Sec. 102. Grants to eligible housing and nonprofit organizations
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The Energy Conservation and Production Act is amended by inserting after section 414B (42 U.S.C. 6864b) the following: The purposes of this section are— to expand the number of low-income, single-family and multifamily homes that receive energy efficiency retrofits; to promote innovation and new models of retrofitting low-income homes through new Federal partnerships with covered organizations that leverage donations, donated materials, volunteer labor, homeowner labor equity, and other private sector resources; to assist the covered organizations in demonstrating, evaluating, improving, and replicating widely the model low-income energy retrofit programs of the covered organizations; and to ensure that the covered organizations make the energy retrofit projects undertaken by the covered organizations with awarded funds self-sustaining by the time grant funds have been expended.
In this section, the term covered organization means an organization that— is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 501(a) of that Code; and has an established record of constructing, renovating, repairing, or making energy efficient an aggregate quantity of not less than 250 owner-occupied, single-family or multifamily homes for low-income households, either directly or through affiliates, chapters, or other direct partners (using the most recent year for which data are available).
The Secretary shall make grants to covered organizations through a national competitive process for use in accordance with this section. In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall consider— the number of low-income homes the applicant— has built, renovated, repaired, or made more energy efficient as of the date of the application; and can reasonably be projected to build, renovate, repair, or make energy efficient during the grant period beginning on the date of the application; the qualifications, experience, and past performance of the applicant, including experience successfully managing and administering Federal funds; the number and diversity of States, communities, and climates in which the applicant works and the diversity of housing types requiring weatherization as of the date of the application; the amount of non-Federal funds, donated or discounted materials, discounted or volunteer skilled labor, volunteer unskilled labor, homeowner labor equity, and other resources the applicant will provide; the extent to which the applicant could successfully replicate the proposed energy retrofit project and sustain the project after the grant funds have been expended; and such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall solicit proposals from covered organizations. To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an applicant shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. Not later than 90 days after the closing date established by the Secretary for receipt of proposals, the Secretary shall award grants under this section.
A grant under this section may be used to— conduct energy efficiency audits; perform cost-effective retrofit and related weatherization activities, including purchase of energy efficient materials and supplies; conduct training activities and provide ongoing technical assistance; provide information to homeowners on proper maintenance and energy savings behaviors; conduct data collection, measurement, and verification activities to facilitate program monitoring, oversight, evaluation, and reporting; manage and administer the grant (up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total grant); and obtain and conduct such other materials and activities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
The amount of a grant provided under this section shall not exceed $5,000,000. Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue guidelines to implement the grant program established under this section. The guidelines shall establish— criteria for allowable expenditures; a methodology to determine a minimum energy savings-to-investment ratio; criteria for— the conduct of weatherization training programs; the conduct of energy audits and program activities; the conduct of project monitoring activities; and the use of methodologies to verify energy and cost savings; liability insurance requirements; and recordkeeping requirements, which shall include reporting to the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs of the Department of Energy applicable data on each home retrofitted.
The Secretary shall review and evaluate the performance of any covered organization that receives a grant under this section (which may include an audit), as determined by the Secretary. Nothing in this section or any program carried out using a grant provided under this section supersedes or otherwise affects any State or local law, to the extent that the State or local law contains a requirement that is more stringent than the applicable requirement of this section. The Secretary shall submit to Congress annual reports that provide a description of energy and cost savings achieved and actions taken under this section.
Of the funds made available to carry out this part for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2019 under section 422, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section— 2 percent of the amount if less than $225,000,000 is available; 5 percent of the amount if $225,000,000 or more but less than $260,000,000 is available; 10 percent of the amount if $260,000,000 or more but less than $400,000,000 is available; and 20 percent of the amount if $400,000,000 or more is available. .
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Sec. 102
Grants to eligible housing and nonprofit organizations
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