Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project: Coastal, Remote, and Island Community Technical Assistance
NREL coordinates technical assistance and cash awards for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) to help U.S. coastal, remote, and island communities become more energy resilient.
Application Timeline
ETIPP opens applications annually during the spring of each year. The timeline for the 2024 ETIPP application and selection process is:
Application release: April 10, 2024
Informational webinar: April 24, 2024
Application deadline: July 10, 2024
Application review period: July–August 2024
Community selection notification: Late summer 2024
Period of technical assistance: Up to 24 months (2 to 6 months for project scoping followed by 12 to 18 months for project implementation).
Note: Communities must consult with an ETIPP regional partner or regional lead before applying.
Background
DOE's ETIPP works alongside coastal, remote, and island communities seeking to transform their energy systems and increase energy resilience. These communities have unique physical features that fundamentally shape what energy options are available. For many of these communities, access to resilient, affordable, sustainable, and clean energy resources is a priority. ETIPP helps communities to assess and advance the solutions that best meet their needs.
In addition to supporting communities in their energy system transformation, ETIPP is also committed to the Justice40 Initiative. This governmentwide initiative has a goal of delivering 40% of the overall benefits of relevant federal investments in climate and energy to disadvantaged communities, and it tracks performance toward that goal. Applications that demonstrate their project will directly benefit a disadvantaged community are strongly encouraged.
Eligibility
ETIPP is open to communities and organizations in the United States and its territories. To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet the following criteria.
The benefitting community must match at least one of these descriptions:
It is located on an island.
It is within 50 miles of a coastline (ocean or seacoast, or along the Great Lakes).
It is in Alaska and not serviced by the Railbelt grid utilities.
It is a federally recognized tribe in an ETIPP-supported region.
The lead applicant is a local government (e.g., municipality, county, city, town), a Tribe or Tribal organization, a community-based organization (including nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations), a special purpose district (e.g., school district, water district, sewer district), an academic institution, a municipal utility, or an electric co-op.
A group competing as one team may be selected, provided that the online account holder of the submission is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Individuals competing as part of a team may participate if they are legally authorized to work in the United States.
Private entities that are part of an application must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States.
Academic institutions that are part of an application must be based in the United States.
Applicants that are ineligible for ETIPP include:
Individuals
DOE employees, employees of sponsoring organizations, members of their immediate families (e.g., spouses, children, siblings, or parents), and persons living in the same household as such persons, whether or not related
Individuals who worked at DOE (federal employees or support service contractors) within 6 months prior to the submission deadline
Federal entities and federal employees
DOE national laboratory employees
Entities and individuals publicly banned from doing business with the U.S. government, such as entities and individuals debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in federal programs
Entities identified in Department of Homeland Security Binding Operational Directives as publicly banned from doing business with the U.S. government
Entities and individuals identified as restricted parties on one or more screening lists of Department of Commerce, State, or the Treasury
Individuals participating in a foreign government talent recruitment program* sponsored by a country of risk** and teams that include such individuals
Entities owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a country of risk.
If you are unsure whether you are eligible, reach out to an ETIPP regional partner for more information and/or contact ETIPP@nrel.gov.