The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in collaboration with the Office of Grants Management (OGM), has awarded $1.5 million in funding to four organizations for the inaugural Fiscal Year 2024 Healthy, Efficient, Electrified, Climate-Adapted Pilot (HEECAP) Homes Grants Program.
The new program will provide funding to Building Change, Inc.; Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland; Interfaith Works, Inc.; and Vietnamese American Services, Inc. The grants will help the organizations test new strategies that help income-eligible residents ensure their homes are energy efficient, provide a healthy indoor environment, are resilient to climate change and make the switch to all-electric appliances. The program also seeks to address racial equity and social justice shortfalls by preserving and protecting housing for vulnerable residents.
"Our County's Climate Action Plan recognizes the urgent need to support communities in combating the effects of climate change and preparing for climate-related hazards," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "I am grateful to the many organizations that applied for this grant opportunity, and I am excited to see the winning proposals in action. These projects will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate impacts in the community while improving quality of life through better indoor air quality and energy savings."
The organizations were selected for their creative approaches to helping low—and moderate-income (LMI) residents adapt to the impacts of climate change through pilot programs that may be scaled up to more established, large-scale County programs.
“The HEECAP program is both innovative and important, because it will help fill critical gaps in existing federal, state and County programs,” said County Department of Environmental Protection Director Jon Monger. “Pilot programs like HEECAP are key to developing solutions to complex environmental challenges. We are looking forward to working with these organizations to continue supporting sustainable models for community-based climate actions.”
Summary of the awardees and projects:
- Building Change, Inc. The REROOFS (Renewable Energy Ready and Overcoming Obstacles for Solar) project will replace roofs on low- and moderate-income houses to allow weatherization projects to be completed through State-based programs, enable solar panels to be added and remediate mold problems caused by leaks. Battery storage systems will be piloted on a small number of homes with existing solar panels and where residents have critical power needs.
- Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland. Energy Equity Initiative (EEI) is designed to fill the gaps of program funding for critical home repairs and climate resiliency services and to connect LMI households with important tools to adapt to the changing climate. The EEI program will address the unique needs and challenges faced by underserved populations in transitioning to a more sustainable and resilient energy future. It will feature a holistic approach to these needs through a combination of retrofits, critical health and safety home repairs and community outreach efforts. The new program will empower local residents to transition to clean, efficient and resilient energy systems while improving their overall quality of life.
- Interfaith Works, Inc. The Becky’s House improvement project includes roof repair, water damage repair, fuel switching projects and electrical upgrades for this Shared Supportive Housing facility located at 13023 Parkland Dr. in Rockville. The repairs and upgrades will improve the quality of life for the residents, all of whom have experienced homelessness and need ongoing attention and support.
- Vietnamese American Services, Inc. The goal of this program is to electrify home appliances for up to 90 LMI Vietnamese residents in Montgomery County, while increasing energy program awareness and community engagement among Limited English Proficient (LEP) residents.
To learn more about additional County grant opportunities, visit the OGM Grants Application Platform.
