Proposed projects must be located in Missouri and reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events, such as events in which operations of the electric grid are disrupted, preventively shut off, or cannot operate safely due to extreme weather, wildfire or a natural disaster. The following types of projects may be funded under the GRFF program:
- Adaptive protection technologies
- Advanced modeling technologies
- Fire-resistant technologies and fire prevention systems
- Hardening of power lines, facilities, substations of other systems
- Monitoring and control technologies
- Relocation of power lines or reconductoring of power lines with low-sag, advanced conductors
- Replacement of old overhead conductors & underground cables
- Undergrounding of electrical equipment
- Use or construction of distributed energy resources for enhancing system adaptive capacity during disruptive events, including microgrids and battery-storage subcomponents
- Utility pole management
- Vegetation and fuel-load management
- Weatherization technologies and equipment
While all projects funded through this program must include an infrastructure component, available funds can also assist with training, recruitment, retention or reskilling trained and properly credentialed workers needed to perform the work associated with submitted projects.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop projects that are realistically achievable and relatively easy to implement. Applicants are also encouraged to develop projects that meet the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) terms for “Categorical Exclusion” with respect to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. Such projects may be subject to more expeditious federal review. Refer to Code of Federal Regulations, 10 C.F.R. Part 1021 for more information. Review the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals for full details.
The maximum available award amount is $3 million. The department may issue up to 20 awards, but reserves the right to issue fewer awards. Per the requirements of BIL, the department is targeting at least 37.59% of the total fund made available through this opportunity to small entities. The department is not required to issue awards to meet this ratio. Entity size is based on the most recently available Form EIA-861 and EIA-861S data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Small entities” are defined as those recipients that sell no more than 4 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity per year. “Large entities” consist of those recipients that sell more than 4 million MWh of electricity per year. The final percentage of available funds issued to small entities depends on the volume and merits of eligible project applications received during the application period.
All projects funded through the program are subject to federal cost match requirements. Cost match may be provided in any form that complies with applicable federal regulations. All cost match must meet the same project eligibility requirements described in the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals and in applicable federal guidance. Generally, cost match cannot be in the form of other federal funds.
The required cost match differs between small and large entities. Small entities are obligated to provide cost match equal to 1/3 of awarded funds, while large entities are obligated to provide 100% cost match relative to awarded funds. As a condition of the department receiving funding, the state must supply an additional 15% cost match. The state will pass the match requirement on to subrecipients. After accounting for the department’s use of 5% of funds for administrative purposes, small entities must offer 49.13% cost match (compared to awarded funds) and large entities must offer 115.79% cost match (compared to awarded funds). Review the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals for full details.
The department is accepting applications for Grid Resilience Formula Funding Subgrants. Applications must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. Central Standard Time, April 30, 2025. Applications must be submitted through the department’s Funding Opportunities Portal or by email to gridresilience@dnr.mo.gov, with the materials described below. New funding portal users must submit a Funding Opportunities Portal Access Request to establish access and use the portal. Please allow up to 48 hours for the request to be completed. The applicant will receive an email with user ID and password. Once verifying the new account works, you can click on the “Review Record” link to the left of the Grid Resilience Formula Funding listing, followed by the “Begin Application” button. If you are an eligible entity and do not see “Begin Application” as an available option, contact the department at DNR.FundingOpportunityRequest@dnr.mo.gov with the entity and contact name.
The following materials must be included with the application. Review the Request for Proposals for full details regarding application requirements.
Awards
The department will only consider applications received by the application deadline and containing all required submission elements. The department will conduct a preliminary review of submitted applications to determine compliance with the minimum application requirements and assess the eligibility of project proposals. After the preliminary review, department team members will score eligible applications based on the objectives, criteria and processes described in the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals and the department’s Grid Resilience Formula Funding Scoring Criteria. The department anticipates selecting projects for possible awards by June 23, 2025.
All project selections are subject to approval by DOE. The department cannot guarantee DOE’s acceptance of any project proposal. The department anticipates coordinating with selected applicants and DOE to address any necessary changes in scope, to acquire additional information, or to satisfy requests for clarification from DOE. Once approved by DOE, the department will prepare award documentation, including a draft Financial Assistance Agreement, and electronically transmit an award package to selected applicants.
