Multifamily 5+ Units and Non-Residential Programs

The USDA REAP program provides competitive grants and guaranteed loan options for renewable energy systems and energy efficient equipment. This is not a direct loan program.

• Eligible Entities:
  • Small businesses in eligible rural areas
  • Agricultural producers that have at least 50% of gross income from agricultural related operations
• Requirement: Green Jobs Green NY Energy Study, NYSERDA’s no-cost, comprehensive Agriculture Energy Audit Program (must pay into the Systems Benefits Charge (SBC) via your electric account with National Grid, NYSEG, or RG&E), or an equivalent
• Provides grants of up to 50% of the total project cost (thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act the percent doubled!)
  • Renewable Energy System: minimum $2,500 and maximum $1 million
  • Energy Efficient Equipment: minimum $1,500 and maximum $500,000
• Large scale projects can access combined grant and loan guarantee funding up to 75% of the total project cost
• Grant applications must be received prior to starting your project, including down payments. You can submit at any time, but there are set deadlines for application review throughout the year.
• Grant is paid out once the project is completed and contractors are paid in full

You can receive technical assistance via the NYSERDA REAP Technical Assistance Program (RTAP). Priority is given to criteria matching applicants.

The Renew America’s Non-Profit Grant program via Sustainable Westchester is funded via the Department of Energy (DOE). The Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board (part of EnergySmart CNY) is providing local assistance on the application process. The application period opened on November 15, 2024 and will close May 1, 2024.

It is designed for non-profit energy efficiency measures that reduce energy use.

• Eligible Entity:  Must be a registered 501(c)3 non-profit to apply.
• The organization looking for funding must own the building.
• 25 to 32 competitive grants, which will be selected at end of the application submission period.
• Up to $200,000 in grant funds per non-profit, to be used for a single building.
• Eligible measures (not full list):
  • Envelope improvements (insulation, air-sealing, window or door replacements, roof over-cladding, etc.)
  • Lighting upgrades ex.) switching to LEDs
  • HVAC upgrades:  air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, or efficiency improvements on a current system
  • Smart building controls
  • Thermal storage
• Not Eligible (not full list):
  • Alternative transportation (ex. EV charging or bike racks)
  • Renewable Energy (ex. solar panels or windmills)
  • Water conservation measures
  • Recycling or waste reduction
• We recommended signing up now for the low cost NYSERDA Green Jobs Green New York Energy Study which will supply much of the information needed for the grant. The process may take a few months.

For those interested in applying or learning more please visit Sustainable Westchester’s website. 

This program is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s State and Community Energy Program (SCEP) under the Renew America’s Nonprofits Program and 2022 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Energy Improvements at Nonprofits Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Award Number DE-SE-0001003.

• Eligible Entities: 
  • Small business with 100 or less employees
  • Non-profits that own, lease, or manage the building or lease space but have release from their building to finance
• Borrower must have their name on the National Grid, NYSEG, or RG&E utility bill.
• Loans up to $50,000.
• Lien-free.
• Borrower works with Slipstream, who does the NYSERDA loan.  Loan can be up to $50,000. Loan is repaid via the borrower’s monthly utility bill.

The FlexTech program provides targeted energy studies meant to help identify and evaluate options to lower your energy costs and to aid with larger clean energy projects.

• Eligible Entities: For multifamily 5+ units, commercial, and industrial buildings. Certain colleges and universities may be eligible.
• Small businesses and non-profits, please check out the Green Jobs Green New York Energy Study 
• Must pay into the Systems Benefits Charge (SBC) via your electric account with National Grid, NYSG, or RG&E. However, limited funding may be available for groups who do not pay into the SBC.
• Eligible primary services:
  • Energy feasibility studies
  • Energy master planning
  • Industrial and process efficiency
  • Data center efficiency
  • Clean heating and cooling
  • Retro commissioning
  • Carbon mitigation studies
• Supporting secondary services are eligible if done in tandem with a primary service.
• These are completed by FlexTech consultants who can prepare your program application. Or you can work with your own consultant.
• Cost shares may range from 0% to 50% pending your sector.

This NYSERDA Small Business Financing Program provides energy efficiency financing options.

