The Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund of the Berks County Community Foundation will distribute almost $200,000 in grants to support the development and use of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency throughout the Pennsylvania service territories of the Met-Ed and Penelec energy companies.
The grants to be awarded in 2020 will range from $2,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope of the projects. Applications will be accepted online from January 15 through March 16, with decisions to be made by the end of July 2020. If funding remains after this first grant round, applications will be opened for a second round in the fall.
Previously, grant applications for the Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund were accepted year-long on a rolling the development and use of renewable energy and clean energy technologies;
The mission of the Met-Ed / Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund is to provide grants, loans, and equity investments to promote:
- Energy conservation and efficiency;
- Sustainable energy businesses;
- Projects that improve the environment in the companies’ service territories, as defined by their relationship to the companies’ transmission and distribution facilities.
While the fund primarily provides grants for nonprofits, it may also consider making program-related investments from time to time, providing capital that must be paid back (loans). In particular, program-related investments are often considered over grants for for-profit businesses.
The benefit of a program-related investment is the ability to receive a larger amount of capital for a project than what is available through the grant program. Program-related investments range from $25,000 to $500,000.
Grant funding is prioritized for nonprofit entities. However, commercial or industrial organizations may apply. Individuals/residents are not eligible.
Eligible applicants must be located and/or serve residents within the territories of the Met-Ed and Penelec electric companies in Pennsylvania.
More information, as well as maps and zip codes of areas serviced by Met-Ed and Penelec, are available at www.metedpenelecsef.org or www.bccf.org/sustainable-energy-fund/. Or go to www.bccf.org, click on “Our Work” in the menu and choose “Sustainable Energy Fund.”
