Environmental Justice at the Department of Energy

This is not a comprehensive list. For more information on DOE funding opportunities, visit DOE’s Grant Opportunities page or Grants.gov. DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity is also beta testing a new Energy Justice Dashboard to track the agency’s investments in overburdened communities.

• Feb. 17, 2023: DOE announces $50 million in funding for clean energy projects on Tribal lands, available to tribes, intertribal organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations. The funding is available for projects with a focus on clean energy generation, community-scale energy storage and generation, energy resilience and security, and electrification of currently-unelectrified tribal buildings. Applications are due by May 16, 2023, and an informational webinar will be held on Feb. 28, 2023.
• Feb. 15, 2023: DOE seeks public comment on the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI), which was established under the CHIPS and Science Act. The FESI will be an independent non-profit entity designed to increase private and philanthropic investments to drive the commercialization of energy technologies. As part of the RFI, DOE seeks comment on how to broaden participation in energy technology deployment from “historically underrepresented groups or regions”. Comments can be submitted via email to [email protected] with the subject line “FESI RFI Response” by Mar. 27, 2023.
• Feb. 13, 2023: DOE announces $350 million in funding for the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program, for projects that promote clean energy supply chains in eligible communities. Minority-owned firms are encouraged to apply, and all applicants are required to submit a Community Benefits Plan and a concept paper by March 14, 2023, and full applications by Jun. 8, 2023 DOE also publishes initial guidance for the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program, which allocates a 10-20% tax credit increase for solar and wind facilities in low-income or Tribal communities.
• Nov. 29, 2022 DOE is accepting applications for the Renew America’s Schools grant program, which will award up to $80 million in grants to public schools for energy infrastructure improvements. This program focuses on schools and educational institutions that qualify as rural and/or high poverty. DOE expects to make up to 100 awards varying between $500,000 and $15,000,000 each. The deadline for concept papers is Jan. 26, 2023, with full applications due Apr. 21, 2023.
• Nov. 1, 2022 The DOE Office of Indian Energy announces a funding opportunity for Indian Tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, to i) install clean energy systems for tribal buildings, ii) set up community-scale clean energy generating units or energy storage on tribal lands, and iii) install integrated energy systems for autonomous operation. The Office will conduct an informational webinar on Nov. 29, 2022, to provide additional information on the funding opportunity. The deadline to apply is Feb. 9, 2023, via IE Exchange. (Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0002774).
• Oct. 20 2022 DOE publishes a Request for Information on a $250 million program for cybersecurity development of rural, municipal, and investor-owned electric utilities, under the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance (RMUC) Program. Responses  are due by December 19, 2022, via email to [email protected]
• July 25, 2022: DOE announces 146 agency programs that are covered under the Justice40 Initiative, which seeks to deliver 40% of overall program “benefits” to “disadvantaged” communities. Those programs include the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, and Weatherization Assistance Program. The agency also releases a guidance document for implementing Justice40 at DOE.
• July 8, 2022: DOE grants 5 state agencies and 21 organizations over $40 million to help community members reduce utility costs by weatherwizing, repairing, and electrifying homes. The awards support the Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the benefits from climate and clean energy initiatives to “disadvantaged communities.” The funds come from the Weatherization Assistance Program, which received $3.2 billion in additional funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 
• July 6, 2022: DOE invites states, Tribal nations, and territories to apply for awards from the $2.3 billion Grid Hardening State/Tribal Formula Grant Program. The program provides funds over five years for communities to strengthen and modernize their electrical grids against wildfires, extreme weather, and other climate-related disasters. Applications are due Sep. 30, 2022. For more information and to apply, click here.
• May 19, 2022: DOE launches a $3.5 billion program to develop four regional direct air capture (DAC) hubs to trap and store carbon dioxide extracted from the atmosphere. The program was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. At least two of the projects will be in communities with a history of fossil fuel production. The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) has explicitly said that carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects will not benefit communities and should not be prioritized.
• March 15, 2022: DOE selects 14 communities to participate in the Energy Storage for Social Equity (ES4SE) Initiative. Recipients will receive technical support to assess their energy challenges, potential solutions, and find partners to meet the community’s energy goals. In the next phase, up to five of these communities will begin installing and commissioning energy storage projects.
• Jan. 28, 2022:  DOE says it plans to issue funding guidance to state energy offices and in competitive grant guidelines to encourage its $62 billion infrastructure budget to benefit low-income and minority communities. According to DOE’s Energy Justice Dashboard, less than 6% (about $2.2 billion) of agency funding for FY 2021 was spent consistent with Justice40 priorities. That funding included nuclear waste cleanup, cooperative agreements for carbon capture and storage research, and grants to states for energy efficiency projects in these qualifying investments. DOE says it will target grid updates in minority communities, including investments in community solar.
• Nov. 3, 2021: DOE launches the Energy Storage for Social Equity Initiative (ES4SE), which will distribute $9 million among up to 15 “underserved and frontline communities to leverage energy storage as a means of increasing resilience and maximizing energy flexibility.” Full applications are due December 3, 2021.
• Oct. 25, 2021: DOE begins accepting applications for its LEAP pilot program that will provide over $16 million in technical assistance services to 24-36 low-income, energy-burdened communities in the early stages of clean energy-related economic development. Individuals must first register online to apply. This document provides helpful information, including eligibility requirements (pp. 9-10) and application requirements (pp. 12-14). The application deadline is Dec. 17, 2021.
• Sep. 30, 2021: DOE’s launches a new Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize, which will divide $2.5 million among up to ten groups and organizations that support “entrepreneurship and innovation” in communities historically underserved in climate and energy technology funding. The funding will be distributed in two phases: in Phase One, up to 10 winners will receive an initial prize of $200,000 each, along with mentorship and technical assistance. Winners may then participate in Phase Two, where up to three teams will share $500,000. Applications for Phase One must be received by Feb. 25, 2022. Click here for more information about the Prize and how to apply.
• July 13, 2021: DOE announces $12 million for 13 American Indian and Alaska Native communities to improve building energy efficiency and install microgrids for essential services. The awardees and funded projects are listed here.
• June 23, 2021: DOE’s 2022 budget includes funds to create urban integrated field laboratories (IFLs) to gather climate data in cities in collaboration with universities serving urban minority populations, including HBCUs. DOE plans to call for proposals and select sites in 2022.
• April 23, 2021: DOE announces $109.5 million to support job creation in communities impacted by the clean energy transition. This includes $75 million for carbon capture projects, $19.5 million for mineral extraction from coal and other waste streams, and $15 million for geothermal research at West Virginia University and Sandia Labs.

