PKG00219171.zip

This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), administered by the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, covering renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements for agricultural producers and rural small businesses. The program provides grants of up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, capped at $500,000 for renewable energy systems and $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements, with combined grant and loan assistance not exceeding 75 percent of total project costs. The NOFO (RDBCP-REAP-RES-EEI-2025) posted October 24, 2024, with an initial deadline of March 31, 2025, and covers fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, with subsequent application windows scheduled for July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. Applications are evaluated at the state level first, then undergo nationwide ranking by the RBCS National Office based on scoring criteria including energy quantity replaced or produced, environmental benefits, commercial availability, technical merit, readiness, small producer status, payback period, and state or administrator priorities, with funding recommendations forwarded to the Administrator for final award decisions.

Eligible applicants must be agricultural producers or rural small businesses located in rural areas and cannot have outstanding judgments, delinquent federal debt, or debarment status. Grant funds are provided on a reimbursement basis, with projects typically completed within two years of the award. Applicants must retain financial records and supporting documentation for at least three years after final disbursement. Recent awards demonstrate significant funding activity, ranging from under $20,000 to $1 million, with recent examples including renewable energy system installations up to $1 million and energy efficiency improvements ranging from $46,446 to $500,000. The program has experienced substantial growth, with award volume increasing from 1,117 in 2021 to 4,833 in 2024.