Oregon
Business & Cooperative Programs

REAP Grants for feasibility studies
(last updated August 19, 2011)

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In addition to providing grants for rural energy projects themselves, REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) offers grants to small businesses and farmers & ranchers to help them pay for the cost of a detailed, professional, independent feasibility study on their prospective renewable energy projects.  (The study cannot be conducted by the developer or an affiliate; it must be done by a truly independent party.)  Assistance is limited to $50,000 or 25% of the cost of the study, whichever is less.  In FY2011, approximately $2 million will be awarded for REAP Feasibility Studies.

Note:  A REAP Feasibility Study grant helps pay for the cost of a final, comprehensive business-level study that gathers together and evaluates all of the preliminary data and studies and reaches a determination as to the viability and profitability of the proposed energy project -- and such a study is required as a deliverable on all grants that are awarded.  In addition, the grant may be used for a Resource Assessment study, a Transmission study, and/or an Environmental study that would inform such a study.  The grant may not be used to pay for facility design work or permitting/licensing costs, nor may it be used for "industry-level" studies that would serve as a template for more than one project. 

REAP applications are accepted year round, but they are typically only funded during specific funding windows. 
The application deadline for FY2012 funding has not been announced; it will likely be in late spring 2012. 

Getting Started

Application Template

Regulations

Links

RD-Oregon contacts for the REAP program