Finding Funding Opportunities

I get a lot of questions about how to find grant opportunities and RFPs (Request for Proposals), and so I decided it’s about time I share some resources!

There are a number of places to look for funding opportunities. Here are some of my favorites:

California’s Local Government Energy Efficiency Portal

This portal is a great service provided by the Statewide Local Government Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator. They shares resources, best practices, news and events and other information with those involved with Local Government Partnerships. You can sign up to get the weekly email, which we share on this blog each week. This email often includes a list of funding opportunities for eligible local and tribal governments. The portal also includes a detailed summary of funding opportunity resources for local governments that may be found here.

California Energy Commission (CEC)

It's always great to get money for what you want to grow.
Photo source: Terrain Magazine

The CEC funds a variety of projects and types of agencies. Current solicitations can be found here and are searchable based on program areas. I recommend subscribing to the list serve so you are up to date with contract notices as they’re released.

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

News and Opportunities

City of Carlsbad Climate Action Plan Update
The City of Carlsbad's newly appointed Climate Action Plan administrator gave an update at a City Council meeting about the city's current and planned efforts.

Sonoma County to Offer Incentives to Drivers to Switch to Electric Cars
Backed by the County Board of Supervisors, several programs are underway that county officials hope will boost the number of electric vehicles on the road, and develop the public and private charging network to support them.

Low-Income Weatherization Program Guidelines
The Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) is seeking comments on the Draft Low-Income Weatherization Program Guidelines for the FY 2015-16 Appropriation Procurements for the Single-Family Energy Efficiency and Solar PV Program. CSD is hosting a public hearing on Friday, October 7th 2016 at 9:00 AM in Sacramento. A copy of the draft will be made available online prior to the hearing. Written comments are due Thursday, October 20th.

DOE First Step Towards Developing Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency on Tribal Lands
The Department of Energy is making $3 million in funding available to support tribal energy development in six topic areas: 1) conduct energy options analyses, 2) establish baseline energy use and energy efficiency options, 3) develop energy organizations, 4) conduct climate resiliency planning, 5) establish policy, regulations, and codes to reduce energy use and promote energy development, and 6) obtain skills and training related to energy use and development.

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

Peer-to-Peer Requests

Responses: EVSE Installation
Information on vendors and opportunities to help offset of installing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles:​

• ​SCE's Charge Ready program partners with local governments and businesses to increase the availability of EV charging stations, providing rebates to cover some or all costs related to installation.​
• ​Green Charge Networks combine EV charging and energy storage ​to minimize peak hour demand, reduce load on the power grid and minimize peak electricity rates.
• Additional incentives for commercial and residential EVSE installation.
• If you are a city in any of these counties (Kern, Kings, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Maricopa, Merced, San Joaquin, or Stanislaus) and interested in learning more about opportunities to offset the cost of EVSE installation, please email me so that I can connect you with the San Joaquin Valley Electric Vehicle Partnership.

Hurry and Register Today!

Register today!

Welcome! Southern California Edison invites you to join us as we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino American citizens, businesses & community organizations.

When Friday, September 23, 2016 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Where Energy Education Center - Tulare 4175 S. Laspina Street, Tulare, CA 93274 How Reservations are required as seating is limited.   Please respond by Friday, September 16, 2016.

Upcoming Workshop Opportunity

Register for this upcoming workshop on local adaptation presented by the Local Government Commission.  Register Here

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

Peer-to-Peer Requests

EVSE Installation
If you have any information on vendors that install EV charging stations at no charge, or on any opportunities that can help offset the cost of installation, please get in touch with me at jkim@lgc.org. This particular city is considered a disadvantaged community and is interested in full installation of 22 charging stations.

Community Based Social Marketing Methods
If you have information you can share on community based social marketing methods that a city staff can implement in his offices to help reduce energy use, please contact met at jkim@lgc.org.

​News and Opportunities

​Governor Jerry Brown Signs Major Climate Bills
Gov. Brown signed into law on Wednesday a sweeping expansion of California's GHG emissions standards, requiring the state to reduce emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

​How Cities and Counties are Showing the Way of Climate Action
This GreenBiz article highlights Climate Leadership Awardees who reflect effective collaboration among cities and counties, which includes WRCOG, SBCCOG and LA County.​

The Magic of Sustainability at Disney

The Walt Disney Company has and always will be identified with the cute black eared mouse named aptly named Mickey Mouse. But what if Disney could have dual identifiers? One would be the adorable fun loving Mickey Mouse while the other would be sustainability. I know that may throw some of you readers for a loop, but anythings is possible!

The Disney Company over the last  three years has maneuvered itself into a spot where it can be identified as a sustainable tourism leader. Sustainable tourism is defined as, making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people.  The Disney Company is working to make strides in climate and energy, ecosystem protection, water conservation as well as waste management. Many of the items listed here are not noticeable to the human eye when you step into a Disney park or a Disney resort, but are being completed in the back lot of the locations by what Disney calls imagineers. Imagineers stands for - combining imagination with engineering.

Thanks to imagineers Disney has paved its way to a 31 percent reduction in emissions from 2012 levels. The companies over arching goal is to reduce net emissions by 50 percent by the year 2020, and is currently on track to meet that target. Now let us dive into some of the items that are helping Disney reach its goal.

Southern California Edison Annual Water Conference

Hurry and register today for the Southern California session of this years water conference.

Register Here

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

1. Coordinator transition (and job announcement!): For those that missed it last week: I will be leaving my position as your Statewide Local Government Energy Efficiency Best Practices next week, and so this is my last set of WEEkly Updates to you. In the interim, the Updates will continue via Julia Kim (jkim@lgc.org). It’s been a real pleasure working to connect you all with best practices, resources – and to each other! LGC is actively recruiting to fill the Coordinator position, posted here – please share widely with friends and colleagues.

2. Joint Agency Microgrid Commercialization Workshop 9/6: The CEC, CPUC, and CAISO will conduct a workshop on September 6th to learn about California customers’ microgrid implementation strategies and challenges with a focus on energy resiliency, renewable integration, costs/benefits performance, lessons learned, how cyber-security is being addressed and efforts to commercialize microgrids in California.

3. Joint IOU Webinar on LGP Project Reporting 9/7: PG&E, SCE, SCG and SDG&E will jointly host a statewide webinar 9/7 to review improvements to semi-annual data reporting and communication related to Local Government Partnership activities supporting the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan. Local Government Partnership reporting leads, and Local Governments conducting Strategic Plan support activity as part of a Local Government Partnership, are encouraged to attend.

4. Cap and Trade $$ Deal Passes Legislature: In the final hours of the legislative session, a last minute deal to release cap and trade funding was passed this week for transportation, housing, green space, and low/no-emissions vehicles.