Energizing Rural Communities Prize

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED)

Purpose

To support individuals and organizations to develop partnership plans or innovative financing strategies to help rural or remote communities improve their energy systems and advance clean energy demonstration projects.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

This prize challenge is currently in Phase 2 - only winners of Phase 1 are eligible.

Decarbonization Considerations

The focus of this prize emphasizes implementation and/or demonstration of clean energy projects as well as strategies to access capital or to develop community ownership models to finance clean energy demonstration projects in rural or remote areas.

Equity Considerations

See the "Equity Design Considerations for Federal Funding" for general considerations and additional sector-based resources: https://cityrenewables.org/resources/equity-design-considerations-for-federal-funding/

Helpful Tips

The Energizing Rural Communities Prize has two tracks, both following a two-phase timeline: The Partner track—with a $10 million cash prize pool—will support plans to connect rural or remote communities to government funding, technical assistance, or a network of partners that can help implement clean energy demonstration projects. The Finance track—with a $5 million cash prize pool—will support plans to access capital or to develop community ownership models to help finance clean energy demonstration projects in rural or remote areas.

Other Notes

Funding is for implementation of proposed partnership or finance plans from Phase 1. See Phase 1 winners here: https://americanmadechallenges.org/challenges/rural-energy/results