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How to Apply

This page gives guidance on how to apply for Solar America Initiative funding opportunities. Most opportunities are offered through the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), but some are led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories.

DOE Funding Opportunities

Financial opportunities for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) are offered through Grants.gov, the federal government's electronic financial assistance database. Grants.gov offers access to the financial opportunities of more than 900 grant programs from 26 federal grant-making agencies and provides a central location for locating and applying for financial assistance.

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Please keep the following in mind when applying for DOE funding opportunities:

  • Applications must be submitted by the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) closing date and time.
  • Questions regarding all FOA requirements must be submitted through the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS). Responses to all questions will be posted through IIPS. Applicants can access IIPS through individual announcements on the Grants.gov Web site.
  • Applications will be screened initially for responsiveness to published FOA requirements.
  • Applications that pass initial screening undergo the merit review process using predetermined evaluation criteria.
  • The Merit Review Committee (MRC) will be made up of U.S. Department of Energy personnel and independent reviewers and may include national laboratory reviewers.
  • The MRC members are required to sign conflict-of-interest and confidentiality agreements.
  • The MRC will review and score only against published evaluation criteria.
  • Selections will be made on the basis of merit review scores, program policy factors, and available funding.

NREL Funding Opportunities

Most of the funding opportunities created by the Solar America Initiative are offered through Grants.gov. However, some funding opportunity announcements are led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

For more information about these opportunities, visit NREL's Current Solicitations and Requests for Proposals page.