The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

From the AWEA Small Wind News & Alerts Yahoo group today:

Subscribe: awea-smallwind-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awea-smallwind

USDA EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR $23 MILLION IN RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANTS

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2003-USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development
Thomas Dorr today announced that the deadline for applying for grants
under the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements
program has been extended from the original date of June 6, 2003 to June
27, 2003.

The deadline was extended to allow additional time for applications to
be developed and submitted for the $23 million in grant funds. The
notice extending the deadline for applications will appear in the
Federal Register on Monday, May 19, 2003. Also included in the Federal
Register notice will be information clarifying financial and other
requirements for the grants along with information on how to access
useful resources to assist in the applicant's preparation of the
application. Such resources include the Department of Energy and the
Agriculture Market Resource Center, funded by USDA Rural Development in
July of 2001. Resource information will be also be available on USDA
Rural Development website at www.rurdev.usda.gov

The grant program is available to eligible rural small businesses,
farmers, and ranchers to develop renewable energy systems and make
energy efficiency improvements to their operations. Applicants must be
U.S. citizens or legal residents and have demonstrated financial need.

Grant funds may be used to pay up to 25 percent of the project costs.
Eligible projects include those that derive energy from wind, solar,
biomass, or geothermal sources. Projects using energy from those sources
to produce hydrogen derived from biomass or water are also eligible.
The program was authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill, and is conducted in
collaboration with the Department of Energy.

The original Notice of Funding Availability for the grant program,
including detailed information about program requirements and how to
apply, was posted in the Federal Register on April 8, 2003.

USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that
will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of
life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development
provides equity, liquidity, and technical assistance to finance and
foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical
community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural
programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by
visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

Link to NOFA:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/nofas/2003/rep040803.pdf

Instructions & template:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ok/

There's not much time left for this year.....and I strongly urge you to subscribe to this group. Many states have programs as well.