Powering Communities Program

Overview

The Powering Communities Program will run over 2021–2022. It provides grants to not-for-profit community organisations to improve their energy efficiency practices and technologies. This aims to reduce energy use, improve energy productivity and reduce carbon emissions. The program will assist organisations to: upgrade equipment to reduce energy consumption undertake energy management activities and assessments, such as energy systems  assessments and feasibility studies invest in energy monitoring and management systems invest in on-site renewable energy and solar-connected batteries. The grant amount will be up to 100% of eligible project expenditure. Grants will be between $5,000 and $12,000. You must fund any expenditure over the grant amount they are awarded. You should complete your project by 30 June 2022.  Become an invited organisation Community consultation is a critical element of the program. In consultation with their community, each MP must identify potential applicants and projects in their electorate and invite them to apply for a grant. Invited applications will be assessed against the program’s eligibility criteria through a closed non-competitive process. Each electorate has total funding of up to $67,700 that can be allocated to successful applications. A maximum of 12 projects will be funded in each electorate.