Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000788
Apply for DE FOA 0000788
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rooftop Solar Challenge II" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 21, 2013 and posted on Dec 20, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 22, 2013 Deadline for Letter of Intent (LOI) to Apply January 11, 2013 500pm EST Deadline for Concept Paper Submission January 25, 2013 500pm EST Deadline for Full Application Submission March 22, 2013 500pm EST. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Special district governments State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments.
- Consortia, made up of regional or statewide teams of local, governments, large single jurisdictions, or Tribal governments. The total population represented or impacted by an Applicant for this FOA must be 1,000,000 or greater as defined by the 2010 report of the U.S. Census Bureau. Applicant must be located in the United States.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity designed to speed up rooftop, grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption by attacking the biggest non-equipment costs that slow projects down. Instead of focusing on panels or inverters, the program targets "soft costs" like permitting and inspection delays, inconsistent local requirements, interconnection hurdles, customer acquisition costs, and other administrative or process-related barriers. The core idea is to support practical, local government-driven solutions that can be standardized and replicated so solar markets can scale faster across regions and, ultimately, nationwide.
A central expectation is that applicants are not starting from scratch. DOE is looking for teams that have already shown strong results reducing soft costs in a defined area and can lay out a credible plan to expand those successes quickly and at much larger scale. Applications are evaluated both qualitatively (the strength and realism of the approach) and quantitatively, using the DOE Solar Market Maturity Model (SM3). This means awardees are not only selected based on their proposals, but are also tracked and scored during and at the end of the project period based on measurable market-readiness and process-improvement outcomes.
The FOA is organized into two award topic areas. Topic Area A, "Wide Impact Awards," is meant for especially innovative approaches that can transform local solar markets and reach large populations or broad geographies, emphasizing solutions that can have outsized national or multi-jurisdictional influence. Topic Area B, "State and Regional Impact Awards," focuses more directly on streamlining and standardizing solar-related processes across state or regional footprints, aiming to reduce fragmentation between jurisdictions and create more uniform rules and workflows that installers and residents can navigate efficiently.
Eligibility is tightly tied to government and government-led coalitions. Applicants must be located in the United States and must be one of the following: a state or territorial government, a local government, a Tribal government, a consortium made up of regional or statewide teams of local governments or large single jurisdictions (including Tribal governments), or a nonprofit or for-profit entity that is formally authorized to apply on behalf of a consortium of state and/or local governments. A key threshold requirement is scale: the total population represented or impacted by the applicant must be 1,000,000 or more, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 data. The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, and cost sharing is required.
This notice is an amendment to the original announcement and mainly updates administrative dates and application requirements. The webinar on full applications and the Q and A session was moved to March 5, 2013. The deadline to submit questions related to full applications was extended to March 8, 2013. The full application submission deadline was extended from March 8, 2013 to March 22, 2013 (both at 5:00 pm Eastern). The amendment also removes a previously required submission item titled "Other Sources of Funding Disclosure" from the application package and updates the instructions for the resume file requirement. Aside from those highlighted changes, the rest of the FOA remains the same.
Operationally, applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal, which requires registration and use of DOE's online submission system. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000788, administered through DOE's Golden Field Office, and falls under CFDA 81.117 (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance). Key early-stage milestones included a Letter of Intent deadline of January 11, 2013 and a Concept Paper deadline of January 25, 2013, with the final full application deadline ultimately set to March 22, 2013. Contact and Q and A directions are handled through the FOA and the Exchange site, with program email listed as RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov.
Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) - FAQs
What is the Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II)?
Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity aimed at accelerating adoption of rooftop, grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by reducing non-equipment "soft costs" that slow projects down.
What does RSC II mean by "soft costs"?
In this program, "soft costs" refer to non-hardware barriers and expenses such as permitting and inspection delays, inconsistent local requirements, interconnection hurdles, customer acquisition costs, and other administrative or process-related obstacles that make rooftop solar take longer and cost more to deploy.
Is this funding meant to pay for solar panels or inverters?
No. The focus is not on equipment like panels or inverters. The program is designed to address process, administrative, and market barriers that add time and cost to rooftop PV projects.
What kinds of solutions is DOE looking to fund?
DOE is looking for practical, local government-driven solutions that reduce soft costs and can be standardized and replicated, so that solar markets can scale faster across regions and ultimately nationwide.
Do applicants need to already have progress or results before applying?
Yes. A central expectation is that applicants are not starting from scratch. DOE is looking for teams that have already demonstrated strong results reducing soft costs in a defined area and can credibly expand those successes quickly and at much larger scale.
How will applications be evaluated?
Applications are evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative evaluation considers the strength and realism of the approach. Quantitative evaluation uses DOE's Solar Market Maturity Model (SM3).
What is the Solar Market Maturity Model (SM3) and how is it used here?
SM3 is a DOE model used to score measurable market-readiness and process-improvement outcomes. RSC II awardees are not only selected based on their proposals, but are also tracked and scored during and at the end of the project period based on SM3-related outcomes.
What are the two Topic Areas in this FOA?
The FOA includes two topic areas: Topic Area A (Wide Impact Awards) and Topic Area B (State and Regional Impact Awards).
What is Topic Area A: Wide Impact Awards?
