Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003492
Apply for DE FOA 0003492
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2 (SolWEB2)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-05-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2 (SolWEB2) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003492) administered by the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office. It is designed to improve how large-scale solar (LSS) projects are planned, built, and operated so that solar deployment better supports ecosystems, wildlife, and nearby communities rather than creating avoidable environmental conflicts. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements, which typically means the funding agency expects to be meaningfully involved during the project period (for example, through collaboration, milestones, and ongoing coordination) rather than operating purely as a hands-off grant.
The core purpose of SolWEB2 is to move beyond general intentions and fund practical work that measurably improves outcomes at utility-scale solar facilities. The program is seeking projects in three broad lanes. First, it supports efforts that test strategies to mitigate adverse impacts and/or maximize benefits for wildlife and ecosystems at or around large solar sites. That can include field research, demonstration projects, monitoring approaches, and evaluation of design or management practices that reduce habitat disruption or improve ecological function. Second, it funds technical assistance and stakeholder engagement that help solar development become more compatible with wildlife. This lane emphasizes the real-world barriers to adoption, such as uncertainty about best practices, difficulty coordinating among developers, land managers, regulators, and conservation groups, and the need for shared guidance and engagement processes. Third, it supports technical assistance and outreach that promote agrivoltaics, meaning approaches that deliberately combine solar energy production with agricultural use, with the goal of increasing adoption through practical guidance, education, and facilitation rather than only academic study.
Eligibility is broad but limited to domestic entities, and applicants may participate as recipients or subrecipients. Eligible entity types include institutions of higher education (public and private), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other-than-small businesses), nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and state and local governmental entities (including counties, cities/townships, special districts, independent school districts, and public housing/Indian housing authorities). Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are other Native American tribal organizations, and Indian Tribes are explicitly recognized consistent with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act definition (25 U.S.C. 5304). In practice, this eligibility structure allows teams that combine developers, researchers, conservation practitioners, agricultural stakeholders, and public agencies to assemble partnerships that match the technical and community-facing emphasis of the program.
The opportunity sits under the Energy funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 81.087. The posted award ceiling is $3,000,000 per award, and the agency anticipates making about 8 awards, signaling a competitive program with relatively substantial individual project sizes aimed at producing actionable, transferable outcomes. The original application closing date is May 2, 2025, and the notice was created on December 23, 2024. Overall, SolWEB2 is best understood as a targeted effort to ensure the rapid buildout of large-scale solar does not come at the expense of biodiversity and land health, while also helping communities and agricultural stakeholders benefit through more compatible siting, better operational practices, and increased uptake of agrivoltaic models.
SolWEB2 (Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is SolWEB2?
Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2 (SolWEB2) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity that supports practical work to improve how large-scale solar (LSS) projects are planned, built, and operated so that solar deployment better supports ecosystems, wildlife, and nearby communities and avoids preventable environmental conflicts.
Who is administering this funding opportunity?
SolWEB2 is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Golden Field Office.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003492.
What type of award will be made?
Awards will be made as cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that awards are "cooperative agreements"?
A cooperative agreement typically means DOE expects to be meaningfully involved during the project period. This can include collaboration, milestone-based work, and ongoing coordination, rather than a purely hands-off grant approach.
What is the main purpose of SolWEB2?
The core purpose is to move beyond general intentions and fund practical work that measurably improves outcomes at utility-scale solar facilities, especially related to ecosystems, wildlife, and compatibility with nearby communities.
What kinds of projects is SolWEB2 looking to fund?
SolWEB2 is seeking projects across three broad lanes: (1) strategies that mitigate adverse impacts and/or maximize benefits for wildlife and ecosystems at or around large solar sites, (2) technical assistance and stakeholder engagement to make solar development more compatible with wildlife, and (3) technical assistance and outreach to promote agrivoltaics adoption through practical guidance, education, and facilitation.
What is included in the lane focused on mitigating impacts or maximizing benefits for wildlife and ecosystems?
This lane can include field research, demonstration projects, monitoring approaches, and evaluation of design or management practices that reduce habitat disruption or improve ecological function at or around large solar sites.
What is included in the lane focused on technical assistance and stakeholder engagement for wildlife compatibility?
This lane emphasizes real-world adoption barriers and coordination needs. It can include efforts addressing uncertainty about best practices, challenges coordinating among developers, land managers, regulators, and conservation groups, and the need for shared guidance and engagement processes.
What is included in the lane focused on agrivoltaics?
This lane supports technical assistance and outreach that promote agrivoltaics, meaning approaches that deliberately combine solar energy production with agricultural use, with the goal of increasing adoption through practical guidance, education, and facilitation (rather than only academic study).
What is agrivoltaics in the context of this opportunity?
Agrivoltaics refers to approaches that deliberately combine solar energy production with agricultural use. Under SolWEB2, the emphasis is on increasing adoption through practical guidance, education, and facilitation.
Is this opportunity focused on utility-scale solar or smaller projects?
The opportunity is focused on large-scale solar (LSS) and utility-scale solar facilities, with an emphasis on improving outcomes at or around those sites.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad but limited to domestic entities. Eligible applicants may participate as recipients or subrecipients, and eligible entity types include institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other-than-small businesses), nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), and state and local governmental entities.
Are state and local governments eligible?
Yes. Eligible state and local governmental entities include counties, cities/townships, special districts, independent school districts, and public housing/Indian housing authorities.
Are Tribal governments and Tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are other Native American tribal organizations. Indian Tribes are explicitly recognized consistent with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act definition (25 U.S.C. 5304).
Can for-profit companies apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations are eligible, including small businesses and other-than-small businesses.
Can nonprofits apply?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations are eligible, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits.
Can universities and colleges apply?
Yes. Institutions of higher education are eligible, including both public and private institutions.
Can applicants participate as subrecipients?
Yes. Applicants may participate as recipients or subrecipients.
Does the opportunity encourage partnerships or team-based applications?
The eligibility structure supports teams that combine developers, researchers, conservation practitioners, agricultural stakeholders, and public agencies, aligning with the program's technical and community-facing emphasis.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The posted award ceiling is $3,000,000 per award.
How many awards does DOE expect to make?
DOE anticipates making about 8 awards.
What does the anticipated number of awards suggest about competitiveness?
With an anticipated ~8 awards and a relatively high award ceiling, this signals a competitive opportunity funding substantial projects intended to produce actionable and transferable outcomes.
What is the application deadline?
The original application closing date is May 2, 2025.
When was this opportunity notice created?
The notice was created on December 23, 2024.
What is the funding activity category?
The opportunity sits under the Energy funding activity category.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 81.087.
What outcomes is SolWEB2 trying to achieve?
SolWEB2 aims to ensure rapid utility-scale solar deployment does not come at the expense of biodiversity and land health, while helping communities and agricultural stakeholders benefit through more compatible siting, improved operational practices, and increased uptake of agrivoltaic models.
Does SolWEB2 focus only on research, or also on implementation?
Based on the described lanes, SolWEB2 supports practical work such as field research, demonstrations, monitoring and evaluation, as well as technical assistance, outreach, and stakeholder engagement intended to address real-world implementation barriers.
What types of barriers does SolWEB2 want to address?
The opportunity highlights barriers such as uncertainty about best practices, difficulty coordinating among key parties (developers, land managers, regulators, conservation groups), and the need for shared guidance and engagement processes.
Is community compatibility part of the program's intent?
Yes. The program is described as improving solar deployment so it better supports ecosystems, wildlife, and nearby communities, rather than creating avoidable environmental conflicts.
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