• Jan. 10, 2023 The Biden-Harris Administration releases the US National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, developed in partnership between DOE, DOT, EPA, and HUD. This Blueprint focuses on addressing the inequities in a transition to a decarbonized transportation system,including high costs and lack of easy access to transportation systems. The agencies will further collaborate with regional, state, and tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders in the private and public sectors to implement the Blueprint.
• Dec. 14, 2022 DOE announces 41 awards totalling $32 million, under the Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative to help Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) direct resources towards science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs. The 37 awardees include institutions in Puerto Rico and Guam.
• Nov. 22, 2022 DOE announces the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, to provide $550 million in grants to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to further the reduction of fossil fuel emissions, and promote energy conservation and energy efficiency. Of the $550 million earmarked for this program, just under $300 million is for local governments, $123 million for state governments, and $8.8 million for tribal governments. This Program is being launched to allocate funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. For more information about the Program and grantees, click here.
• Dec. 15, 2022 DOE releases county-level data to supplement its 2022 US Energy and Employment Report (USEER). This data shows the variety of energy jobs throughout the nation with more precision, which can be used by local governments to inform region-specific policies in communities undergoing economic transitions and communities in need of economic development assistance.
• Nov. 7, 2022 DOE distributes $30 million in grants to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington, under the agency’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP). The MSIPP invests resources in STEM programs at HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and tribal colleges and universities.
• July 27, 2022: The Biden Administration announces six new measures to decrease energy bills for consumers, including cost-saving measures and actions focused on clean energy job creation. These include Community Solar Subscription Platform, run by DOE and Health and Human Services, which will connect community solar saving projects to households that participate in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. DOE will offer $10 million through the Advancing Equity through Workplace Partnerships program and launch the Sunny Awards for Equitable Community Solar, a $100,000 prize competition designed to produce best practices that will help achieve DOE’s National Community Solar Partnerships target to power five million households with community solar by 2025.
• April 14, 2022: DOE releases its first ever Equity Action Plan, as required under Executive Order 13985. The plan emphasizes key strategies including: improving underserved communities’ access to DOE programs through improved demographic data collection and a new portal for DOE acquisition opportunities; incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) requirements into all DOE financial assistance processes; and expanding Tribal and other stakeholder engagement across the agency. The summary of DOE’s Equity Action Plan can also be found here. 
• Feb. 2, 2022: DOE launches a joint effort with DHS, HUD, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to spend more than $12 billion in federal funds to rebuild and modernize Puerto Rico’s electrical grid with a focus on strengthening resilience and increasing access to affordable, clean energy. The effort kicks off with the two-year PR100 Study to assess potential pathways to achieve 100% renewable energy.
• Nov. 20, 2021: DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management announces that it plans to let the National Coal Council’s current charter lapse and instead create a new charter to focus on coal workers and communities, and reflect new legislative priorities in the 2020 Energy Act and 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
• July 15, 2021: DOE launches its Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) tool to assist local governments in expediting the reivew and approval of residential solar installation permits. Local governments can sign up for SolarAPP+ here.

For tips on writing public comments and scheduling EO 12866 meetings with OIRA, visit our Public Participation Resources Page.

