Transaction Description:
IN THIS 3-YEAR RENEW AMERICA’S NONPROFIT (RAN) PROJECT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE), THE NONPROFIT SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER (SW) AND ITS PARTNERS WILL FUND AND SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE (NYS). BY THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD, 25-32 NONPROFITS WILL RECEIVE GRANTS, INTENSIVE SUPPORT, AND RESOURCES TO MAKE BUILDING AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DECARBONIZATION GOALS. MOST (50-75%) OF THE FUNDED PROJECTS WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN JUSTICE40 CENSUS TRACTS OR FOR ORGANIZATIONS SERVING POPULATIONS PRIMARILY LOCATED IN JUSTICE40 CENSUS TRACTS, AS REFLECTED IN THOSE PROVIDING SUPPORT LETTERS WITH THE INITIAL APPLICATION. THUS, THOUSANDS OF CLIMATE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVED BY THESE NONPROFITS WILL RECEIVE THE GREATEST BENEFITS FROM THIS INITIATIVE.
THE NEW PROGRAM BUILDS ON SW’S SUCCESS OVER THE LAST DECADE TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO PUBLIC AGENCIES, NONPROFITS, AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES TO ADVANCE A WIDE ARRAY OF CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. REFINED OVER TIME, THE APPROACH FULLY ASSESSING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES, EVALUATES OPTIMAL CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS AND A WIDE RANGE OF COMPLEMENTARY OPPORTUNITIES, IDENTIFIES PUBLIC RESOURCES TO FACILITATE PROJECTS AND REDUCE COSTS, AND REFERS ENGINEERS, PROJECT MANAGERS, FINANCING CONSULTANTS, AND OTHERS, WHO HAVE BEEN VETTED BY SW FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND REPUTATION.
BASED ON SW’S EXPERIENCE AND DATA FROM AGENCIES PROVIDING SUPPORT LETTERS, THE FOLLOWING RESULTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ACHIEVED: IN TERMS OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION, A 25% AND 50% REDUCTION FOR GAS-HEATED AND OIL-HEATED BUILDING RESPECTIVELY UPON CONVERTING TO HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY AND A 75% DECLINE IN CONSUMPTION RELATED TO LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE (LED) RETROFITS FOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS. ANNUAL COST SAVINGS OF 15-35% ARE EXPECTED TO BE ACHIEVED WITH SUCH RESOURCES AND WILL POTENTIALLY BE REINVESTED INTO COMMUNITY WORK. GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG)EMISSIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DECLINE BY APPROXIMATELY 30%. IN ADDITION, MOVING THE FIELD FORWARD IS ANOTHER MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE. APPLICANTS, FOR ONE, WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT A BROAD MIX OF PROJECT TYPES AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES. WHEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED, THESE PROJECTS WILL PROVIDE USEFUL CASE STUDIES FOR A WIDE ARRAY OF NONPROFITS. SW PLANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNDER-UTILIZED FEDERAL DIRECT PAYMENT PROGRAM FOR GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP PROJECTS AND TAX CREDITS FOR CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS, AND ENGINEERS FOR OTHER TYPES OF INITIATIVES. SUCH ELEMENTS WILL MAGNIFY OUTCOMES AND ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY MOVEMENT.
BUDGET PERIOD 1– APPLICATION PROCESS, TA, AND GRANTEE SELECTION (M1-M12)
THE FIRST BUDGET PERIOD INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGH-LEVEL OBJECTIVES: (1) RECRUITING, INFORMING, AND SUPPORTING NONPROFITS ACROSS NYS IN DEVELOPING THEIR PROJECTS AND PROPOSALS FOR SUB-RECIPIENT GRANTS. THIS EFFORT WILL INVOLVE COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH ACROSS NYS, HANDS-ON TA, SITE VISITS, AUDITS, BENCHMARKING, AND ACCESS TO VETTED CONSULTANTS IN THE CLEAN ENERGY FIELD; AND (2) CONDUCTING A CLEAR AND FAIR GRANTMAKING PROCESS TO SELECT 25-32 NONPROFITS TO PROCEED WITH THEIR PROPOSED PROJECTS. PROMOTING GREATER INTEREST IN CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVES ACROSS NYS’S NONPROFIT COMMUNITY OVER TIME IS AN ADDITIONAL SUB-OBJECTIVE. THE FIRST DECISION POINT OCCURS AT THE END OF THE GRANTMAKING COMPETITION, WITH MATERIALS FROM THE CHOSEN NONPROFITS SUBMITTED TO THE DOE’S RENEW AMERICA’S NONPROFITS (RAN) PROGRAM TEAM FOR APPROVAL.
BUDGET PERIOD 2– SCOPE OF WORK (SOW), IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION (M13-M36)
THE SECOND BUDGET PERIOD INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGH-LEVEL OBJECTIVES: (1) FINALIZING THE SCOPE OF WORK (SOW) FOR EACH FUNDED-PROJECT THROUGH EXTENSIVE TA AND FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REVIEW BY SW AND ITS STATEWIDE PARTNERS; THEN (2) COMPLETING THE PROJECTS SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH ONGOING TA, MONITORING, AND SITE VISITS; AND (3) EVALUATING THE COMPLETED PROJECTS AND THE PORTFOLIO AS A WHOLE RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHED BENCHMARKS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CHANGES IN ENERGY USE, ENERGY COST-SAVINGS, CARBON-REDUCTION GOALS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS. OTHER SUB-OBJECTIVES IN BUDGET PERIOD 2 INCLUDE: (A) MAINTAINING A SUPPORTIVE AND ENGAGED “LEARNING COMMUNITY” THROUGH DIALOGUE AND TROUBLESHOOTING; AND (B) OPTIMIZING SYNERGIES FOR GROUP PURCHASING, PROJECT COORDINATION BY GEOGRAPHY AND/OR PROJECT TYPE, AND ACCESS TO FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES AND DIRECT PAYMENTS UPON COMPLETION.