• Eligible Entities:
  • Non-profits
  • Small businesses
  • Multifamily 5+ properties
• Must use a participating contractor
• Participation Loan
  • Eligible Entities:
    • Small business with 100 or less employees
    • Non-profits that own, lease, or manage the building or lease space but have release from their building to finance
    • Multifamily owners with a release from the building owner to allow for financing
  • NYSERDA partners with your lender of choice on a loan where NYSERDA finances 50% of the principal, up to $50,000 at NYSERDA’s interest rate.  The rest is financed via the lender at their market rate.
  • Loans up to $100,000+
  • Up to lender if lien-free or not
  • Loan term maximum 10 years, up to the lender

The Green Jobs Green NY Energy Study is a program meant to provide a roadmap for future energy upgrades via an ASHRAE Level I+ study. This can be used for years to come for energy efficiency upgrades. Studies are prepared primarily by the consultant L&S. This includes a comprehensive, fuel-neutral, unbiased evaluation of all potential cost effective low-cost, no-cost, and capital improvement upgrades, and potential electrification measures. 

• Eligible Entities:
  • Non-profits: no employee number cut-off
  • Small businesses: cannot exceed 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
  • Some municipal buildings may be eligible: municipalities that have completed the Benchmarking – CEC Energy Study Qualification Item in the CEC program are eligible for a CEC Energy Study on their choice of one benchmarked building from the submitted Benchmarking – CEC Energy Study Qualification High Impact Action.
• Available regardless of your utility.
• Cost is $100 to $500, pending the number of FTE employees.
  • For eligible CEC’s there is no cost. No deductions will be made from any earned grant funding.

For eligible CEC’s or to find out if you are an eligible CEC, contact your local CEC Coordinator for assistance.

The NYSEG and RG&E Small Business Program is open to active electric and/or gas customers and provides easy rebate options. There are also no-cost audit opportunities upon request with quick timelines. These programs are conducted by the implementation contractor, Franklin Energy. These are not available for new construction.

• Eligible Entities:
  • Non-profit
  • Houses of worship or similar entities
  • Small businesses
  • Must have an active account for a minimum of 6 months
  • Electric eligibility: must have an average electric demand per month of < 110 kW
  • Gas eligibility: must have an annual demand of 5,000 therms or less
  • If you are over these electric and gas eligibility numbers, your group would look at the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Rebates for NYSEG or Commercial and Industrial Rebates for RG&E
• Small Business Rebates for NYSEG and Small Business Rebates for RG&E
  • Incentive:  Up to 60% (based on energy savings, and other aspects) with predetermined incentive for prescriptive measures in catalog based on maximum incentive
  • No pre-approval needed
  • 90-day look-back option for completed work
  • Can use any contractor of your choice
• Custom Rebates for NYSEG via Commercial and Industrial Program and Custom Rebates for RG&E via Commercial and Industrial Program
  • Can be an electric or gas customer, or both to participate
  • For the weatherizing audit specifically, you need to have a gas account
  • Incentive:  Up to 50% of the total project cost (windows not included).  Determined by performance-based rebate based on how much the measure saves per kW for electric or therms for gas annually.
  • Preapproval is required
  • Some options have caps
  • No-cost energy audit for electric, gas, and weatherizing.  Conducted by Franklin Energy to focus on those measures.
• You can select a contractor of your own or from the Trade Ally Network site
  • For electric and gas measures from the catalog you can install yourself or have a contractor complete the work
• For both programs, rebates are paid after the project is completed
• For both programs there are 2 payment options
  • Pay to customer
  • Pay to vendor or 3rd party who needs payments

Contact Franklin Energy at 888-316-8023 or send an email to CIenergysavings@franklinenergy.com to be connected to the program. EnergySmart CNY’s Erica Herman can also connect you.

The NYS Clean Heat program is a statewide heat pump incentive program via major utilities such as National Grid, NYSEG, RG&E in the Central New York Region. This includes retrofit, gut rehab, or new construction projects.

