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American-Made Challenges

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2024 Renew America's Schools Prize

Funding energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at public K-12 schools to lower energy costs and improve indoor air quality.
Education Energy, Environment & Resources Government
stage:
Office Hours #2
prize:
$6,900,000
Education Energy, Environment & Resources Government
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Summary
Timeline
Updates9
Forum16
Teams799
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Summary
Background Prize Overview Guidelines

Background

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the $500 million Renew America’s Schools Program to promote the implementation of clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools across the country. This first-of-its-kind investment, funded by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), aims to help school communities make energy upgrades that will decrease energy use and cost, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments.


The Renew America’s Schools program launched its first round of funding in 2022 and has since invested $182.5 million in public school districts across America. The $4.5 million Energy CLASS Prize (2022–2024) helped Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) build capacity for energy management and prepare to implement energy-infrastructure upgrades. The $178 million Renew America’s Schools grant (2022–2024) funded clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades at over 90 school facilities in 22 states—directly benefiting more than 74,000 students and 5,000 teachers.  


NOW OPEN: The 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize implements a prize-to-cooperative-agreement funding model to streamline the application process, expedite the award process, and provide winners earlier and more targeted support. Like the 2022 Renew America’s Schools grant, the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize will fund energy-efficient and clean energy infrastructure improvements at school districts across America.
 

Prize Overview

DOE is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize, a $180 million investment in K-12 public schools across the country. This three-phase opportunity will help districts build capacity, perform energy audits, and plan/implement energy improvement projects across a portfolio of school facilities. 

 

The 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize consists of three phases. During Phase 1, competitors will build teams and curate lists of at least 10 schools and school facilities that demonstrate compelling need and eligibility for investment. Phase 1 winners will earn a cash prize of $300,000 and move on to Phases 2 and 3, during which they will enter into and execute Cooperative Agreements with DOE. 

 

Guidelines

Successful competitors will:

  1. Establish the need for both energy improvements and financing across the proposed portfolio.
  2. Demonstrate overall team capacity to manage projects across the portfolio.
  3. Propose a comprehensive plan for executing Phase 2 (energy auditing and design) activities.
  4. Engage in replicable, strategic partnerships to build capacity at LEAs/across the K-12 sector, while leveraging funds to enhance the impact of federal dollars.
  5. Establish a strategic approach to delivering community benefits that advance the following goals: 
    • Community and labor engagement.
    • Investing in job quality and workforce continuity.
    • Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).
    • Contributing to the Justice40 Initiative.

Questions?

  1. Review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing. 
  2. Review the 2024 Renew America's Schools Fact Sheet (see 'Resources' tab in HeroX). 
  3. Review the 2024 Renew America's Schools Q&A Spreadsheet (see 'FAQ' tab in HeroX).
  4. Join one of the informational webinars (the same content will be shared across both webinars): 
  5. Join prize office hours:

If you want to receive updates on the prize or have any questions, please follow this HeroX page or email us directly at . 

View legal agreement
Timeline
Updates9

Challenge Updates

Submissions to the 2024 Renew Schools Prize Due in TWO WEEKS!

May 31, 2024, 9:36 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Ready your reports and pull together your plans! Prize submission packages for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize are due in TWO WEEKS. 

Ahead of your submission, we recommend reading the official prize rules to better understand the prize goals, submission requirements, and judging criteria. If you didn’t have a chance to attend an informational webinar or office hour you can review their slides and recordings here. 

Successful submission packages to the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize will include: 

  1. Technical Narrative (template provided)
  2. Energy Justice Mapping Tool Reports (template provided as needed)
  3. School Energy Assessment (SEA Form) Tool Reports (template provided)
  4. Community Benefits Plan (CBP) (template provided)

If you have questions about the rules please review the resources on the FAQ page, which include the teaming partner list and DOE Q&A Spreadsheet. If you still have questions, please reach out to  to reach prize organizers. 

We can’t wait to read your submissions!

Energy Justice Mapping Tool Discrepancy - Resolved!

May 28, 2024, 9:48 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

Teams - The Energy Justice Mapping Tool issue shared on April 30th has been resolved!

If a school or school district in your portfolio was showing as a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) on the mapping tool map but was not showing as a DAC in the mapping tool report, please re-run the EJ Mapping Tool report.  

Thank you for your patience while this was resolved and looking forward to seeing your submissions in just a little more than 2-weeks!

 

Last Chance to Register for the Renew Schools Office Hours #2

May 27, 2024, 6:37 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Do you have questions on the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize submission and cost share requirements?  

The DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP), in partnership with the American-Made Challenges (AMC) program, are hosting a final office hour to dive deeper into key submission components of the prize that weren’t covered during the last office hour.  

Register here to join SCEP and AMC on May 29 at 2 pm ET to learn more about the prize submission process, review procedures and cost share requirements, and hear prize organizers review the most frequently asked questions. If you have specific questions or topics you'd like us to cover, please send your question to Schools@DOE.gov in advance or share them in the Q&A section during the webinar. 

Remember submissions are due on HeroX by June 13 at 5 pm ET. The portal will close at 5:00 and late submissions will not be considered. We highly recommend submitting your prize package the day before! 

Looking for the Renew America's Schools Prize Resources and Templates?

May 20, 2024, 7:30 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

As you are working on your Renew America's Schools Prize submission, be sure to review the Prize Rules and other key resources and templates under the 'Resources" tab on the Prize Page.    These resources were recently re-ordered to help you more easily find the materials you need to complete your application.

Click HERE  to check out  the new resource document order! 

 

🌟🎓 Register today for Renew Schools Prize Office Hours #2 🎓🌟

May 15, 2024, 10:54 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Are you ready to lower energy costs and improve indoor air quality at your public K-12 school? The DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP), in partnership with the American-Made Program administered by NREL, invite you to the final office hours for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize. This office hour is designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to build a successful submission to the 2024 Renew America’s Schools prize.  

Register here to join the upcoming office hours on May 29 at 2 pm ET. 

This session is designed to delve deeper into crucial aspects of the prize application process that weren't covered in our previous office hours. Prize organizers will provide further insights into the submission process, review procedures, cost share requirements, and address many outstanding questions.  

If you have any specific questions or topics you'd like us to cover during the session, feel free to send them to Schools@DOE.gov or share them in the Q&A during the event. 

Don’t forget! Submissions are due in HeroX by June 13 at 5 pm ET. The portal will close at that minute, and late submissions will not be considered. We highly recommend submitting the day before and/or giving yourself several hours to complete the submission. 

Forum16
Teams799
Resources
FAQ