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Rural Energy for America
Program (REAP)
Click Here
to view all and to obtain application information for
your specific type of renewable energy project.
Description:
Section 9007 of the 2008 Farm Bill established a grant, loan, and loan guarantee
program to assist eligible farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses in
purchasing renewable energy systems and for making energy efficiency
improvements.
Eligible projects include those that derive energy from a wind, solar, biomass,
or geothermal source, or hydrogen derived from biomass or water using wind,
solar, or geothermal energy sources. Awards will be made on a competitive basis
for the purchase of renewable energy systems and to make energy improvements
Energy Efficiency improvements could include replacing diesel
irrigation motors, upgrading poultry houses, or
retrofitting tobacco barns with new burners. Installing more installation, new
HVAC systems or more efficient windows for rural small businesses can also be
eligible for grant funds.
Grant Purposes:
Grant funds must be used to finance and develop small and emerging private
business enterprises in rural areas. The following
is a list of some of the eligible purposes:
- Purchase and installation of equipment
- Construction and improvements
- Energy audits
- Permit fees
- Professional service fees
- Feasibility Studies
- Business plans
- Retrofitting
What Can You Not Do With These Funds?
Grant funds cannot be used to:
-
Purchase land
- Provide working capital
- Research and Development
- Residential improvements
- Vehicles
- Waste collections
Who Is Eligible?
These grants can be made to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses.
Farmers or ranchers must receive more than 50% of their annual income from their
farming operation. Rural Small businesses must be the SBA definition of a small
business. To see if you qualify as a small business, please go to the SBA web
site at
http://www.sba.gov/services/contractingopportunities/sizestandardstopics/summarywhatis/index.html.
The following table is a summary of the SBA definition of a small business:
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|
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| Manufacturing |
500 employees |
| Wholesale
Trade |
100 employees |
| Agriculture |
$750,000 |
| Retail Trade |
$6.5 million |
| General &
Heavy Construction (except Dredging) |
$31 million |
| Dredging |
$18.5 million |
| Special Trade
Contractors |
$13 million |
| Travel
Agencies |
$3.5 million
(commissions & other income) |
| Business
and Personal Services Except: |
$6.5
million |
- Architectural, Engineering, Surveying, and
Mapping Services
|
$4.5
million |
- Dry Cleaning and Carpet Cleaning Services
|
$4.5 million |
Your business may have different standards, so
it is suggested that you check the SBA site for your specific business type
based on your NAICS code. You can find your NAICS code at this site,
http://www.naics.com/search.htm
Other Criteria:
- The applicant must have a demonstrated financial need.
- Applicants must be located in a rural area.
Loan and Grant Amounts:
Grants for Renewable Energy Systems have a maximum limit of $500,000 and a
minimum of $2,500. Grants for Energy Efficiency Improvements have a maximum of
$250,000 and a minimum of $1,500. The maximum loan is $10,000,000 or 50% of
project costs, whichever is less.
Where Do You Apply?
Contact your Local Area
Office:
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Presque Isle
Area Office: Aroostook & Washington Counties
Cheryl D. Pelletier
Cheryl.Pelletier@me.usda.gov
735 Main Street Suite 1, Presque Isle, ME 04769
(207) 764-4157, ext 135 |
Bangor Area Office:
Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis,
Somerset
& Waldo Counties
John F. Sheehan
John.Sheehan@me.usda.gov
1423 Broadway Suite 3, Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 990-3676, ext 130
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Lewiston Area Office:
Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec &
Oxford Counties and Scarborough
Area Office: Cumberland, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, & York Counties
Bobbi J. Arnold
Bobbi.Arnold@me.usda.gov
254 Goddard Road, Lewiston, ME 04240
(207) 753-9400, ext 240
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Program Director:
Dean R. Churchill
Dean.Churchill@me.usda.gov
967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 990-9168
Energy Coordinator Beverly A. Stone
Beverly.Stone@me.usda.gov
967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 990-9168
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To obtain application information for
your specific type of project, please go here. |
| Grant Requests with a project cost
of $200,000 or less |
Grant Requests with a project cost
of over $200,000 |
Guaranteed Loan Requests with a
project cost of
$200,000 or less |
Guaranteed Loan Requests with project costs between
$200,000 & $600,000 |
Guaranteed Loan Requests with project costs over $600,000 |
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