RIDGWAY – The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission reminds small- and medium-sized manufacturers within the six-county region of a federal grant program deadline that is approaching. The grants are designed to aid businesses in saving money, improving productivity, and waste reduction.

The Industrial Assessment Centers’ (IAC) Implementation Grants Program would make available up to $300,000 to manufacturers for implementing recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy and other qualified energy assessments. The grants come with a 50 percent cost share and are designed to improve energy and materials efficiency, enhance cybersecurity, increase productivity, deploy smart and advanced manufacturing technologies, and reduce waste and pollution.

The deadline to apply for this round of grant funding is June 1. The deadline for the next round is Oct. 1.

Small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter counties, including water treatment facilities and controlled environment agriculture facilities, with sales less than $100 million annually and have fewer than 500 employees and energy bills between $100,000 and $3.5 million are eligible to apply. The program works through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement called ENERGYWERX, which features a streamlined online application form.

Projects will be covered under the grant through Workstream 1 that are designed to reduce greenhouse and nongreenhouse gas emissions and could include installing onsite power, HVAC/boiler upgrades, combined heat and power, VFDs installation, power factor upgrades, and LED upgrades. Workstream 2 is the online application portal for third-party assessor qualifications.

PennTAP is a qualified IAC equivalent service provider and will help local businesses with energy assessments.

The average grant award is roughly $75,000 and $10 million of the $400 million available have been awarded to date. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis. 

To apply, visit www.energywerx.org/iac.

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The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission is a premier regional development organization that serves the public and private sector through a wide range of economic, community, infrastructure, human services, and technology programs for Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter Counties.