The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) presents an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen Colorado’s New Energy Economy and will create new green jobs across the state. With this opportunity also comes a need for additional oversight to ensure these funds are invested effectively, efficiently and wisely, and with an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. The Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) will work diligently to honor this responsibility to the taxpayers and the public.
The GEO asks that parties interested in applying for Recovery Act funding take the following steps to stay up to date on opportunities. It is not necessary to contact the GEO with project ideas at this time as opportunities will be announced publicly as they arise.
- Sign up to receive the GEO's Newsletter - updates will be sent as the GEO receives them. Announcements about funding and contracting opportunities will be sent to the newsletter list.
- Sign up to receive the Governor's Newsletter
- Keep on eye on this web page. It will be updated frequently.
- Keep an eye on www.colorado.gov/recovery, the State of Colorado's ARRA website.
- Use the following resources as a reference:
- www.recovery.gov - The White House ARRA website.
- www.epa.gov/recovery - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ARRA page.
- www.energy.gov/recovery - The U.S. Department of Energy ARRA page.
- www.grants.gov - Competitive grant announcements.
- www.fedconnect.net - Federal funding opportunities database.
- www.treas.gov/recovery - Financing opportunity announcements.
- http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/wip/ - The U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program site. Information about Weatherization, State Energy Program and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding.
- Visit the following state agency websites for information on their role in New Energy Economy ARRA efforts:
- Tell the GEO what you think - use this input form to share your thoughts with us
GEO ARRA Funding Opportunities - All solicitations for contracts, grants, projects and services will be competitive, will be posted here and will be announced to the GEO newsletter list. Please note that once posted, GEO staff cannot discuss open solicitations with any organization or individual that intends to bid on the work or submit a grant application. Questions about open solicitations must be submitted through the relevant question and answer process per the solicitation guidelines. The GEO's current open solictations include the following:
| Recovery Act Funding Source | Anticipated Colorado Amount | GEO Vision and Strategies | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherization | ~ $80 million over 3 years |
Expand the delivery of weatherization services to the homes of Colorado's low-income residents through its Weatherization Program. Strengthen the network of service delivery providers and improve the energy efficiency of greater numbers of low income homes. Cut energy costs for homeowners at a critical time while generating efficiency service jobs throughout the state. Learn more about the GEO's plans for ARRA weatherization funding. |
The GEO began delivering funding to its current partner agencies throughout the state beginning 5/1/09. The GEO is accepting applications for service providers at some levels of program administration. Learn more. Some partner agencies are adding staff and subcontractors. For a list of agencies click here. |
| State Energy Program (SEP) | ~ $50 million over 3 years |
The GEO will invest SEP ARRA funding with a focus on the following:
|
Read Governor Ritter's letter regarding SEP assurances to Secretary Chu here. The GEO has received approval for its SEP plan from the US Department of Energy. Read a summary of the plan here (PDF). With this approval, the GEO will get a 40 percent ($19.6 million) allocation of its SEP funds, and can begin detailed preparations for rolling out programs this fall. All solicitations for funding are announced to the GEO's newsletter list and posted above. |
| Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) | ~ $45 million |
Distributed to Colorado’s cities and counties as well as the state, the GEO will use its portion of the funding to provide energy efficiency services to local communities including code training, assistance with establishing local building standards and local incentive-based programs for homeowners and businesses. Learn more about Colorado's ARRA EECBG funding. |
The GEO has received approval for its EECBG plan from the US Department of Energy. Read a summary of the plan here (PDF). All solicitations for funding are announced to the GEO's newsletter list and posted above. |
| Tax Credits for Investment in Renewables and Efficiency | N/A | A number of tax credits are included in the recovery package that will directly help small businesses and homeowners invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The GEO will provide up-to-date incentive information to Colorado’s consumers and service providers. | Visit the GEO's summary of Federal Tax Incentives page for more info. |
| Research and Development Grants | Based on a competitive bid process. | For the research, development and demonstration of emerging technologies. Colorado, a hub for renewable energy research, will be highly competitive in securing these grants. | Visit www.grants.gov for more information. |
| Loan Guarantees for Transmission Projects | N/A |
Loan guarantees for transmission financing which will help loosen credit markets and help Colorado expand utility transmission infrastructure within the state.
Learn more about ARRA transmission projects. |
The GEO does not anticipate receiving direct ARRA funding for transmission. However, the GEO is working to identify ARRA and other opportunities for investment in Colorado through the Renewable Energy Development Infrastructure (REDI) project. |
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