Topic Area A supports especially innovative approaches intended to transform local solar markets and reach large populations or broad geographies, emphasizing solutions that could have outsized national or multi-jurisdictional influence.
What is Topic Area B: State and Regional Impact Awards?
Topic Area B focuses on streamlining and standardizing solar-related processes across state or regional footprints. The goal is to reduce fragmentation between jurisdictions and create more uniform rules and workflows that installers and residents can navigate efficiently.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is tied to government and government-led coalitions located in the United States. Applicants must be one of the following: a state or territorial government; a local government; a Tribal government; a consortium made up of regional or statewide teams of local governments or large single jurisdictions (including Tribal governments); or a nonprofit or for-profit entity that is formally authorized to apply on behalf of a consortium of state and/or local governments.
Is a minimum service area or population required?
Yes. A threshold eligibility requirement is scale: the total population represented or impacted by the applicant must be 1,000,000 or more, based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 data.
Does the program require cost sharing?
Yes. Cost sharing is required under this funding opportunity.
What is the award instrument for RSC II?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this FOA?
The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000788.
Which DOE office administers this opportunity?
This funding opportunity is administered through DOE's Golden Field Office.
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The program falls under CFDA 81.117 (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance).
How and where do applicants submit an application?
Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal. Applicants must register and use DOE's online submission system to apply.
What is this notice/amendment changing?
This notice is an amendment to the original announcement. It primarily updates administrative dates and certain application requirements. Aside from the highlighted changes, the rest of the FOA remains the same.
When was the webinar and Q and A session scheduled?
The webinar on full applications and the Q and A session was moved to March 5, 2013.
What was the deadline to submit questions related to full applications?
The deadline to submit questions related to full applications was extended to March 8, 2013.
What was the full application submission deadline?
The full application submission deadline was extended from March 8, 2013 to March 22, 2013 (both at 5:00 pm Eastern). The final full application deadline is March 22, 2013 at 5:00 pm Eastern.
Were there earlier required steps before the full application?
Yes. Key early-stage milestones included a Letter of Intent deadline of January 11, 2013 and a Concept Paper deadline of January 25, 2013.
Was any application document requirement removed by the amendment?
Yes. The amendment removes a previously required submission item titled "Other Sources of Funding Disclosure" from the application package.
Did the amendment change any formatting or file instructions?
Yes. The amendment updates the instructions for the resume file requirement.
Where should applicants direct questions or look for Q and A instructions?
Contact and Q and A directions are handled through the FOA and the EERE eXCHANGE site. The program email listed is RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov.
Is this opportunity limited to U.S.-based applicants?
Yes. Applicants must be located in the United States.
What is the overall goal of the program beyond a single jurisdiction?
The program is designed to support solutions that can be standardized and replicated so solar markets can scale faster across regions, with the long-term aim of enabling broader nationwide impact.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Energy
Next opportunity: Fiscal Year 2013 CDFI Program
Previous opportunity: University Transportation Centers Open Competition 2013
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DE FOA 0000788
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0000788) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Unconventional Gas Technical Engagement Apply for ENR 13 01 Funding Number: ENR 13 01 Agency: Bureau of Energy Resources Category: Energy Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| FENESTRATION ATTACHMENT CERTIFICATION AND LABELING Apply for DE FOA 0000846 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000846 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FOA Algae Biofuel Yield (ABY) Apply for DE FOA 0000811 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000811 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| SunShot Incubator Program Apply for DE FOA 0000838 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000838 Agency: Headquarters Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency II (FPACE II) Model Systems Apply for DE FOA 0000806 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000806 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FOA Advanced Biomass Feedstock Logistics Systems II Apply for DE FOA 0000836 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000836 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| (RFI) Automotive Fuel Cell Cost and Durability Targets Apply for DE FOA 0000855 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000855 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Amendment 000003 Fiscal Year 2013 Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement Apply for DE FOA 0000793 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000793 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY2013 NETL University Turbine Systems Research (UTSR) Program Apply for DE FOA 0000795 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000795 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships Apply for DE FOA 0000876 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000876 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Innovation for Increasing Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems (I2CEDS) 2013 Apply for DE FOA 0000797 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000797 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| Physics of Reliability Evaluating Design Insights for Component Technologies in Solar (PREDICTS) Apply for DE FOA 0000861 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000861 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Solar Utility Networks Replicable Innovations in Solar Energy (SUNRISE) Apply for DE FOA 0000865 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000865 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment (GEARED) Apply for DE FOA 0000856 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000856 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Diversity in Science and Technology Advances National Clean Energy in Solar (DISTANCE Solar) Apply for DE FOA 0000857 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000857 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Solar Manufacturing Technology (SolarMat) Apply for DE FOA 0000862 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000862 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Sequestration Information Apply for FOA ALL Funding Number: FOA ALL Agency: Headquarters Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Better Buildings Commercial Energy Efficiency Solutions Apply for DE FOA 0000829 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000829 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| RFI Demonstration and Deployment Strategies Apply for DE FOA 0000873 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000873 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Marine and Hydrokinetic (MHK) Environmental Effects Assessment and Monitoring Apply for DE FOA 0000816 Funding Number: DE FOA 0000816 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0000788", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.