Energizing Insular Communities Program | EIC 2020

Opportunity Information: Apply for EIC 2020

The Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Office of Insular Affairs, to help U.S. territories lower electricity costs for residents and businesses. The core focus is practical, territory-specific energy projects and strategies that improve affordability and support broader energy and economic security goals. In other words, the program is aimed at reducing the high cost of power that many island communities face and strengthening local energy systems in ways that can make the local economy more stable and resilient.

A key requirement is that every proposal must be clearly tied to the territory's current planning framework. Applicants have to show that the project directly supports and aligns with an updated strategic energy plan, energy action plan, or integrated resource plan for their territory. This makes the program less about one-off ideas and more about funding work that fits into an established roadmap, such as upgrades or initiatives already identified as priorities, steps that fill gaps in an adopted plan, or actions that move the territory toward specific energy targets.

The program also offers a pathway to technical assistance through an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy. This is meant to help territories design, evaluate, or implement energy solutions more effectively, and applicants are expected to state in their application whether they are interested in receiving that support. For many projects, this kind of assistance can be important for items like technical feasibility, system planning, modeling, or implementation support, especially in places where specialized energy expertise may be limited.

Eligibility is limited to organizations located in the U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible applicants include local government entities, independent public authorities, and educational institutions within those territories. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.875 and uses a grant as the funding instrument. The posted opportunity number is EIC 2020, it was created on March 19, 2020, and the original closing date was June 15, 2020. The source information does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which suggests applicants would need to refer to the full announcement or related program guidance for details on typical award sizes, selection criteria, and budget expectations.

• The Department of the Interior in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Energizing Insular Communities Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.875.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for EIC 2020

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