Maryland Energy Administration Showcases Over $31.7 Million in Funding for Low-to-Moderate Income Sector and 2020 Award Winners

Since 2015, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has awarded over $31.7M via the Clean Energy Communities Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) program. LMI supports local governments and not-for-profit organizations by funding energy efficiency projects specifically designed to serve low-to-moderate income Marylanders. This program lowers energy bills through reduced energy usage and positively contributes to the achievement of goals established in Maryland’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Act. The latest fiscal year (FY) 2020 cycle of LMI will award 28 new grants; projects funded through FY19 awards are currently in progress. 

Lt. Governor Rutherford joined MEA for a visit to B’nai B’rith Homecrest House which is an LMI grantee. Read more about this project in our LMI Summary Review Fiscal Years 2015 – 2018 below.

Total funds distributed via the LMI program from FY15 – FY18 were $31.7M, yielding a savings of over 11M kilowatt hours ( kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to run 943 Maryland homes for a year. During this time, the LMI program also displaced a total of over 0.625 Million British thermal units (MMBtus) of natural gas. The combined greenhouse gas reductions of these projects exceed 11,000 metric tons which is equal to removing 2,412 passenger vehicles from the road for a year or replacing 431,535 incandescent light bulbs with LEDs.

All LMI projects require onsite work, over 355,000 job hours of work or approximately, 170 full-time employees were realized during this four year time span. The grants went to 58 different Maryland organizations via 208 awards over this sametime span. To put these energy savings into more relatable terms, MEA has created a summary report, highlighting specific projects in the PDF below:

LMI Summary Review Fiscal Years 2015 to 2018 FINAL

LMI highlights unique partnerships between the state and local organizations working in concert to address not only the financial savings from energy efficiency improvements but also improve the long-term quality of life and health for the low-to-moderate income sector.

FY20 funding is being regionally distributed via 28 awards that will enable cost-effective energy efficient upgrades to low-to-moderate income family homes in Maryland. Local governments and nonprofit organizations apply for funding to complete energy efficiency projects specifically designed to serve low-to-moderate income Marylanders. Nearly 500 homes will be upgraded across the state with many of the recommendations going towards whole building upgrades. Buildings are analyzed for cost-effective upgrades that pay for themselves in energy savings in 10 years or less for a residential home and 15 years or less for a commercial building. A full list of awardees can be found below:

FY2020 LMI Grantee List FINAL

FY 2020 Spotlight Grantees:

Community Action Council (CAC) of Howard County, Inc. is a nonprofit community action agency that manages many grants and programs that benefit low-income residents in both the central and southern regions of the state. CAC received three awards  totaling $470,156, which they will use to upgrade 128 homes with cost-effective measures like floor insulation, pipe insulation, light bulbs, and air sealing.   

Habitat for Humanity Choptank received an award of $100,0000  for the eastern region to implement energy retrofits in at least 12 homes, and fund energy efficiency measures in approximately eight to-be-constructed homes for low income Maryland residents.

Map of the FY 2020 grantees around the state.

Established in 2009, the LMI grant program encourages innovative ideas directed at helping communities, neighborhoods, or entire buildings. Projects are geographically located in all regions of the state and applications for proposed energy efficiency upgrades for this competitive program are submitted by nonprofit organizations and local governments that work directly with residents in need. For more information on this or past programs, please visit the website here.   For general information on MEA and all our offerings, visit Energy.Maryland.gov.

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On behalf of Governor Hogan, the mission of the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is to promote affordable, reliable and cleaner energy for the benefit of all Marylanders.   To achieve its mission, MEA advises the Governor General Assembly on matters relating to energy policy. MEA administers grant and loan programs to encourage clean and renewable energy technologies in all sectors of Maryland’s economy: Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, and Transportation. For more information about the Maryland Energy Administration, please visit Energy.Maryland.gov.