• Heat pump projects that fall under 300,000 Btu/h for all building types may qualify for air source heat pumps (ASHP) Category 2 or ground source heat pumps (GSHP) Category 3 incentives; for full-load systems only, no partial systems. Projects over 300,000 Btu/h may qualify for Category 4 incentives.
  • Category 2 ASHP Incentives:
    • The incentive is based on the $/10,000 Btu/h with increased incentives for optional integrated controls, or decommissioning of your current system (switching from electric heating or biomass heating is not applicable)
    • This more recently includes air to water heat pumps (AWHP)
  • Category 3: GSHP Incentive:
    • The incentive is based on the $/10,000 Btu/h
• Multifamily 5+ unit projects are encouraged to apply for the Category 4 Custom Space Heating Applications.
  • The incentive is based on the $/10,000 Btu of annual energy savings with an increased incentive when doing with eligible building envelope work such as insulation, etc.
  • This is designed for full-load heating systems, but some partial-load projects may be approved if certain criteria are met.
  • This covers a variety of types/styles of heat pump.

• For a complete review of NYS Clean Heat Incentives please visit our 1-4 family residential section

The National Grid Small Business Program is open to active electric and/or gas customers and provides easy, no-cost energy audit programs with quick timelines. These programs are conducted by TRC and Willdan.

• Eligible Entities:
  • Non-profit
  • Small businesses with an average electric annual demand of < 250 kW
  • Group home, etc.
  • Electric Rate code: SC1, SC2, SC2D, or SC3
  • Houses of worship or similar entities
• No-cost energy audit for electric and gas incentives
  • Electric incentive: Up to 70% (based on kWh savings) on LED lighting indoor and outdoor through 2025. Up to 75% for diversity classified entities including non-profits.  Incentive percents subject to change.
  • Gas incentives no-cost to the customer:  low flow aerators, Wi-Fi thermostats, hot water pipe insulation, and salon valves
  • Custom projects:  case by case, chat with energy auditor about energy interests
  • Can participate multiple times
• New July 2024 pilot! No-cost energy audit for weatherizing incentives.
  • Double incentive of large commercial building
  • More information to come!
• 3 payment options (weatherizing options being worked out, check back soon!)
  • Add to electric bill for next 12 months for credit eligible customers
  • Pay lump sum and get a 10% discount
  • 3rd party financing
  • Cannot combine with NYSERDA incentives

Contact EnergySmart CNY’s Erica Herman to be connected to the program.

Participating municipal electric cooperatives across NYS can access heat pump incentives. This is for existing buildings. For gut rehab projects, reach out to the program for consideration.

• For a complete review of IEEP incentives please visit our 1-4 family residential section.

This program is similar to the Affordable Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program (AMEEP) program, but for multifamily buildings that do not otherwise qualify for AMEEP. It is still provided by National Grid (Multifamily Energy Efficiency), NYSEG (Multifamily Energy Efficiency), and RG&E (Multifamily Energy Efficiency).

• Eligibility: For 5+ units
  • High or Low-rise Multifamily buildings (5+ units under 1 roof)
  • On or Off-Campus Greek Life Student Housing
  • Townhomes
  • Condominiums
• Ala carte options vs. AMEEP’s 2 pathways with point system.
• You may be surprised and your building may qualify for AMEEP, the program can help you assess which you qualify for.

Description:

The Inflation Reduction Act provides significant funding to enable clean energy opportunities to be more accessible via tax credits. Notably, tax exempt entities can now take advantage of those credits!  We are not tax professionals so please consult one to verify all information for your group.

Key Items:

• Be in close contact and work with your finance person, if you have a legal person, as well as any sustainability committee folks if this applies
• Know your fiscal year which is important; you can file up to 4.5 months after or get an additional 6 month extension according to their information.
• The key is to pre-file in the regular portal and to file for elective pay – both are to be completed after projects go into service

Eligible Entities:

• Nonprofit 501(c)(3), 501(d), and 501(a) organizations
• State, local, and territorial governments
• Native Nations and their agencies
• Rural electric cooperatives
• Water districts, school districts, and economic development agencies
• Public universities and hospitals

Resources:

