Technical Assistance Fund

Geographic Focus:

• Funded projects may be located anywhere in the United States including Washington D.C. and U.S. territories

Program Eligibility

• Projects must directly serve low-income communities, communities of color, environmental justice and frontline communities. CEG is committed to awarding 50% of TAF support to advance the work of BIPOC-led organizations.
• Projects will be selected based on their importance in providing critical services to vulnerable populations in the event of a power outage.
• Examples of facilities that have received TAF funding include community centers, emergency shelters, cooling centers, affordable housing, assisted living, supportive housing, food pantries, fire departments, and health clinics.
• Read profiles of past TAF recipients that have since installed solar+storage here.
• There may also be limited situations that warrant exceptions to these guidelines.

Project Focus:

• Supported projects typically include solar and battery storage, though these may be paired with other clean resilient power technologies.
• Projects involve clean, onsite generation that can support critical loads independent of the utility grid by islanding during a power outage.
• Projects not serving as sources of reliable backup power may be considered if they deliver clear economic benefits to low-income residents or to community facilities providing an essential public service.

TAF Awards Can Cover:

• Third-party technical services needed to determine the technical and financial feasibility of a specific resilient power project (i.e., feasibility studies and technical advice).

Grant Amount:

• A typical grant from the TAF is $9,500.
• In limited situations, if a project involves multiple facilities or other complexities, additional funding up to $15,000 may be available.

Application Process and Timeline:

•  Parties interested in requesting a TAF award should fill out this short intake form. An accessible PDF copy of the form is available here.
• Once an application is submitted, CEG staff will review the application and contact the applicant with any additional questions.
• In all cases, the decisions to approve project proposals for the TAF and determine the terms of the grant agreements will be made exclusively by CEG staff, with approval of CEG’s CFO.

TAF Agreement Terms:

• CEG will establish terms of the grant agreement with recipients on issues concerning the scope of funded work and the use of and reporting requirements for the funds expended under the grant.

When is the best time to apply for a TAF award?

The TAF accepts applications on a rolling basis, so there is no deadline on when to apply.

Do I have to find my own third-party solar+storage technical services provider?

The TAF can be used to fund a technical feasibility assessment from any trusted technical services providers. If you are unsure or do not know who to work with, CEG has a robust referral list of trusted partners and can refer you to a provider.

How far along in the project development process do I need to be before applying?

The TAF covers pre-development feasibility analysis, which will help with decisions to be made regarding what types of resilient power systems to install on a particular site. We recommend you apply prior to having made those decisions. Both new construction and existing facilities are eligible.

Can I request multiple TAF awards?

There is no limit to the number of applications you can submit. However, CEG rarely funds two separate projects from the same organization at the same time. If you are having difficulty deciding where to pursue resilient power among multiple properties, we are happy to provide a preliminary analysis to assist in project prioritization.

Can TAF awards cover the purchase of resilient power systems?

Unfortunately, at this time we cannot provide grants to cover the purchase of resilient power systems.

How do TAF grantees support program awareness?

As CEG is committed to keeping the TAF a low-barrier program to its community-serving partners, there are no ongoing communications requirements for TAF grantees. With that said, the Technical Assistance Fund program is built largely through word-of-mouth recommendations, so it is helpful to have our grantees as collaborative partners in communicating the TAF’s offerings and successes. Sharing TAF success stories also helps to build awareness of clean, resilient energy technologies. Read more in CEG's Communications Overview for TAF Grantees.

The WE ACT Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (WE ACT TCTAC) provides free technical assistance, educational resources, and access to environmental justice, grassroots organizing, and energy justice expertise for individuals and organizations. Serving EPA Region 2: New Jersey, New York, and eight federally recognized Indian Nations, the WE ACT TCTAC is one of 18 Technical Assistance Centers established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). As a partner of the WE ACT TCTAC, Clean Energy Group offers ongoing virtual trainings and technical expertise to overburdened communities in our region.

Visit the WE ACT TCTAC website to learn more or request assistance: www.weact.org/tctac