Additional Forms
Following the award issuance, subawardees are required to fill out a Sub-Recipient Informational Form to satisfy the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006. The FFATA legislation requires information regarding federal awards (federal financial assistance and expenditures) to be made available to the public through a single, searchable website (usaspending.gov).
As a condition of awarding any grant from the department to any business entity, project sponsors meeting the definition of a business entity must, by sworn affidavit and provision of documentation, affirm the business’s enrollment and participation in a federal work authorization program with respect to employees working in connection with the project. Every such business entity shall also sign an affidavit affirming that it does not knowingly employ any person who is an unauthorized alien in connection with the project.
Reimbursements
The budget period for recipients to incur costs begins six months from the date the Financial Assistance Agreement is signed and dated by the department (the date it is fully executed). The budget period must not extend beyond April 30, 2032. Awardees must complete funded project work, submit a final Grid Resilience Formula Funding Reimbursement Request MO 780-3061 and conduct closeout activities no less than one year before the end of the subgrant agreement.
Except for the final reimbursement, recipients may submit reimbursement requests for no less than 20% of the subaward amount at a given time. Reimbursable costs must be met with the percentage of cost match agreed to by the recipient before requesting reimbursement, with cost match following applicable federal requirements. The department will provide payment to a recipient upon the recipient’s submittal of a Reimbursement Request, other required documentation, and demonstration of associated cost match. The department may request additional documentation as needed. Full details regarding reimbursements are described in the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals.
Reporting Requirements
The department will require award recipients to provide, at minimum, quarterly and annual reporting on specified project metrics using the format provided by the department. In turn, the department must compile quarterly and annual metrics from all awarded projects and submit reports to DOE. Refer to the state’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Section 40101(d) Program Narrative and DOE’s Project Management Reporting Documents for additional information on the types of reporting required as part of the funding agreement.
Recipients are responsible for completing or assisting the department with any and all other monitoring and closeout activities, as requested, including, without limitation, providing final quarterly reporting, completing applicable final property disposition requests, submitting the final Reimbursement Request, completing the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Project Closeout MO 780-3062, and providing other necessary documentation. Reporting requirements related to prevailing wages (Davis-Bacon Act), Build America, Buy America, and other provisions may be necessary and may require more frequent additional reporting than the baseline quarterly and annual reports, depending on the scope and nature of the subgrantee’s project. Refer to the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Special Terms and Conditions for additional information.
Recipients are required to allow photos to be taken by representatives of the department or DOE during the installation and operation of the project. These materials may be used by the department for handouts, news media articles or other opportunities for outreach and engagement. Other reporting may be required on an as-needed basis.
Recipients are required to immediately notify the department of any issues that may prevent the recipient from satisfying the terms and conditions of the fully executed Financial Assistance Agreement. Failure to meet reporting requirements may result in termination of the Financial Assistance Agreement, in addition to other remedies available by law. Full details regarding reporting requirements are described in the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals
Terms and Conditions
Pursuant to 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.331, the department’s Federal Financial Assistance Agreement General Terms and Conditions applies to all subgrantees and project partners, contractors and subcontractors, as appropriate. Subgrantees must maintain their compliance. Pursuant to the “Flow Down Requirement” term of the Special Terms and Conditions from DOE, the subgrantees must agree to, and strictly comply with, the Special Terms and Conditions, as applicable, including the Intellectual Property Provisions, as required by 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.101. The subgrantee must also apply the Special Terms and Conditions as required by 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.327 to all project partners, contractors and subcontractors, as appropriate, and require their strict compliance. Note that the cost match percentages described in the department’s Request for Proposals take precedence over the percentages stated in the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Special Terms and Conditions.
As applicable, subgrantees must comply with the procurement requirements of sections 8.285 to 8.291, RSMo and 2 C.F.R. Part 200 Subpart D. By applying for this opportunity, applicants confirm that they comply with these requirements, as applicable.
Each Subgrantee must comply with additional requirements upon request from DOE, or from the department on behalf of DOE. Review the Grid Resilience Formula Funding Program Request for Proposals for additional information on terms and conditions, as well as audit, monitoring and closeout requirements.
