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North Country Contractors Eligible for Clean Energy Grants to Expand Services

Clean Energy

Business Honor
10 March, 2025

Contractors can apply for clean energy grants to improve efficiency in underserved areas.

Building contractors in the North Country can apply for funds from the North Country Clean Energy Hub to increase or deliver energy efficiency or building auditing services to businesses and households. The Hub expects to give individual awards of up to $25,000 to at least two contractors in collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) EmPower program.

Empower helps families with low to moderate incomes save money and energy by making environmentally friendly improvements to their homes. The funding opportunity will be managed by the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) and aimed at important villages in Clinton, northern Franklin, and northern St. Lawrence Counties. Applications must be submitted by March 28.

The main way low- and moderate-income people can take advantage of state and federal incentives for improving the energy efficiency of their homes is through Empower. This is a great chance for local contractors to expand their businesses or services while meeting a critical need for local residents, said Erin Griffin, Director of ANCA's North Country Clean Energy Hub.

The award was designed to alleviate the dearth of contractors in the counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence that are part of the Hub's service area. The North Country's demand for Empower projects is significantly greater than what the participating contractors can handle.

Funds can be requested by applicants for staff time, certifications, equipment, and other costs related to joining the EmPower program or for current EmPower contractors to extend their services to underserved regions of the North Country. Any contractor may apply for this grant opportunity; however, those who can provide heat pump installation services, including subcontracting agreements, and who are situated within the Hub's seven-county service region will receive a higher score.

A further $2,000 incentive will be available to selected applicants upon their provisional EmPower contractor designation or upon their successful service expansion by June 2026.