1)  Changes to the GoodUse program

The GoodUse Program has made significant changes to the eligibility, grant amounts, and cost share requirements. We have three main funding sources as outlined below.

Southeast States  |  Apply

Renew America’s Nonprofit (RAN) funded GoodUse Program subrecipient eligibility and grant amounts.

• Eligibility
  • The building must be in the following states: AL, GA, FL, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN.
  • Federally registered 501c3 nonprofit organization.
  • Sam.gov account and a Unique Entity ID (UEI) number
  • Must own and operate the building.
  • Cannot take part in lobbying activities that have been secured to influence the outcome of a federal action (more info)
  • Strong organizational health and must meet our cost share requirements which are based on the location’s operating budget (see breakdown below). Federal funding cannot be used towards cost share.
  • If the organization is religious, the organization is only eligible if 50% or less of their space is dedicated to religious activities. Religious organizations must also offer non-religious programs to all.
  • Organizations must have/set up an Energy Star Portfolio Manager account with the previous year’s utility data before the award date.
  • Projects must comply to the following standards:
    • Davis-Bacon (Guidelines)
    • State NEPA standards (Guidelines)
    • State Historic Preservation Offices (Find your state)
  • Existing buildings only. This grant either supports minor renovations of a building that your organization is CURRENTLY occupying or major renovations/gut rehab of an existing building that your organization is CURRENTLY occupying and does not require a ground disturbance permit.

• Grant Amounts and Cost Share

Funding only applies to existing buildings for energy efficiency upgrades, excluding solar.

• • Organizations with an annual operating budget below $1 million are eligible for a granted amount of up to $100,000 from Southface, and your NPO provides up to $25,000 of cost share. 4:1 match ratio based on total project costs of up to $125,000.
  • Organizations with an annual operating budget at/above $1 million are eligible for a granted amount of up to $120,000 from Southface, and your NPO provides up to $80,000 of cost share. 3:2 match ratio based on total project costs of up to $200,000.

Acknowledgment:  “This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State and Community Energy Program (SCEP) under the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program and 2022 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Energy Improvements at Nonprofits Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Award Number DE-SE0001002;0000”. Abridged Disclaimer: “The view expressed herein do not necessarily represent the view of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.”

 

 Mid-Atlantic States  |  Apply

HASI Foundation funded GoodUse Program subrecipient eligibility and grant amounts.

• Eligibility
  • The building must be in the following states: DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WDC, WV.
  • Federally registered 501c3 nonprofit organization.
  • Must own or long term lease (5+years) the building.
  • Strong organizational health and must meet our cost share requirements which are based on the NPO’s operating budget (see breakdown below). 
  • If the organization is religious, the organization is only eligible if 50% or less of their space is dedicated to religious activities. Religious organizations must also offer non-religious programs to all.
  • Organizations must have/set up an Energy Star Portfolio Manager account with the previous year’s utility data before the award date.
  • Existing buildings only. This grant either supports minor renovations of a building that your organization is CURRENTLY occupying or major renovations/gut rehab of an existing building that your organization is CURRENTLY occupying and does not require a ground disturbance permit. 

• Grant Amounts and Cost Share

Funding applies to existing buildings for any utility efficiency upgrades, excluding solar.

• • Organizations with an annual operating budget below $1 million are eligible for a granted amount of up to $40,000 from Southface, and your NPO provides up to $20,000 of cost share. 2:1 match ratio based on total project costs of up to $60,000.
  • Organizations with an annual operating budget at/above $1 million are eligible for a granted amount of up to $40,000 from Southface, and your NPO provides up to $80,000 of cost share. 1:2 match ratio based on total project costs of up to $120,000.

 

2) What is the application review process?

Application review takes ~8 weeks. The application review process includes a third-party financial audit/organizational health, community reviewer feedback, and Southface project staff evaluation. We look holistically at each application with heavy considerations around mission, programing, DEIA, Justice40 impact, building usage, and financial health. Results from each phase are combined, reviewed, and compared before making final selections.

 

3) Can I apply for funding for a project that has already been started or completed?

No, GoodUse does not retroactively fund projects; either prior to applying or prior to signing a grant agreement with Southface. If awarded, all projects must be approved by your assigned Southface engineer AFTER your organization has completed the Project Selection/Bidding process and before executing a GoodUse grant agreement.

 

4) Is there a cost share/match requirement for GoodUse grants?

Yes, there is a cost share/match component to all GoodUse grants. Please see breakdown (no. 1 above) according to location and annual operating budget.

 

5) What ways can my organization meet the matching requirement?        

 Organizations can meet the match requirement in the following ways:

• • Financial/Cash
    • Funds provided by funders/donors or fundraising
    • Endowment or Capital Campaign
    • Operating Budget
    • Other grants (unless otherwise specified)
  • In-Kind (In-kind match can total as much as 80% upon approval by Southface)
    • In-house labor
    • Donated or discounted labor, materials, or services by a third party (some third party services may not apply depending on funding source)

 

6) Does my organization need the match at the time of application?

Your organization should have an idea how you will support the match required for this grant at the time of application. Applications with this information identified are more competitive. If awarded, at least 50% of the match funding should be accessible at the time the grant agreement is executed, and 100% must be identified. 100% must be accessible by 50% project completion.

 

7) If awarded, what is the GoodUse grant process and timeline?

GoodUse has 4 main stages each with specific timelines: Assessment, Project Selection/Bidding, Implementation, and Final Inspection. For full program process description & timeframe, visit us HERE

 

8) What are some common GoodUse projects?

GoodUse funds, Southface approved, above code minimum projects. Project recommendations/requirements are dependent on building usage, sq footage, building envelope, and location. Examples of common GoodUse upgrade projects (not limited to):

• • LED Lighting/lighting controls 
  • Building Automation Systems (BAS) or Wi-Fi thermostats
  • High-efficiency HVAC system replacements or retrocommissioning & controls upgrades
  • Building envelope improvements (insulation, air sealing, Energy Star windows/doors)
  • Energy Star Appliances
  • Heat pump water heaters, tankless gas water heaters
  • Plumbing fixture upgrades (Eligible to Mid-Atlantic states)

 

9) Do I need to complete all projects recommended by Southface at one time?

No, organizations work directly with their assigned Southface engineer to come up with a project phasing plan that works best for them. Organizations can “phase” projects, and take on projects over multiple rounds of funding.

 

10) Our GoodUse project is complete, what’s next?

• • We recommend as a best practice that grantees continue tracking in ESPM for 2 years post implementation. Keeping a current ESPM is required for future eligibility.
  • Consider reapplying for another grant. Organizations can reapply after 75% of an active project is complete.
  • Complete Post Project Survey to share your project story.

Questions? Please contact Erin Gallagher, GoodUse Program Manager, egallagher@southface.org.