BIL DE-FOA-0003525: 2025 RENEW AMERICA'S SCHOOLS PRIZE TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
The DOE's 2025 Renew America's Schools Prize offers up to $4.2M in prizes, followed by $7.5M-$15M cooperative agreements for energy efficiency improvements in public schools, focusing on high-poverty/rural areas.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
Golden Field Office has archived this opportunity.
Funder: [Golden Field Office - https://www.energy.gov/eere/golden-field-office]
Due Dates: April 3, 2025, 5pm ET (Application Submission Deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $4.2M in cash prizes ($300,000 each) for Phase 1 winners; $7.5M to $15M in cooperative agreements for Phases 2 and 3 per recipient.
Summary: Supports energy efficiency improvements in public schools, focusing on rural and high-poverty local educational agencies, through a multi-phase prize and cooperative agreement program.
Key Information: Phase 1 is a prize competition; only Phase 1 winners are eligible for cooperative agreements in Phases 2 and 3. Applications must be submitted via HeroX.
Description
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2025 Renew America's Schools Prize aims to transform aging public school infrastructure into healthier, energy-efficient learning environments. This program targets local educational agencies (LEAs) that are rural and/or serve high-poverty communities. The initiative is structured in three phases:
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Phase 1 (Prize Competition): Competitors submit portfolios of at least 10 schools needing energy assessments and improvements, along with their project teams. Up to 14 winners will receive $300,000 each in cash prizes. The goal is to demonstrate the need for energy improvements and outline plans for subsequent phases.
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Phase 2 (Cooperative Agreement - Strategic Plan + Energy Audits): Phase 1 winners negotiate cooperative agreements with DOE to receive $500,000 to $1,000,000 for conducting ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits and developing comprehensive strategic plans for energy improvements.
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Phase 3 (Cooperative Agreement - Implementation): Recipients receive $7,000,000 to $14,000,000 to implement the energy improvements identified in Phase 2, focusing on measurable energy savings and health and safety benefits.
The program encourages collaboration by providing a "Teaming Partner List" to help applicants form project teams with the necessary expertise. DOE hosts informational webinars and office hours to assist applicants.
