Commissioner Fried Announces New Florida Counties Low-Income Residential Energy Efficient Grant Program

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Jul 2, 2020

Tallahassee, Fla.— Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing the creation of the Florida Counties Low-Income Residential Energy Efficient Grant Program. The new grant initiative was developed by the FDACS Office of Energy to help enhance energy efficiency and reduce the burden of high energy costs for Florida’s low-income families.

“Low-income families often face disproportionate energy challenges, and people of color experience energy burdens three times higher than other consumers. This severely impacts the financial well-being of our residents and our state,” said Commissioner Fried. “Today, we’re helping address those burdens by launching the Florida Counties Low-Income Residential Energy Efficient Grant Program. As we tackle Florida’s energy issues and efficiency needs, we are proud to be helping working families access affordable energy.”

Energy is one of the highest monthly expenses for low-income residents as they typically pay more to power older, less efficient HVAC, water heaters, and kitchen appliances, increasing their energy burdens substantially.

The Florida Counties Low-Income Residential Energy Efficient Grant Program was developed to address the economic burdens of low-income families, a priority outlined by Commissioner Fried‘s Florida Energy and Climate Planapplication/pdf ]. The plan discusses the disparities between low-income households and higher-earning individuals and stresses the importance of investing in energy efficiency upgrades for low-income residents, which benefit all Florida’s energy consumers.

Eligibility: Florida counties are the only eligible applicants for this program. Eligibility of applicants, projects, and activities, and locations is determined based on the definitions and other criteria addressed in the Notice of Federal Financial Assistance Funding Opportunity (NOTICE), its attachments, and associated documents.

Application Process: Applications must be submitted to the FDACS Purchasing Office by 5:00 p.m. EST on August 31, 2020. Each applicant may submit only ONE application in response to this NOTICE. However, the applicant may propose multiple project activities and numerous project locations in one application.

An application packet consists of the following documents:

Funding Availability:

  • Maximum award per county: $100,000

Application Tips:

  • Read the entire NOTICE document
  • Address each scoring criteria
  • Please submit the application package well in advance of the deadline to ensure it arrives on time
  • Do not use or alter the FDACS-02032 Application for Federal Financial Assistance Subaward
  • Original document (application) must match copies attached

Cost Share: Cost-sharing is not required, but applicants may provide cost-share for extra points in scoring.

Applications must be submitted in hard copy to:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Purchasing Office
407 South Calhoun Street
Mayo Building – Room SB-8
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0800

Please see the NOTICE and its attachments for full details regarding program requirements, eligibility, and application submittal. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all information is completed correctly and submitted before the deadline.

Direct any questions to the FDACS Purchasing Office at . Answers will be posted on the Vendor Bid System, FDACS website, and the FDACS Office of Energy website.

Since taking office, Commissioner Fried has revitalized the FDACS Office of Energy, empowering the office with a new focus on energy efficiency, climate change, and low-income energy equity. Under Commissioner Fried‘s leadership, the FDACS Office of Energy has highlighted the need for improved energy efficiency standards, hosted the first statewide summit to address climate change since 2008, released the 76-page Florida Energy and Climate Planapplication/pdf ], and worked alongside state lawmakers to craft ambitious energy and climate legislation that examines the energy burdens of low-income communities.

Since being transferred to FDACS in 2011, the Office of Energy has administered $158 million in state and federal funds for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, including energy efficiency upgrades for small and rural local governments. The Office of Energy has also provided hundreds of free energy and water audits for Florida agricultural producers. To learn more about the FDACS Office of Energy, including other programs and policy initiatives, visit the FDACS website.

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