Illinois is making $8.5 million in funding available through its Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program for investment in low-income and historically disadvantaged communities.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the funding the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in a news release. Mr. Pritzker said “Illinois is leading the fight against climate change and putting environmental justice front and center.”
He added “With this latest investment of $8.5 million to support solar energy projects in marginalized communities, we’ll create well-paying jobs and build healthier communities.”
That program helps community-based organizations and technical service providers in low-income and disadvantaged communities. Funding helps them plan, develop and execute community solar projects. Grantees will be selected through a competitive process.
For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development (DCEO). Or reach out to CEO.GrantHelp@illinois.gov for application assistance.
To help applicants prepare to apply for funding, DCEO also will be holding a technical assistance webinar at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 14.
Grants provide seed money
The goal of the grants is to provide seed funding to help overcome barriers to project development due to lack of capital in disadvantaged communities. CEJA prioritizes funding for solar projects that are in and provide community benefits to environmental justice or Restore Reinvest Renew (R3) communities. Those are areas where residents have historically been excluded from opportunities. That includes opportunities in the energy sector, and areas that experience high levels of pollution.
“Illinois is at the forefront of climate justice for all our communities, regardless of zip code,” Illinois Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton said in the release. ”Clean energy is a matter of equity, and the Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program is part of our equitable and sustainable future. This program will not only provide a sustainable future for communities that have been historically left out and left behind, it will also bolster our workforce with jobs of the future.”
Grant money can be used for a variety of pre-development activities. It includes early-stage project planning, project team organization, site identification, procurement and contracting, securing financing, customer outreach, site assessments, and more.
How funds can be used
Funds may also be used to support development of cooperative or community ownership models. Such models allocate benefits to communities and support long-term governance, management, and maintenance of community solar projects.
“DCEO has launched several critical programs intended to move our state toward a carbon-free future under the landmark CEJA legislation,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “The Community Solar Sovereignty Grant Program will help fuel community solar projects to benefit Illinoisans in the areas that need it the most.”
Qualified entities include community-based organizations and technical service providers working in direct partnerships with community-based organizations.
Qualified entities can apply for the competitive grants. Awards range from $50,000 to $1 million. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 5 p.m., July 1, or until funds are exhausted.
