Welcome

The FY25 SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program provides grant funding to all Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), including counties and municipalities in the state of Maryland who issue solar permits. Funding is intended to offset the costs associated with implementing the free-to-use U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory SolarAPP+  solar permitting software into an AHJ’s current permitting process to streamline solar permitting in their jurisdiction.

Eligible uses of funding may include: staff time for training, integration with existing systems, potential fee adjustments, and IT resources related directly to the implementation of SolarAPP+. MEA will consider reimbursement requests for additional costs on a case-by-case basis. 

Note: Funding under this program is only for the implementation of SolarAPP+ software.

Applications will be accepted until 3:00PM EST on March 14, 2025.

Anticipated Funding

The Program has a budget of $3,900,000 for projects under this Program. The Program is funded by federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program. Grantees will be expected to meet certain federal funding requirements as a condition of receiving payment of Program funds

Grant Formula

Grant awards will be calculated formulaically as a base grant based on the population size of the jurisdiction with supplemental funding awarded based on the percentage of the population that falls at or below the poverty line and the energy and housing burden of the population. This will be calculated using information provided by the locality and data collected through the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs’ Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool and the Council of Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

All applicants will be eligible for a base award with the ability to receive more funding based on information specific to poverty, energy burden, and housing burden faced by the population served. 

Additional funding will be calculated formulaically based on the percentage of the population that falls at or below the federal poverty line, and the energy and housing burden faced by the jurisdiction as compared to the greater state of Maryland, as determined by the  DOE LEAD Tool and the CEJST.

Eligible Applicants

All Maryland counties and municipalities are eligible for the Program.

Eligible Activities

Grants will be made on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants and may be used for staff hours related to the implementation of SolarAPP+ software and procedures. Eligible uses of funding includes: staff time for:

1. Training,

2. Integration with existing IT permit systems,

3. Developing new procedures and to integrate with existing systems and

4. IT resources for implementing SolarAPP+. 

MEA will also consider requests for additional costs related to SolarAPP+ deployment on a case-by-case basis, with justification from the County or Municipality through a Needs Assessment.

Program Requirements:

Under the Program, Award Recipients will be required to implement and demonstrate the implementation of SolarAPP+ in their solar permitting process as well as provide community education and information about solar energy, adoption incentives, and how to apply for a residential solar permit under their jurisdiction.

The FY25 SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program is federally-funded from the U.S. DOE State Energy Program. Participation in the SolarAPP+ Implementation Grant Program requires compliance with certain federal requirements. Each grantee that is awarded a grant by this Program will be required to comply with these requirements, which will be incorporated into and made part of the grant agreement. Information about these federal requirements is available in Appendix 2 to this FOA

Questions Can be Directed to:

The MEA SolarAPP+ Implementation Team by sending an email to SolarAPP.MEA@Maryland.gov. You can also call MEA’s main phone line at 410.537.4000.