Process Overview
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Process Overview
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Overview of the Program
Requirements
- Must be a public entity (or be a commercial entity that has a long-term contractual relationship with a public entity).
- Willingness to provide or find some matching dollars with a target goal of 20%. Entities with a reasonable need may be excluded from this requirement.
- Recycling of aging gas-powered equipment to have an immediate air quality impact.
- Provide feedback about the equipment that you purchase.
Process Overview
- Applications must be completed in full.
- Applicants will be notified if they have been awarded a grant within 30 days.
- If approved, your organization will be sent an approval letter and purchase order.
- The purchase order serves the following functions:
- Acts as a notice to proceed with purchasing the grant-funded equipment.
- Denotes the maximum grant award for each requested piece of equipment.
- Denotes the total grant award amount.
- See reimbursement process.
- At the end of the year, we will send you a survey to complete, documenting your experience.
Eligible Projects
The equipment must be reasonably related to field/lawn care maintenance. Including but not limited to mowers, trimmers, blowers, edgers, chainsaws, batteries, battery management systems, and other lawn care equipment. If you’re not sure if your proposal will be accepted, you can email us at jlabure@raqc.org However, the eligible items will generally fit into the below categories.
- New Commercial Grade Electric Lawn Mowers: Riding and Walk-behind.
- New Commercial Grade Electric Handheld Equipment: (Chainsaws, Blowers, Trimmers, Edgers, etc).
- Battery management systems, extra batteries, and charging infrastructure (in-field solar panels, etc)
Questions Asked on the Application
- Please provide a general overview of your current lawn and garden asset portfolio. Please include type of equipment, the reasonable estimates of quantity per type, and the fuel type. (For example, 10 gas riding lawn mowers, 1 propane riding lawn mower, 4 gas trimmers, and 1 electric chainsaw.)
- Please be prepared to provide a list or quotes of Lawn and Garden Equipment your organization would like to purchase with this grant.
- What is the total amount of grant funding requested for all equipment? (Grant funding is limited to a minimum of $1,000 and maximum of $100,000 per entity)
- How many years do you anticipate using the equipment?
The next four questions will be awarded points based on your answer. The more points the more likely the grant award and amount.
- Please indicate the amount your organization can match grant dollars, if any (20 Points)
- Demonstration of entities’ commitment to electrification? What else are you doing to transition to electrification? (20 Points)
- Are there circumstances (economic conditions, declared emergencies, other) that should be considered? (20 points)
- Plan to decommission and recycle gas lawn equipment (30 Points)
- Please use the emission calculator at MowDownPollution.org/help to calculate your emission savings by participating in the program (10 Points)
Awardees may not purchase equipment before receiving the Purchase Order from the RAQC. Grant funding will be forfeited by the awardee if any equipment is purchased prior to the awardee receiving a RAQC Purchase Order.
Timing
Program is closed
Recycling
We require that you recycle equipment (Cannot sell or trade in). We encourage you to recycle more equipment to get a more significant emissions reduction. On your application we ask that identify gas powered equipment you intend to recycle. Once you have recycled the equipment we ask you submit that documentation to the RAQC at MowDownPollution.org/help where a portal is available to upload your documentation.
Reimbursement Process
Reimbursement Process:
Applicant must have products paid in full and equipment delivered before the awardee can seek reimbursement. Once this has occurred: the awardee will submit a reimbursement form, final invoices, and proof of payment to the Regional Air Quality Council.
The final grant award amount will be based on the approved final invoices provided to the RAQC. Once this documentation has been submitted to the RAQC, and approved, it will be submitted on the next monthly reimbursement to the RAQC funding source. Reimbursement to awardees will be sent in the form of a check to the awardee address listed on the Purchase Order within 30 days of the RAQC’s receipt of its contract reimbursement. Timing of reimbursements is subject to the RAQC receiving funds from the State.
- Must send a final invoice for reimbursement. Upload at MowDownPollution.org/help
- Purchase Order (that you should have received from the RAQC)
- Equipment invoice
- Proof of payment
- Recycling verification, receipts and/or recycling affidavit
- Final reimbursement invoice
Reporting
Feedback on the performance and lessons learned from grant recipients is critical to help promote and encourage the widespread adoption of electric equipment. All awarded applicants are required to complete a survey. The RAQC will send the awarded applicants the survey after sufficient time to utilize the equipment has been established at a date to be determined in 2024.
Applications will be processed by the RAQC until program funds are fully expended. Applicants will be notified by phone and email of their award. After being notified, awardees will receive a Purchase Order from the RAQC by email.
“This project was undertaken in connection with the settlement of an enforcement action taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for alleged violations of federal laws.”
