Climate First Bank is a full-service bank with a laser focus on environmental sustainability and doing good. In 2021 we launched with one purpose: to create a Bank that centers the planet, people, and profit. This guiding principle has fueled the Bank’s tremendous growth, evidence that we are succeeding not despite our mission, but because of it. We offer both personal and business services as well as mission-driven products such as rooftop solar, renewable energy, building retrofits, EV charging, and the purchasing of certified carbon offsets. We also use our customers’ deposits to support initiatives such as affordable housing and education.

This Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) funding opportunity provides support for rural and remote communities to build clean energy projects that benefit their communities. Applicants must propose projects that support at least one of these eligible activities:

• Improving overall cost-effectiveness of energy generation, transmission, or distribution systems;
• Siting or upgrading transmission and distribution lines;
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation in rural or remote areas;
• Providing or modernizing electric generation facilities;
• Developing microgrids; and
• Increasing energy efficiency.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Build America Bureau (Bureau) today released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The NOFO offers $27 million in technical assistance grants to rural and tribal communities for the planning and design phase development of transportation projects. There is no local funding match required to participate in this program. The Bureau designated up to $10 million for Tribal applicants.

National Grid is pursuing the potential procurement of resources in its Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid (the “Company”) service territory both system-wide and in specific areas where there is an electric system need to provide load relief when events are called by the Company. This competitive procurement describes the Term-Dynamic Load Management (“Term-DLM”) Program and AutoDynamic Load Management (“Auto-DLM”) Program that the Company will be offering to supplement its portfolio of existing demand response programs. In accordance with the Procurement Order, the Term-DLM Program will be offered system-wide in the Company’s electric service territory. Term-DLM resources will offer peak-shaving benefits to the Company’s system and will be
called on upon no less than 21 hours’ advance notice.

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid (National Grid or the Company)is an electric and gas investorowned utility committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy to all customers throughout its service territory
in Upstate New York. As a part of providing this service, National Grid is pursuing the potential implementation of NonWires Alternatives (NWA) solutions in its service territory. This request for proposal (RFP) is open to all NWA approaches that have the potential to provide NWA solutions in the area(s) identified in the problem description. National Grid has several long-term goals in consideration (in alignment
with state, federal, and Company ambitions) that impact the viability of any given proposal.

Through the three phases of the prize, teams have the chance to win part of the $8.42 million prize pool to fund their ongoing activities that address local challenges in clean energy, energy efficiency, manufacturing, materials, and transportation. Successful competitors will demonstrate a strong track record of building trust and strengthening relationships and partnerships within their communities. The Community Energy Innovation Prize is made up of three tracks, each with distinct focus areas, over three phases:

• Clean Energy Ecosystem Track.
• Manufacturing Ecosystem Track.
• Vehicles Ecosystem Track.

The Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants program will help offset 50% of the costs to states, local governments, and public utilities or agencies to procure and use products developed through the conversion of captured carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions. The commercial or industrial products to be procured and used under these grants must demonstrate a significant net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to incumbent products via a life cycle analysis (LCA). The LCAs are checked for conformance and approved by DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

Smart Futures Lab offers an invaluable opportunity for growth in the tech space through a free incubator and accelerator program. Open to new majority tech founders, professionals, and students, looking to develop and scale their smart city innovation solutions. The Incubator Program caters to tech startups in the early stages of development, whether they are ideating, designing, or testing their products. The Accelerator Program is for mature companies looking to scale, build government partnerships, refine their business model, and find funding investors.

Pre-development grants of up to $300,000 will be awarded over the course of multiple application rounds. The first round of Climate United NEXT grants will support clean energy projects in Native communities and will be open to non-profit organizations, state and local government entities, Indian tribes, and Institutions of Higher Education (IHE).  In 2025, Climate United will have additional rounds focused on other underserved market segments.

Transmission Acceleration Grants (TAG) will support State and Tribal efforts to accelerate and improve transmission siting and permitting and strengthen transmission planning for critical transmission lines (100 kV or greater) in any area of the country. Eligible participants are State or Tribal entities, or entities working with them such as regional transmission planning organizations, regional-state committees, or not-for-profit organizations. The TAG Program is making $10 million in funding available at this time.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Utility and Grid Operator Technical Assistance program is designed to solve real-time technical challenges or near-term planning challenges utilities are facing as they transition to clean energy. This application is for utilities and grid operators seeking up to 100 hours of subject matter expertise from NREL and other DOE labs. Focus areas include load forecasting, distribution system planning, distributed energy resources, vehicle-grid integration, building electrification, transmission and distribution coordination, bulk-power planning

Through this R-STEP Opportunity, The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is requesting applications from TA providers who have a deep understanding of renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting topics (e.g., environmental impacts, tax policies, land use, zoning ordinance development) and demonstrated experience providing advisory, educational, or technical assistance services. Selected TA providers will provide technical support to R-STEP collaboratives to improve their understanding of priority LSRE siting topics, inform the development of state-based resources, and strengthen the ability of collaboratives to serve as a trusted source of information within their states.

Eligible applicants for this opportunity include for-profit organizations (e.g., consulting firms, law firms), nonprofit organizations (e.g., environmental nonprofits, trade associations, and community-based organizations), and academic institutions (i.e., colleges and universities).