U.S. Department of Energy Offers Weatherization Assistance Program Enhancement & Innovation Grant

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP), on behalf of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), intends to issue a $25 million Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “BIL WAP Enhancement & Innovation,” in support of section 40551 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

FUNDING OBJECTIVES

Congress, through section 1011(e) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (Pub. L. 116-260), directed DOE to establish a competitive program for WAP Enhancement & Innovation (E&I), with five (5) purposes:

1) Expand the number of dwelling units that are occupied by low-income persons that receive weatherization assistance by making such dwelling units weatherization-ready;
2) Promote the deployment of renewable energy in dwelling units that are occupied by low-income persons;
3) Ensure healthy indoor environments by enhancing or expanding health and safety measures and resources available to dwellings that are occupied by low-income persons;
4) Disseminate new methods and best practices among entities providing weatherization assistance; and
5) Encourage entities providing weatherization assistance to hire and retain employees who are individuals –
a) From the community in which the assistance is provided;
b) From communities or groups that are underrepresented in the home energy performance workforce, including religious and ethnic minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.

SCEP anticipates that the FOA may include the following three (3) Topic Areas:
Topic Area 1 – Multifamily Housing
Topic Area 2 – Single Family & Manufactured Housing
Topic Area 3 – Workforce Development

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of the SCEP’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. Once the FOA has been released, SCEP will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.

This is a Notice of Intent only. SCEP may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or may not issue a FOA at all.

The full NOI is posted on the Infrastructure Exchange website at https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/.