Agencies
Services
Efficient & Resilient Public Buildings Grant Program
The Illinois EPA Office of Energy, through funding from U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program, offers financial support to improve energy efficiency and resilience in local government buildings. Eligible facilities must be owned by a city, county, or other unit of local government and used to provide public services.
Who Can Apply
Counties, municipalities (cities, villages, incorporated towns), and other units of local government are eligible to apply. Units of local government include counties, municipalities, townships, special districts, and other entities recognized by law. Schools or school districts are not eligible to apply.
Project Criteria
Eligible projects include efficiency upgrades identified in an energy efficiency assessment or audit conducted within the last 5 years. An "energy efficiency assessment" or "energy audit" is a review performed by a qualified third-party professional that provides written recommendations to improve efficiency or reduce energy costs. Applicants can obtain an energy efficiency assessment/audit through a utility provider or a local professional energy contactor prior to applying for this program.
Examples of eligible projects may include:
- Building envelope insulation
- Window replacement
- Lighting upgrades (indoor and/or outdoor)
- Programmable thermostats and occupancy sensors
- Heating and cooling system retrofit
- High efficiency appliances
- Transfer Switch* (Does NOT need to be identified in an energy assessment and is not required)
What is a Transfer Switch?
A generator transfer switch is essential for safely connecting backup power to your facility’s electrical system. As climate change causes more severe weather like frequent storms and heatwaves, power outages have become more common. A transfer switch links your facility to an emergency generator and fully separates it from the city’s utility power. This prevents the generator from sending power back into city lines, protecting utility workers and equipment. The NEC (National Electrical Code) requires a listed transfer switch for any permanently installed generator. Transfer switches play an important role in making buildings more resilient to climate change.
Application Details
Applicants must register in the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) portal prior to completing an application. (See Application Resources below).
Applications must be accompanied by an energy efficiency assessment or energy audit conducted within the last 5 years.
Applications will be scored competitively based $1 invested per kilowatt hour saved by the proposed project.
Awards will range from $50,000 to $200,000.
- Required cost match:
- 5% cost share of the total award requested for awards of $50,000 to $100,000
- 10% cost share of the total award requested for awards of $100,000.99 to $200,000.
- Properties located in an environmental justice area of concern are required to meet a 5% cost match, regardless of the total award requested. Applicants should reference the IEPA EJ Start Map to determine whether the property falls within an area of concern.
Additional program details, scoring criteria, and application package may be accessed via Euna Grants:
https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/bc2216ab-9e07-4baa-b9e5-f5561df2c247
Application Resources
Applicants must register in Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) portal to complete pre-award requirements before proceeding to apply for this program in Amplifund.
Additional Resources