning, ventilation, heating, domestic hot water heating, compressed air, distribution, lighting, power, and/or controls of a building. Projects may also include renewable energy improvements such as rooftop solar, micro wind turbines, alternative-fuel vehicle infrastructure, and purchase or lease of alternative-fuel vehicles. Any improvement in a school or facility that achieves energy savings and leads to an improvement in teacher and student health, including indoor air quality, is also now allowable. Costs related to electrifying end-users to take advantage of clean energy from the electric grid are also eligible. Packaging multiple improvements for deeper energy savings and carbon reductions is encouraged. 

Phase 1 Prize Winner Announcement: August 2024 (anticipated) 

Expected Timeframe for Cooperative Agreement Negotiations: Fall 2024 
Contact Information Title: General Program Questions Email
Email: schools@doe.gov
Title: Technical Issues with the HeroX Website
Email: RenewSchoolsPrize@nrel.gov

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