Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001241
Apply for DE FOA 0001241
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SOLAR POWERING AMERICA BY RECOGNIZING COMMUNITIES (SPARC)" 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 23, 2015 and posted on Feb 5, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 27, 2015 Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 500pm ET on March 5, 2015 to be eligible to submit a Full Application.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $13,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The SOLAR POWERING AMERICA BY RECOGNIZING COMMUNITIES (SPARC) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001241) is a U.S. Department of Energy initiative run through the Golden Field Office under the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office. It is set up as a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, meaning awardees should expect substantial involvement and coordination with DOE during the project rather than a hands-off grant. The announcement notes that Modification 000001 only updates the Program Policy Factors in Section V.C.1 of the FOA, and everything else in the original solicitation stays the same.
At its core, SPARC is designed to create a high-visibility national recognition program paired with technical assistance for local governments. The practical idea is that if a city or county can earn a credible national designation showing it is "solar-ready" and supportive of solar deployment, that signal helps installers, developers, and residents feel more confident investing there. By encouraging communities to adopt clearer rules, faster permitting, better inspection practices, and other solar-supportive policies, the program aims to reduce common market barriers and cut "soft costs" (non-hardware costs like permitting delays, administrative fees, inconsistent requirements, and customer acquisition friction). These reductions are framed as supporting DOE SunShot goals, which focus on making solar more affordable and widely adopted.
A notable emphasis is that SPARC is not just meant to reward already-advanced solar markets; it also aims to help "marginal communities" strengthen their local solar environments. In practice, that implies technical assistance and guidance targeted at places that may lack staff capacity, streamlined processes, or established solar programs, so they can catch up and create conditions that attract solar businesses and expand access to solar benefits.
From an applicant standpoint, the opportunity is open eligibility ("unrestricted"), subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full FOA. The announcement explicitly states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which can make participation more feasible for local governments and partners that have limited discretionary funds. The total estimated funding available across the opportunity is listed at $13,000,000, though the public summary lists the award ceiling and floor as $0, which typically means the specific per-award amounts and structure are defined in the full FOA rather than in the high-level synopsis.
The timeline is structured with a required concept paper gate. Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on March 5, 2015 to be eligible to submit a full application. The full application deadline is April 27, 2015. The opportunity was posted February 5, 2015, created February 23, 2015, and archived September 30, 2015, which indicates this is a historical posting window and applicants should rely on the archived FOA text for the authoritative requirements that applied during that period.
All application materials have to be submitted through the EERE Exchange website (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov). Applicants must register and create an account in that system before submitting, and DOE provides an EERE Exchange User Guide accessible after login via the manuals page. The summary also points applicants to the full FOA for the correct channels to ask questions, both for program/content questions and for technical submission questions. For access issues or help obtaining the full announcement, the listed contact email is SPARC@ee.doe.gov.
SPARC (DE-FOA-0001241) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the SPARC funding opportunity?
SPARC stands for Solar Powering America by Recognizing Communities. It is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001241) intended to create a high-visibility national recognition program paired with technical assistance for local governments.
Which DOE office is running SPARC?
SPARC is a DOE initiative run through the Golden Field Office under the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office.
What type of funding instrument does SPARC use?
SPARC is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements. That means awardees should expect substantial DOE involvement and coordination during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
What is the main goal of SPARC?
The core goal is to encourage communities (such as cities and counties) to earn a credible national designation showing they are "solar-ready" and supportive of solar deployment, and to back that recognition with technical assistance that helps communities improve their local solar environment.
How is the recognition program expected to help solar deployment?
The program is intended to send a clear market signal that a community supports solar deployment. A credible national designation can make installers, developers, and residents more confident investing in that community.
What kinds of community practices does SPARC aim to improve?
SPARC is aimed at policies and processes that commonly affect solar adoption, such as clearer rules, faster permitting, better inspection practices, and other solar-supportive policies that reduce local barriers to solar deployment.
What are "soft costs" in the context of SPARC?
Soft costs are non-hardware costs that can slow or discourage solar projects, such as permitting delays, administrative fees, inconsistent requirements, and customer acquisition friction. SPARC is framed as helping reduce these costs.
How does SPARC relate to DOE SunShot goals?
The funding opportunity describes soft-cost reductions and barrier reductions as supporting DOE SunShot goals, which focus on making solar more affordable and widely adopted.
Is SPARC only for communities that already have strong solar markets?
No. SPARC specifically emphasizes that it is not only meant to reward already-advanced solar markets. It also aims to help "marginal communities" strengthen their local solar environments, including through technical assistance and guidance.
What does the FOA mean by focusing on "marginal communities"?
Based on the description, the emphasis implies support for communities that may lack staff capacity, streamlined processes, or established solar programs, so they can improve local conditions and attract solar businesses while expanding access to solar benefits.
Who is eligible to apply?
The synopsis lists eligibility as "unrestricted," subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full FOA.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity explicitly states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
How much total funding is available under SPARC?
The total estimated funding available across the opportunity is listed as $13,000,000.
What are the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The public summary lists the award ceiling and floor as $0. This typically indicates that specific per-award amounts and the award structure are defined in the full FOA rather than in the high-level synopsis.
What is Modification 000001, and what did it change?
The announcement states that Modification 000001 only updates the Program Policy Factors in Section V.C.1 of the FOA. Everything else in the original solicitation remains the same.
Is a concept paper required?
Yes. The timeline includes a required concept paper gate.
When was the concept paper due?
Concept papers were due by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on March 5, 2015. Submission of a concept paper by that deadline was required to be eligible to submit a full application.
When was the full application due?
The full application deadline was April 27, 2015.
Where were applications required to be submitted?
All application materials had to be submitted through the EERE Exchange website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
Do applicants need an EERE Exchange account?
Yes. Applicants must register and create an account in EERE Exchange before submitting.
Is there guidance on how to use EERE Exchange?
Yes. DOE provides an EERE Exchange User Guide that is accessible after login via the manuals page.
Where should applicants direct program or technical questions?
The summary points applicants to the full FOA for the correct channels to ask questions, including separate guidance for program/content questions and technical submission questions.
Who can be contacted for access issues or help obtaining the full announcement?
For access issues or help obtaining the full announcement, the listed contact email is SPARC@ee.doe.gov.
When was the opportunity posted, created, and archived?
The opportunity was posted February 5, 2015, created February 23, 2015, and archived September 30, 2015.
Is this opportunity still active?
The record indicates it was archived on September 30, 2015. That means it reflects a historical posting window, and the archived FOA text is the authoritative source for the requirements that applied during that period.
What should applicants rely on for the official requirements?
Applicants should rely on the full FOA (including the archived FOA text for this posting) for authoritative requirements, including eligibility details, award structure, submission rules, and question-and-answer channels.
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