Ready to upgrade those drafty windows at your shop? Need a new HVAC system? Considering cutting your utility bill in half with renewable energy? Find out if your small business qualifies to get half the cost of these projects paid by Uncle Sam.
A free grant workshop is planned for Tuesday, February 27, 2024, in Murfreesboro. This is a program of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture to share information about the Rural Energy for America Program or REAP.
Cost is $20 per person through this registration site. Organizers say seats are limited to the first 50 people to RSVP at that link. The event will be at the Rutherford County UT Extension Office at 315 John Rice Boulevard in Mufreesboro. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Time, with lunch provided.
The UTK event announcement states, “Workshop participants will learn what’s needed to develop a successful application and how to get started in the grant application process. Presenters will explain how to complete the application and how proposals are reviewed and scored. A producer and a rural businessman who both previously received a REAP award will discuss lessons learned from their experience. Participants will also learn about the beneficial energy program offered by a lender, and by the state of Tennessee.”
The next deadline to apply for what is currently a 50% grant for qualifying projects is March 31. Previous REAP grant recipients have been featured here telling how the program worked for them in their own words.
Anne Brock is marketing coordinator for Solar Alliance, which designs and manages solar installation projects for manufacturers and related grant work for small businesses. She can be reached at abrock@solaralliance.com or 865-221-8349.