• IRS Clean Energy Tax Credits – Tax Exempt Entities [PDF]
• Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG)
  • Step 1: Check out L4GG’s Elective Pay and IRA Tax Incentives page. This is continuously updated with goodies including but not limited to: how to videos, fact sheets, worksheets, recordings/future presentations, technical support, etc. We advise you sign up for emails on the Lawyers for Good Government site that have invaluable announcements, updates, and presentations to stay abreast of.
  • Step 2: Must see Direct Pay recording: Demystifying the Elective Pay Filing Process and slides
    • This clearly and simply explains the process for filing and receiving for eligible installs: ground source heat pump, solar, EV vehicles, and EV charging station
  • Step 3: Explore the L4GG’s Clean Energy Tax Navigator which is the 1st tool framework and decision tree determinant for eligibility and addresses bonus adders. It is free, and provides answers and resources as you provide details and journey through it.  This is for all and to aid those who cannot afford legal/finance services and lists the 6 most common credits: EV purchase, EV charging infrastructure, solar, wind, geothermal, and storage. No prior knowledge needed as it aids folks at all levels of understanding.
  • Step 4: Check out the Project Finance Hub by Atlas Public Policy which is meant to be a one-stop-shop for tools and guidance to enable financing clean energy projects and to complement the Clean Energy Tax Navigator
• NYSERDA’s Guide for Nonprofits and Municipalities
• IRS Elective Pay Overview and Frequently Asked Questions
• The White House on Direct Pay
• The Progressive Caucus Center listserv also provides valuable updates

The IRS section 179D offers energy efficient commercial buildings deductions for eligible measures. Unlike Elective Pay, this includes air source heat pumps!

• Eligible Entities:
  • Owners of qualified commercial buildings
  • Designers of EECBP/EEBRP installed in buildings owned by specified tax-exempt entities: certain government entities, Native Nations, Alaska Native Corporations, and other tax-exempt organizations including houses of worship
• Saving per square foot
  • Base incentive at $0.50 per square foot for a building with 25% energy savings
  • +$0.02 per square foot for each percentage above 25% energy savings
  • Up to $1.00 per square foot for a building with 50% energy savings
  • Additional bonuses available
• We are not endorsing this legal person, but found their short Section 179D video explanation helpful

The Climate Friendly Homes Fund grant program is provided by The Community Preservation Corporation and by Homes and Community Renewal. The program works with the building’s property owner or manager and is focused on accessing heat pump technologies for heating, cooling, and hot water.

• $24,200 per unit is available to buildings with 5 to 50 residential units via a grant or forgivable loan. Properties with multiple buildings are potentially eligible as long as each individual building has 5-50 units.
• Mixed-use buildings are eligible for their residential units.
• Eligible funding measures:
  • Requires heat pumps for HVAC
  • Requires heat pump water heaters where feasible
  • Optional wrap-around energy conservation
  • Electrical service upgrades are eligible
• Building Eligibility:
  • A current regulatory agreement with the state or city housing agency to provide affordable housing
  • Or if the housing is located in a Low-Moderate Income Qualified Census Tract determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • Or if the housing is located in a NYSERDA designated Disadvantaged Community
• Other incentives and rebates may be stacked, but verify with this with the Fund first.
• Estimated 4 to 6 months for application review to approval.
• Funding available through March 2027 or until funding is exhausted.

Our partner, Home Headquarters, is a designated community partner that will assist with the application and process.

The C-PACE Financing loan program provides loans as a public benefit authorized by the county or city legislature/local government. This can be used for energy efficiency or renewable energy measures according to NYSERDA’s C-PACE guidelines.

• Eligible Entities:
  • Non-profit building owner
  • Commercial building owner
  • 5+ unit building: please verify eligibility first
  • Gut rehabs
  • All counties except for Oswego
  • Lenders look for a minimum $2 million project
• Finances up to 100% of the total project cost, or can be used with other financing.
• Starts with a NYSERDA FlexTech energy audit/study or an ASHRAE Level II or III equivalent study.
• Includes a lien on the property.

This program is provided by major utility companies National Grid (AMEEP), NYSEG (AMEEP), and RG&E (AMEEP) for their customers by working with the building’s property owner or manager. Two options are available: Comprehensive Pathway for larger projects and Non-Comprehensive Pathway for smaller projects.

• Eligible Entity: For 5+ units with affordable multifamily buildings.
• Must have an active electric and/or natural gas account with the companies listed.
• Point system unlocks $900 or $1,200 per unit for eligible energy efficiency work.
• Simple eligibility form: building owner fills out number of renters per apartment, number of bedrooms per apartment, and what they pay for rent.  The form auto-determines if the building qualifies.
• No-cost, simple energy audit conducted by RISE Energy via the program.
• No-cost direct installs for each unit (ex. faucet aerators, LEDs, etc.)
• Once you take part in the program, you are eligible for future rebates
• The Comprehensive Pathway no longer requires a NYSERDA FlexTech energy audit. No-cost RISE pre and post energy audits are all that are needed.