Sun Shot Solar Energy Community Challenge Grant

The Sun Shot Solar in Your Community Challenge is a prize competition that aims to expand solar electricity access to all Americans, especially underserved segments such as low-and-moderate income (LMI) households, state, local, and Tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations. The Challenge works to spur the development of new and innovative financial and business models that serve non-rooftop solar users such as community solar. The Challenge program supports teams to develop projects or programs that expand solar access to underserved groups, while proving that these business models can be widely replicated and adopted by similar groups. 

Eligible Applicants: Teams working to develop a portfolio of solar projects in their communities or create new solar programs that extend solar access to LMI households and nonprofits and technical assistance providers (consultants and coaches) that assist teams throughout the challenge by providing coaching to create innovative new business models. Teams can include local government entities, businesses, nonprofits, community serving organizations, utilities, banks and citizen associations.

Match: None

Award Ceiling: $500,000 and 18 months of free technical assistance

Deadline: Early applications are due January 6, 2017. Final applications are due March 17, 2017.

Contact: 202 287 1862, sunshot.prize@ee.doe.gov