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Solar for Schools

Request for Proposals and grant applications 

Project IDs: Prior to beginning an application, schools must first obtain a unique project ID number from Commerce by emailing SolarForSchools@state.mn.us. 

The email must include:

  • school primary point of contact’s name
  • title
  • phone number
  • email address 
  • school/building name
  • school district/university or college system
  • district number
  • office mailing address

Schools should be prepared to provide the ID on all correspondence including emails, phone calls, the application, and technical assistance. 

Step 1 – Notice of Intent: School Readiness Assessment:  Assessment is used to demonstrate a school’s readiness to procure a solar PV system. This step encourages schools to conduct background research. In general, during this step, schools should have contacted their electric utility, explored potential installation sites, identified potential roadblocks, begun planning and implementing solar-related curriculum for students, and demonstrated school support for pursuing solar. Schools are encouraged to use this PDF List of Readiness Assessment Questions to prepare their application, or reach out to the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) for free technical assistance

Step 2 – Full Grant Application: schools deemed ready to apply will be invited to complete a Full Grant Application. At this stage, grant funds are tentatively reserved for a school’s project. Schools have roughly three months to move through the procurement process, select a developer, and complete the full grant application. The Full Grant Application must be completed by the school’s selected solar developer. This portion of the process will require submission of final project details including total cost and lifetime savings of PV system, selected developer information, final installation site details, and more. If a school meets all requirements pertaining to the full application, they will have one year from the start of their contract with the Department of Commerce to complete the installation and commissioning of the system. 

All questions related to the grant application during open RFP periods should be directed to energy.contracts@state.mn.us.

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