Projects implemented by nonprofit organizations and local governments that provide energy efficiency and weatherization measures to LMI Maryland homes, as well as commercial buildings that primarily serve LMI Marylanders (e.g., a homeless shelter), are eligible for grant consideration.
For a more detailed description of eligible projects, please refer to the FY20 LMI Grant Program Application Document in the section below titled “How to Apply.”
All construction activities for each project selected for LMI Program grant funding from FY20 must be completed by August 1, 2021 with all invoices and project reports submitted to MEA no later than September 1, 2021.
Project Types
1. Whole Home/Building Residential Retrofits: Whole Home/Whole Building upgrades consist of performing a Building Performance Institute level energy audit on the residential home or building and then installing cost-effective energy efficiency and weatherization measures. Examples of installed measures are LED light bulbs, ENERGY STAR® qualified appliance upgrades, insulation improvements, air sealing, etc.
2. Whole Building Commercial Retrofits: Similar to the residential retrofits above, an energy audit on a commercial building is performed followed by the installation of cost-effective energy efficiency and weatherization measures to achieve an aggregate simple payback of 15 years or less based on the audit results. Examples of installed measures are LED light bulbs, control upgrades, insulation improvements, air sealing, etc.
3. New Construction with Incremental Efficiency Upgrades: New construction projects in which the project aims to improve efficiency to above-code levels. Only the incremental purchase cost of upgrading to a higher level of energy efficiency is reimbursable under the Program.
4. Limited Upgrades to Existing Commercial/Residential Buildings: An existing building/home in which the project does not require an energy audit, but rather seeks to make limited cost-effective upgrades to improve the performance and efficiency of the home/building.
More information on eligible project types and measures is located in the Section 3 of the 
FY20 Application Form.
Income limits
Grants must be used to fund energy efficiency projects that benefit Maryland’s LMI income population. For the purposes of this application, low and moderate income households are defined as:
• Low Income - at or below 175% of the federal poverty level
• Moderate Income - above Low Income, but at or below 85% of median income by county
While grants will be allocated based on region, income limits are based on the particular county in which a project is located. The income limits for “moderate income” for calendar year 2019 can be found on the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) website. Income eligibility limits for “low income”, which is now established as 175% of the federal poverty level, can be found in the table below.
| Household Size |
Maximum Gross Monthly Income Standards |
Maximum Gross Yearly Income Standards |
|---|
| 1 |
$1,821 |
$21,858 |
|---|
| 2 |
$2,466 |
$29,593 |
|---|
| 3 |
$3,111 |
$37,328 |
|---|
| 4 |
$3,755 |
$45,063 |
|---|
| 5 |
$4,400 |
$52,798 |
|---|
| 6 |
$5,044 |
$60,533 |
|---|
| 7 |
$5,689 |
$68,268 |
|---|
| 8 |
$6,334 |
$76,003 |
|---|
Review Criteria
Projects that maximize energy savings per dollar of MEA investment and the number of LMI residents served will receive grant funding priority. In addition, projects which have the flexibility to be scaled up and/or down based on funding availability will be looked at favorably. Primary FY20 review criteria includes:
• Annual energy savings per dollar of MEA investment.
• Impact on Maryland’s low-to-moderate income residents.
• Applicant response to the FY20 Application Exercise.
• Applicant’s past performance complying with LMI program requirements and participating in other State programs.
• Applicant’s willingness and ability to deliver energy upgrades to households that are not eligible for assistance through other channels.
• Whether the proposed method of delivery will provide the best value to the State of Maryland
Secondary review criteria include:
• Project feasibility
• Accuracy of energy savings and cost information
• Projects located in Priority Funding Areas.