7 CFR § 4280.115 - RES and EEI grant funding.
(a) Grant amounts. The amount of grant funds that will be made available to an eligible RES or EEI project under this subpart will not exceed 25 percent of eligible project costs. Eligible project costs are specified in paragraph (c) of this section.
(1) Minimum request. Unless otherwise specified in a Federal Register notice, the minimum request for a RES grant application is $2,500 and the minimum request for an EEI grant application is $1,500.
(2) Maximum request. Unless otherwise specified in a Federal Register notice, the maximum request for a RES grant application is $500,000 and the maximum request for an EEI grant application is $250,000.
(3) Maximum grant assistance. Unless otherwise specified in a Federal Register notice, the maximum amount of grant assistance to one person or entity under this subpart will not exceed $750,000 per Federal fiscal year.
(b) Matching funds and other funds. The applicant is responsible for securing the remainder of the total project costs not covered by grant funds.
(1) Without specific statutory authority, other Federal grant funds cannot be used to meet the matching funds requirement. A copy of the statutory authority must be provided to the Agency to verify if the other Federal grant funds can be used to meet the matching funds requirement under this subpart.
(2) Passive third-party equity contributions are acceptable for RES projects, including equity raised from the sale of Federal tax credits.
(c) Eligible Project Costs. Eligible project costs are only those costs incurred after a complete application has been received by the Agency and are associated with the items identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (6) of this section. Each item identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (6) of this section is only an eligible project cost if it is directly related to and its use and purpose is limited to the RES or EEI.
(1) Purchase and installation of new or refurbished equipment.
(2) Construction, retrofitting, replacement, and improvements.
(3) EEI identified by vendor/installer certification or in the applicable energy assessment or energy audit.
(4) Fees for construction permits and licenses and fees required by an interconnection agreement.
(5) Professional service fees related to the project for qualified consultants, contractors, installers, and other third-party services.
(6) For an eligible RES in which a residence is closely associated with the rural small business or agricultural operation the installation of a second meter to separate the residence from the portion of the project that benefits the rural small business or agricultural operation, as applicable.
(d) Ineligible project costs. Ineligible project costs for RES and EEI projects include, but are not limited to:
(1) Costs for agricultural tillage equipment, used equipment, and vehicles;
(2) Construction or equipment costs that would be incurred regardless of the installation of a RES or EEI.
(3) Lease payments, including lease to own or capitalized leases;
(4) Any project cost that creates a conflict of interest or an appearance of a conflict of interest as provided in § 4280.106;
(5) Funds used for political or lobbying activities; and
(6) Funds used to pay off any Federal direct or guaranteed loans or other Federal debts.
(e) Award amount considerations. In determining the amount of a RES or EEI grant awarded, the Agency will take into consideration the following six criteria:
(1) The type of RES to be purchased;
(2) The estimated quantity of energy to be generated by the RES;
(3) The expected environmental benefits of the RES;
(4) The quantity of energy savings expected to be derived from the activity, as certified by the vendor/installer as applicable, or demonstrated by an energy audit or energy assessment;
(5) The estimated period of time for the energy savings generated by the activity to equal the cost of the activity; and
(6) The expected energy efficiency of the RES.