Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002527
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Golden Field Office, announced a funding opportunity titled "Equitable Access to Community-based Solar" under Funding Opportunity Number DE FOA 0002527. The opportunity sits at the intersection of community development and energy, as reflected by its funding activity category, and it is associated with CFDA number 81.117. In practical terms, the focus implied by the title is on expanding fair and inclusive access to community-based solar models, which generally refer to solar projects that allow multiple participants to benefit from a shared solar installation rather than requiring rooftop panels on each individual home or building. Community-based (often called community solar) approaches are commonly used to reach renters, households with unsuitable roofs, people who cannot afford upfront installation costs, and organizations that may not have the capital or site conditions for on-site solar.
This opportunity was categorized under "Other" for both the opportunity category and the funding instrument type, which suggests it may not fit neatly into standard grant or cooperative agreement labels in the summary record alone, or that the listing is a placeholder pending more detailed solicitation language. Eligibility is listed as "Unrestricted," meaning the opportunity was broadly open to many kinds of applicants, provided they met any additional eligibility requirements described in the full announcement text (not included in the summary you provided). In DOE community energy programs, that broad eligibility can often encompass local governments, tribal entities, nonprofits, educational institutions, utilities, community-based organizations, and private-sector partners, sometimes as single applicants and sometimes as multi-organization teams.
Key timeline details are that the DOE created the listing on May 5, 2021, and the original closing date was June 1, 2021, indicating a relatively short application window of under a month from posting to deadline. The summary fields for award ceiling and expected number of awards are both shown as zero, which typically signals that those values were not populated in this high-level record rather than definitively indicating no funding. In many federal postings, those fields can be left blank, unknown at the time of posting, or managed in the full FOA documentation instead of the synopsis. The description provided in the source is brief and repeats the title, so the synopsis does not specify the total funding amount, the anticipated project scope, or the selection criteria.
Based on the title and the DOE program context, the underlying intent of the opportunity can reasonably be understood as supporting efforts that reduce barriers to participation in community solar, especially for underserved or historically marginalized communities. Common barriers that such programs aim to address include lack of access to credit, complicated subscription terms, limited consumer protections, insufficient outreach, and structural issues like interconnection constraints or program rules that disadvantage low- and moderate-income subscribers. A funding opportunity framed around equitable access often supports work such as community-driven project design, subscriber acquisition strategies that prioritize affordability and transparency, partnerships with trusted local organizations, workforce and contractor development tied to local hiring, and approaches that ensure tangible bill savings for participants. However, the specific allowable activities, required cost share (if any), reporting obligations, and evaluation metrics would be defined in the full FOA package rather than in the short synopsis.
In summary, DE FOA 0002527 is a DOE Golden Field Office opportunity focused on advancing equitable participation in community-based solar, broadly open to a wide range of applicants subject to the detailed eligibility language in the full announcement. It was posted in early May 2021 with an early June 2021 deadline, and the abbreviated listing does not provide award size or count details, implying that anyone assessing fit or next steps would need to consult the full FOA text for program goals, application requirements, and funding specifics.Apply for DE FOA 0002527
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the community development, energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Equitable Access to Community-based Solar" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 05, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Equitable Access to Community-based Solar (DE FOA 0002527)
1) What is this funding opportunity called?
The funding opportunity is titled "Equitable Access to Community-based Solar".
2) Which agency is offering this opportunity?
It is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Golden Field Office.
3) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE FOA 0002527.
4) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 81.117.
5) What is the main focus of this opportunity, based on the information provided?
Based on the title and the provided synopsis, the focus is on expanding fair and inclusive access to community-based solar models (often called community solar), especially for people and organizations that face barriers to traditional rooftop solar.
6) What does "community-based solar" mean in practical terms?
Community-based solar generally refers to solar projects where multiple participants benefit from a shared solar installation, rather than requiring solar panels on each individual home or building.
7) Who is community-based solar commonly intended to serve?
Community-based solar approaches are commonly used to reach:
- Renters
- Households with roofs that are unsuitable for solar
- People who cannot afford upfront installation costs
- Organizations lacking the capital or site conditions for on-site solar
8) What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is described as sitting at the intersection of community development and energy.
9) What is the opportunity category listed as?
The opportunity category is listed as "Other".
10) What is the funding instrument type listed as?
The funding instrument type is also listed as "Other". This suggests the synopsis record may not fit a standard label in the summary alone, or the listing may be using a placeholder pending details contained in the full FOA.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Unrestricted", meaning it is broadly open to many kinds of applicants, as long as they meet any additional eligibility requirements stated in the full announcement (which is not included in the provided synopsis).
12) What types of applicants might be included under "Unrestricted" eligibility (based on the context provided)?
In DOE community energy programs, broad eligibility can often encompass entities such as:
- Local governments
- Tribal entities
- Nonprofits
- Educational institutions
- Utilities
- Community-based organizations
- Private-sector partners
The synopsis also notes applicants may participate as single organizations or as multi-organization teams, depending on what the full FOA allows.
13) When was the opportunity posted (created)?
The listing was created on May 5, 2021.
14) What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date was June 1, 2021.
15) How long was the application window?
From May 5, 2021 to June 1, 2021, the application window was under a month (a relatively short timeline).
16) Does the synopsis specify the award ceiling?
No. The summary field for award ceiling is shown as zero, which typically indicates the value was not populated in the high-level record rather than confirming that there is no award ceiling.
17) Does the synopsis specify how many awards DOE expects to make?
No. The expected number of awards is shown as zero in the summary, which typically means the field was not filled out in the synopsis rather than indicating no awards will be made.
18) Does the synopsis provide the total funding amount available?
No. The abbreviated listing does not provide total funding available. It indicates that key funding specifics may be contained in the full FOA documentation instead of the synopsis.
19) Does the synopsis describe the project scope, selection criteria, or evaluation metrics?
No. The description provided is brief and repeats the title, and it does not specify the project scope, selection criteria, or evaluation metrics. Those details would typically be defined in the full FOA package.
20) What kinds of barriers is this opportunity likely concerned with (based on the provided context)?
Based on the title and the context described, the opportunity can reasonably be understood as targeting barriers to participating in community solar, such as:
- Lack of access to credit
- Complicated subscription terms
- Limited consumer protections
- Insufficient outreach
- Structural issues such as interconnection constraints
- Program rules that disadvantage low- and moderate-income subscribers
21) What kinds of activities might be supported (based on the context provided)?
The synopsis itself does not list allowable activities. However, based on the framing around equitable access, it may align with efforts such as:
- Community-driven project design
- Subscriber acquisition strategies that prioritize affordability and transparency
- Partnerships with trusted local organizations
- Workforce and contractor development tied to local hiring
- Approaches designed to ensure tangible bill savings for participants
Whether these activities are actually allowable would be determined by the full FOA language.
22) Does the synopsis state whether cost share is required?
No. Any required cost share (if applicable) would be described in the full FOA package, not in the synopsis provided.
23) Does the synopsis explain reporting obligations for awardees?
No. Reporting requirements are not described in the synopsis and would typically be addressed in the full FOA documentation.
24) Where would an applicant find the definitive requirements for eligibility, application contents, and funding details?
The synopsis indicates that definitive information (program goals, application requirements, eligibility details, funding specifics, and selection criteria) would be found in the full FOA text/package, which is not included in the provided information.
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