U.S. Department of Energy Grant: Renew America’s Schools Prize for Energy-Efficient Infrastructure

2025 Renew America’s Schools PRIZE to Cooperative Agreement Overview:

The 2025 Renew America’s School Prize will provide up to $4.2M in cash prize awards of $300,000 each, followed by cooperative agreement awards between $7.5M and $15M.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE’s) Renew America’s Schools program provides investments to transform decaying public school infrastructure into healthier, more energy efficient learning environments. The program supports the implementation of infrastructure improvements in schools, with a focus on local educational agencies (LEAs) that qualify as rural and/or high poverty. Through Renew America’s Schools, DOE will help create healthier learning environments, lower utility costs, and redirect funds to support students and teachers.

The 2025 Renew America’s Schools Prize consists of the Prize competition (Phase 1) and a subsequent Cooperative Agreement (Phase 2 and Phase 3). Competitors submitting proposals should be organizations with the capacity to aggregate and manage portfolios of school facilities to receive energy assessments and improvements. Competitors should consider leveraging the Teaming Partner List, found on the HeroX prize page, to add additional capacity and expertise.

This Official Rules document outlines the components of the Renew America’s Schools Prize (Phase 1) and subsequent Cooperative Agreement process and funding (Phase 2 and Phase 3).

Submission Deadlines
Application Submission Deadline: Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 by 5pm ET.
Applications must be submitted on HeroX, not through Exchange.

PRIZE (PHASE 1)

PHASE 1 (PRIZE): Portfolio + Team = Up to 14 Winners at $300,000 cash prize each
In 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. Based on successful completion of Phase 1, winners will be invited to enter into negotiations with DOE for a Cooperative Agreement. Negotiations for Cooperative Agreement will require additional steps as outlined below.

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (PHASE 2 and PHASE 3)

PHASE 2 (COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT): Strategic Plan + Energy Audits = $500,000 to $1,000,000 per recipient
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. The Selection Official reserves the right to down select the number of Phase 1 winners that will enter into negotiations with DOE for a Cooperative Agreement for Phase 2 and Phase 3 funding.
Phase 2 (“Strategic Plan + Energy Audits”) will be synonymous with Budget Period 1 of the Cooperative Agreement. Funding in Phase 2 will reimburse Recipients for costs associated with energy audits and strategic planning and design. DOE will[1] allocate a set amount of funding per Recipient, determined by the number of schools or school facilities submitted in their Phase 1 application [see Table 1 below]. In Phase 2, Recipients conduct The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Level 2 energy audits of all the schools/school facilities in the portfolio and develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan for implementing energy improvements. Energy audits and the Strategic Plan should provide schools with clear pathways to prioritize energy improvements, access private sector funding and/or tax credits, and realize high-impact health and safety benefits.

PHASE 3 (COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT): Implementation = $7,000,000 to $14,000,000 per recipient
Phase 3 (“Implementation”) will be synonymous with Budget Period 2 of the Cooperative Agreement. In Phase 3, DOE will allocate a set amount of funding per Recipient, determined by the number of schools/school facilities submitted in their Phase 1 application [see Table 1]. In Phase 3, Recipients oversee implementation of the energy improvements identified at the end of Phase 2. DOE will work with Recipients to ensure high-priority energy improvements are implemented within the allotted budget for Phase 3. Phase 3 should directly advance the measurable goals of energy savings and high impact health and safety benefits outlined in Phase 1.

Webinar Details
DOE will Host the following Informational Webinars:
· Informational Webinar: Tuesday, January 7th, 2025 @ 3pm ET (see HeroX for Zoom Link)
· Office Hours #1: Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 @ 3pm ET (see HeroX for Zoom Link)
· Office Hours #2: Tuesday, March 4th, 2025 @ 3pm ET (see HeroX for Zoom Link)

Please visit HeroX to register for upcoming events and view recordings of previous webinars.

Teaming Partner List
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 may wish to participate on an application to express their interest to other competitors, explore potential partnerships, and form project teams.
Updates to the Teaming Partner List will be available on the HeroX prize page. The Teaming Partner List will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: 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.”

DISCLAIMER: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating qualifications of individuals and organizations self-identifying themselves for placement on the Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any competitors or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

Contact Information & Questions

Submit questions to Schools@DOE.gov. Please refer to the HeroX website to find the answer to your emailed question.