The expansion is divided into three parts.
Non profits are eligible for the Optimize for Good program. Optimize for Local is for independent restaurants and retailers; Optimize for Growth is for small industrial businesses.
The Friday, Feb. 27 news conference was for sharing details on the most recent development of a set of programs initiated last fall. Overall, the programs are supported by the $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund.
Amanda Schmitt with CenterPoint said they realized there was a need for such programs during public listening sessions.
“We consistently heard there was a need for energy efficiency, and there was just not a lot of grants that provided resources for capital projects like windows and HVAC and roofs,” she said. “Most things were focused on programmatic or operating costs.”
These three programs will be rolled out one per month, by the summer, and more pieces will be announced later this year.
These programs are offered in addition to the recently launched residential programs. There are already 36 residential projects underway.
“It's designed to help residents and customers that have historically not been able to be served,” CenterPoint Indiana President Mike Roeder said. “So think about folks that working hard every day but have not in the past been eligible for low income type assistance. So that's the target, really, for home repair and care.”
The residential efficiency and repair programs were unveiled first.
The new non-residential programs use matching grant funds.
Regarding the Optimize program for non-profits and businesses — Schmitt mentioned a few requirements.
“They need to own or lease their facility, and we want them to be local, headquartered here. And then for our small businesses, we're targeting that segment that's under $10 million in revenue, or under 100 employees. So really, our local businesses that are investing here, headquartered here, your main street, your home grown businesses here.”
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