PD - mandatory renewable energy technical assistance grants

This Project Grant award of $100,000.00 was provided on March 26, 2025 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Cooperative Services under the Rural Energy for America Program (CFDA 10.868). The funding supports the Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC), a regional council of governments in Ohio, in delivering mandatory renewable energy technical assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses in southeastern and southwestern Ohio. Through this grant, SOPEC will provide guidance and resources to help these rural entities access funding, develop renewable energy systems, and implement energy efficiency improvements. This award builds on SOPEC's prior success in securing over $10 million in federal grants from agencies like the USDA and Federal Highway Administration to facilitate clean energy transitions and infrastructure development in rural Ohio communities.