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CERTs Seed Grants

CERTs Seed Grant funding for Minnesota clean energy projects

Do you and your community need funding to get an energy efficiency or renewable energy project off the ground? The Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) can help! Click here for the CURRENT seed grant round (applications due Oct. 8, 2021)! 

CERTs seeks to provide Seed Grants to support the labor costs for clean energy projects that spur community development in Minnesota. Project proposals should be for community-based energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that also provide forums for community education about the technologies and their economic, ecological, and community benefits.

“Since 2006, CERTs has awarded more than $1.3M to over 393 projects,” said Lissa Pawlisch, Clean Energy Resource Teams Director. “Those projects ranged from energy efficiency for a food cooperative to solar power for schools, and much more.” Past projects can be seen at
https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/seedgrants.

Highlights from a past round of Seed Grant funding include:

  • Central Region: City of Detroit Lakes switched to LED streetlights on their main street downtown.
  • Metro Region: Kingfield Neighborhood Association in Minneapolis explored community solar gardens and educated residents on the concept.
  • NE Region: Cook County Local Energy Project created a video campaign to increase public awareness about energy efficiency and mindful energy use.
  • NW Region: Conservation Corps Minnesota collaborated with Rural Renewable Energy Alliance to sponsor an apprenticeship in renewable energy outreach and solar technologies.
  • SE Region: Austin Utilities installed the first public electric vehicle charging station in Austin, combined with solar photovoltaic panels to reduce impact on the grid.
  • SW Region: Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative replaced existing street lights with LEDs in order to reduce energy use in the cities of Russell, Arco, and Lynd.
  • WC Region: New London-Spicer High School’s agriculture department built a solar active greenhouse

Visit https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/seedgrants to read stories about these and recently completed projects.

CERTs offers many tools and resources to help you plan your project, so get started today! To learn more and apply for the CURRENT seed grant round (applications due Oct. 8, 2021), visit https://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/seedgrants.

Funding for these projects is provided through the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.

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