JOHNSTOWN – The Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund will distribute more than $200,000 in grants throughout the Pennsylvania service territories of the Met-Ed and Penelec energy companies in 2021.
Grants will be available for projects and programs that support the development and use of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency. Grants will range from $2,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope of the projects.
Applications for the Penelec territory are now open and will be accepted through March 15, with decisions to be made in May of 2021.
Please note that there will be no fall grant round for the Met-Ed/Penelec SEF this year. Previously, grant applications for the Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund were accepted year-long on a rolling basis.
Note that these are no longer rolling grant opportunities. Applications must be completed online by the stated deadline to be considered.
The mission of the Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund is to provide grants, loans and equity investments to promote:
? the development and use of renewable energy and clean energy technologies;
? energy conservation and efficiency;
? sustainable energy businesses; and
? projects that improve the environment in the companies’ service territories, as defined by their relationship to the companies’ transmission and distribution facilities.
While the fund primarily provides grants for non-profits, it may also consider making program-related investments from time to time, providing capital that must be paid back (loans).
In particular, program-related investments are often considered over grants for for-profit businesses. The benefit of a program-related investment is the ability to receive a larger amount of capital for a project than what is available through the grant program.
Program-related investments range from $25,000 to $500,000. Eligible applicants must be located and or serve residents within the territories of the Met-Ed and Penelec electric companies in Pennsylvania.
Grant funding is prioritized for non-profit entities; however, commercial or industrial organizations may apply. Individuals/residents are not eligible to apply.
The Metropolitan Edison Company Sustainable Energy Fund of Berks County Community Foundation and the Pennsylvania Electric Company Sustainable Energy Fund of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies distribute money in the form of grants and investments for a variety of projects within the territories originally served by the two electric companies.
The two funds share an advisory committee and are known in the singular as the Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund.
More information, as well as maps and zip codes of areas serviced by Met Ed and Penelec, is available at www.metedpenelecsef.org or www.bccf.org/sustainable-energy-fund/.
Or you can go to www.cfalleghenies.org, scroll to the bottom and click on “Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund.”