• Nov. 10, 2022 DOE launches the Energy Efficiency Materials Program, a $50 million energy upgrade pilot program that will help nonprofits upgrade their buildings to decrease utility costs, create healthier community spaces, and reduce carbon emissions from commercial  buildings. Eligible nonprofits can receive grants of up to $200,000. DOE is currently seeking public comment on the pilot program via email only at [email protected], before Dec. 22, 2022.
• Aug. 3, 2022: DOE seeks public input on the $750 million Advanced Energy and Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program for small-and-medium-sized manufacturers to produce clean energy products, recycle clean energy products, or reduce greenhouse gas emissions at facilities in coal communities. DOE seeks comments on how the program can facilitate community development in areas affected by coal mine and coal power plant closures. The deadline for public comments on the program is September 16, 2022. 
• Jan. 2022: DOE publishes a report of responses to its request for information on inclusive innovation and just entrepreneurship in climate technology. DOE received 80 responses from 106 organizations. Suggestions included ways to make DOE’s funding more accessible and inclusive; how to increase community engagement and improve outreach efforts; and how to ensure successful performance for DOE-funded organizations.
• Dec. 6, 2021: The same day as the first Tribal Nations Summit since 2016, the White House releases a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by 17 federal agencies, including DOE, committing to increase consultation and collaboration with Tribes in recognition of existing treaty and reserved rights. The MOU includes agency-specific commitmemts including to create a searchable treaty database, and integrate tribal treaty and reserved rights early into agency decision-making, in particular work to address the climate crisis. (See pp. 3-4 of the MOU for more).
• July 7, 2021: DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announces plans to issue new energy efficiency standards for manufactured housing, starting with a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) by Aug. 16. DOE submitted a proposed rule to OIRA on May 18, where it remains under review. To schedule a 12866 meeting with OIRA, use RIN No. 1904-AC11. According to UtilityDive, manufactured homes use 70% more energy per square foot than traditional homes, and are generally occupied by low-income households. DOE published a related notice that it plans to assess the air quality impacts of setting these standards more tightly, with comments due by Aug. 6. 
• June 10, 2021: DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Enregy (EERE) and Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (ED) issue a Request for Information (RFI) on “enabling an inclusive and just entrepreneurial ecosystem” in climate and energy tech, including assessing barriers to DOE funding (DE-FOA-0002540).

• Nov. 3, 2022 DOE selects Agustín Carbó, a former EPA lawyer, to lead the agency’s effort to modernize Puerto Rico’s electric grid as it recovers from Hurricane Fiona in September 2022. Prior to this, Carbó chaired the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau and served as the executive director of Puerto Rico’s Solid Waste Authority.
• June 8, 2022: The Senate votes to confirm Shalanda Baker to serve as Director of DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Baker had been working as the Deputy Director for Energy Justice in that Office.
• Jan. 13, 2022: DOE announces a hiring plan dubbed the Clean Energy Corps to add 1,000 new employees to the agency as part of its goal to spend approximately $62 billion from the infrastructure bill. DOE currently has a mandate to create or expand 72 programs. Interested applicants can apply through this portal.
• Jan. 4, 2022: The White House resubmits its nomination for Shalanda Baker to lead DOE’s Office of Minority Economic Impact. She received bipartisan support from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, but Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has delayed her confirmation.
• June 15, 2021: Tony Reames is appointed Senior Advisor in DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Reames was an assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability where he established the Urban Energy Justice Lab, which centers social and economic inequality in its study of energy issues. He also launched the Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize, which awards funding to groups bringing innovative climate and energy solutions to historically underserved communities.
• May 4, 2021: DOE announces $10 million for a new SolSmart administrator over the next five years to encourage “more equtiable solar deployment.” SolSmart is funded by DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office.
• April 22, 2021: President Biden nominates Asmeret Asefaw Berhe to lead DOE’s Office of Science. The White House also officially announces the nomination of Shalanda Baker as director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, in addition to her role as DOE’s first-ever deputy director for energy justice in the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Baker is co-founder and co-director of the Initiative for Energy Justice.

• Feb. 13, 2023 DOE and the Dept. of the Treasury publish initial guidance for the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program, which allocates a 10-20% tax credit increase for solar and wind facilities in low-income or Tribal communities. The application process for this program will open in 2023 in two phases.
• May 18, 2022: DOE adopts new manufactured home energy efficiency standards, reducing utility bills on average $177 per year in single-section homes and $475 per year in multi-section homes. The update requires all new manufactured homes built after May 2023 to meet size and climate-dependent energy conservation measures. DOE also expects the update to result in decreased carbon and methane emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 11.7 million homes. DOE also released a new website to help consumers find energy efficient manufactured homes and financing options, including government grants and loan programs.
• July 21, 2021: DOE announces new building energy code determinations for commercial and multi-family high-rise residential buildings, finding the new standard will result in 4.3% cost savings in addition to energy use and carbon emission reductions. This publication triggers requirements that states update their codes to meet or exceed the updated standard.