Community Conservation Challenge Awardees Announced

Four Indiana Organizations To Benefit From Efficiency/Renewable Energy ProjectsProjects Made Possible Through Community Conservation Challenge Grants

 

(Indianapolis) – Lt. Governor Becky Skillman has announced the successful applicants for the Community Conservation Challenge (CCC).  The CCC program has nearly $1 million in federal grant funding available for community-wide energy efficiency, renewable energy or alternative fuel vehicle retrofit projects.  Each project will bring a variety of local governments, businesses and organizations together to save energy or employ renewable energy technologies with tangible energy savings.

LOGAN Community Resources, Inc. will use $331,158 to install skylights, upgrade lighting and put in weather-stripping in its South Bend facility. They will partner with IU South Bend Center for a Sustainable Future, City of South Bend Municipal Energy Office, NIPSCO’s Community Investment Program, and Indiana Michigan Power.

The Affordable Housing Corporation of Marion will receive $239,523 to fund a Community Weatherization Program which will assist 100 homeowners  reduce their home energy costs.  The project is a partnership with Vectren Corporation, Community Foundation of Grant County and College Wesleyan Church.

Monroe County will install solar photovoltaic panels and an energy dashboard on a county-owned building, and install monitoring software in three local schools.  It’s part of the “Leaders of Today vs. Leaders of Tomorrow Community Energy Challenge Program.”  Monroe County received $278,305 from the CCC program for the project.

e-biofuels located in Middleton, Indiana will receive $145,413 in CCC grant funding to retrofit and upgrade their existing steam boilers. e-biofuels will partner with the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the New Castle-Henry County Economic Development Corporation for this project.

“Innovation was a key element in choosing these projects,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. “Whether it was through a unique partnership, financing mechanism or educational component, these communities and organizations put their best foot forward for saving energy.”

The CCC program is designed to bring attention to an Indiana community, business or organization’s best efforts at efficiency or incorporating renewable energy.  The projects had to be a visible, tangible project located in Indiana.  A total of 77 organizations submitted applications for the program.

CCC projects must demonstrate measurable improvements in energy efficiency or renewable energy, result in a reduction in energy demand, fuel consumption or petroleum use, or involve the implementation of an energy recycling process. Each of these projects prioritized energy efficiency, energy conservation and/or renewable energy. All this is accomplished while leveraging participation and support of multiple community organizations and agencies.

The CCC grant program uses federal funds administered by the Indiana Office of Energy Development. In 2010 the CCC program focused on energy efficiency only. Four grants totaling $400,000 were awarded to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Evansville, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Indiana Interchurch Center.

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CCC is still open!

In case you've missed it, we're trying like crazy to get word out about our Community Conservation Challenge (CCC) program.  It's open now through November 10th.  A variety of projects are eligible -- anything from building improvements to alternate fuel vehicles to renewable technologies.  But we're looking for something unique, different, something we've never seen before.  It needs to be a community effort.  This doesn't necessarily mean that a community has to apply (although they're eligible), but that it has a much larger impact than just for your business or building.

Interested?  Check out our webpage at energy.in.gov.

Are you a creative thinker? And do you like energy?

If you like to stand out from the crowd and happen to like energy, then we have a program for you!  If you missed it last week, we opened up our Community Conservation Challenge program.  Last year's four recipients came up with some unique projects, and we're anxious to see what everyone proposes this year.

Head on over to energy.in.gov for more info.  Grants are due November 10th and range from $25,000 to $500,000 in funding.  A variety of technologies are eligible for funding under this program. Just make sure it's unique, highly-leveraged, and is community-focused (we can't stress that enough!).

Good luck!  We look forward to reading all those great applications.