Grant funding plays a crucial role in advancing the energy transition, paving the way for the creation of innovative projects and sustainable solutions. Amid U.S. efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy alternatives, grant funding has become a key driver of progress.
Various types of grants from government programs and foundations that promote sustainable development — including those for renewables — are available to support energy transition initiatives that align with unique organizational goals and ambitions. In addition to enabling new renewable energy projects, grants can cover a wide range of expenses, from research and development to equipment acquisition and implementation costs.
Grant funding enhances the visibility of energy transition projects and signals an organization’s commitment to sustainability, which attract additional investments and fosters partnerships that, in turn, increase the overall effectiveness of the energy transition.
Navigating Government Grant Programs
Grant funding is a vital catalyst in the energy transition. Businesses that leverage these grant opportunities can stimulate innovation, implement sustainable solutions and contribute to a greener future. But understanding how to navigate the complex landscape of grant applications is essential. Understanding requirements — and having a knowledgeable guide to position worthy projects for success — is what often separates successful applications for award.
Here are four strategies to successfully navigate the complexities of clean energy grant funding:
Commitment to collaboration
Cross-sector partnerships leverage the collective knowledge, resources and capacity to challenge – and then change – the way we advance toward a net-zero world. No single company, bank, governing body or community can meet the challenge alone, but working collaboratively, across multiple sectors, acts as a force multiplier. Combining stakeholder input from impacted communities, academic partners and private enterprises, supported by a regulatory landscape that incentivizes and encourages a net-zero bound transition plan, is a recipe for success. Choose the right partners and get funded faster.
The devil is in the details
Not all funding opportunities are created equal. Before fully diving into the application process, it is essential to review all criteria, understand specific goals and outcomes for each funder, make sure you are eligible to apply and evaluate how your project is aligned with the funder’s key goals. A quality proposal will also have a realistic budget that meets compliance standards and is cost effective.
Take it one step at a time
Each grant award moves an organization closer to achieving its decarbonization goals. Be prepared to include a strategic evaluation plan in grant applications that measures project outcomes and impact, includes qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods and incorporates opportunities to shift towards improvement if adjustments are required.
Asking for help is your superpower
Engaging peer reviewers, regardless of whether a grant requires it or not, guards against error and can improve quality. Peer reviewers who have applied for the same or similar grants can apply their own experience. They know what the funder is looking for and can ensure your application is crafted to meet standards of accuracy, integrity and rigor required by the funder.
Clean Energy Grants Success
As noted, to secure grant funding and establish strong partnerships, it's important to clearly define project objectives, and highlight how the project aligns with the goals of the grant program and its potential contribution to the energy transition. Building strong relationships with industry stakeholders can also strengthen grant applications and increase chances of success.
As an example, WSP assisted Nevada Gold Mines in applying for a $95 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (Office of Clean Energy). The grant will support the development of solar photovoltaic and battery storage facilities on active gold mine sites. This significant funding is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that aims to provide $475 million to clean energy projects on current and former mine land.
The project will support the company’s goals to decarbonize its onsite operations with clean renewable energy and is estimated to remove more than 3.5 million tons of carbon emissions over the lifetime of the project, while creating 300 jobs. It serves as a model for decarbonization for companies that mine the critical minerals necessary to manufacture clean energy technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines.
Key to the success of the application was a focus on collaboration with the local indigenous peoples and allocation of additional resources to early consultation and pre-application planning to integrate local needs into project design.
WSP’s Climate Fund Navigator team helps organizations successfully find and navigate U.S. federal grant funding opportunities for climate-related investments.
