On January 1, 2019, revisions to the current Home Retrofit and EPS New Construction Business Development Fund (BDF) will go into effect. These revisions include the following:
- All projects must promote Energy Trust Residential offers
- A new campaign ally participation pathway will be added
- Higher reimbursement rates will be available for rural, minority-owned and women-owned businesses
- Higher reimbursement rates for bilingual advertisements
- Removal of star rating requirements
- Updated annual maximum
All BDF projects or training reimbursements require pre-approval and an estimated cost; please use the Residential BDF Application to apply for pre-approval. Pre-approval confirms project and training eligibility but does not reserve funds; funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note final invoices must be submitted within 15 days of the release of your project or the date of your training.
Newly eligible BDF projects:
- Social media
- Yelp
Discontinued project types effective January 1, 2019:
- Yellow page advertisements for all regions
- Website development costs
| Reimbursement requirements | |
|---|---|
| Standard | MBE, WBE & Rural1 |
| Annual maximum: $3,000 Amount reimbursed: 30 percent • Only $2,000 may be reimbursed for trainings • $200 per person maximum for training • 50 percent reimbursement for bilingual advertisements | Annual maximum: $4,000 Amount reimbursed: 50 percent • Only $2,000 may be reimbursed for trainings • $200 per person maximum for training |
| Minimum reimbursement: • $75 for marketing • $75 for training | Minimum reimbursement: • $75 for marketing • $75 for training |
1Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) designate minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Rural businesses are designated as businesses that serve rural customers.
Project eligibility:
- Project must promote Energy Trust Residential offers
- Pre-approval is required
- Must have submitted at least one project for approval in the previous 12 months
- Project must meet logo and text requirements
No requirement changes are anticipated for New Manufactured Homes BDF. Visit the New Manufactured Homes page for information.
For more details on BDF guidelines and to confirm pre-approval, visit the Business Development Fund Insider page or contact homesfund@energytrust.org or 1.866.365.3526.