Energizing Rural Communities Prize

Informational Prize Overview Webinars:

3/30/23 - 10:00am MT/12:00pm ET, This one-hour webinar will provide networking opportunities with other competitors and breakout groups focused on individual tracks. Register here.

4/5/23 - 2:00pm MT/4:00pm ET, This one hour webinar will dive deeper into the PARTNER Track. Register here.

4/6/23 - 11:00am MT/1:00pm ET, This one hour webinar will dive deeper into the FINANCE Track. Register here.

4/13/23 - 9:00am MT/11:00am ET, This one-hour webinar will provide additional networking opportunities with other competitors and breakout groups focused on individual tracks. Register here.

Power Connector Office Hours:

3/22- 5/19/23, Book a 30-minute meeting with the Clean Energy Business Network (CEBN) to ask questions and/or get feedback on your application. Every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Sign up for a time slot.

3/30- 5/24/23, Book a 30-minute meeting with the Entrepreneur Futures Network (EFN) to ask questions and/or get feedback on your application. Sign up for a time slot. 

Available Recordings:

3/21/23 - 11:00am MT/1:00pm ET, This one hour webinar covered the basics of the prize. Watch the recording here and access the slides here.

In response to the request for additional teaming capabilities, Entrepreneur Futures Network has developed the following resources as a reference for individuals and organizations interested in teaming up with one another. Please feel free to leverage this platform or the forum for this prize to make connections with other entities that may be interested in collaborating. 

EFN will also be providing a demo to use the platforms during the two upcoming live networking events on March 30 and April 13.

1. Join Empower Innovation a nationwide online community with over 3,500 members working to accelerate the transition to an inclusive clean economy. Empower Innovation curates billions of dollars in grants and other funding opportunities making it easier to find funding including from the American Made Network (see Energizing Rural Communities Prize). Also, the platform helps members identify and connect with potential partners, with the "Find a Partner" and messaging features. 
2. Watch  Empower Innovation's 4-minute Video to get tips on signing up, creating a profile for your organization (minute 1, second 46), selecting funding opportunities, finding and contacting potential partners using the "Find a Partner" feature ((minute 2, second 54), messaging others, and posting your project or project idea. Our Help Center can address specific topics about navigating the platform.

For specific questions on how to use the platform, please reach out to Tom Jensen at .

Please join us for a informational webinar on 3/21/23 - 11:00am MT/1:00pm ET. This one hour webinar will cover the basics of the Energizing Rural Communities Prize. Register here.

There are also two upcoming track-specific prizes:

4/5/23 - 2:00pm MT/4:00pm ET, This one hour webinar will dive deeper into the PARTNER Track. Register here.

4/6/23 - 11:00am MT/1:00pm ET, This one hour webinar will dive deeper into the FINANCE Track. Register here.

All webinars will offer an opportunity to ask questions, however you can also check the FAQ or ask your question on the forum.

Join the OCED and NREL prize administration team for an introductory webinar on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT. This webinar will cover high-level details about the prize goals, structure, timeline, and strategies for developing a successful application. We will also answer remaining questions about the prize and the application process.

Complete the registration form to join the webinar.

This February, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) is launching the $15 million Energizing Rural Communities Prize. This prize challenges individuals and organizations to develop partnership plans or innovative financing strategies to help rural or remote communities improve their energy systems and advance clean energy demonstration projects.

This prize is part of OCED’s $1 billion Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to demonstrate new ways to improve the resilience, reliability, safety, availability, and environmental performance of energy systems serving rural or remote areas with populations of no more than 10,000 people.

On Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 10am-2pm MST, OCED will host a virtual workshop to gather feedback from potential applicants, experts, and stakeholders to finalize the rules and evaluation process for this prize. The workshop will include an overview of the motivations and goals of the prize and detail the structure and award amounts for each track and phase of the prize.

Complete the registration form to join the virtual meeting.