New Energy Audit Grants and Renewable Energy Assistance Programs For Rural America - USDA
April 29, 2009 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis 
Photo courtesy of Clean Energy Resources Teams, St. Paul, Minn..
WASHINGTON, D.C.- In an effort to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses identify ways to reduce energy consumption, the United States Department of Agriculture is announcing that it will give grants to eligible applicants to conduct energy audits and renewable energy development assistance programs under the Rural Energy for America Program.
Those eligible to receive funds include: state, local, and tribal governments, land grant colleges and universities, and other institutions of higher education, as well as rural electric cooperatives and public power entities.
Audits will be conducted by certified energy managers or professional engineers that focus on potential capital-intensive projects and that will involve the detailed gathering of field data and engineering analysis. In addition, audits will provide detailed project costs and savings information.
To ensure that the largest number of eligible applicants can participate in the program, grant funds will be limited to up to $100,000 per approved applicant, according to the Federal Register.