Mission and Vision

The Department of Energy (DOE) has one of the richest and most diverse histories in the federal government. Although only in existence since 1977, the Department traces its lineage to the Manhattan Project effort to develop the atomic bomb during World War II and to the various energy-related programs that previously had been dispersed throughout various federal agencies. The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

Grant Program Highlights

Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office
The Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs Office (WIPO) collaborates with state and local governments, Indian tribes, and overseas U.S. territories to leverage resources to achieve near-term and measurable reductions in overall energy use, improvements in energy efficiency, growth in renewable energy capacity, and expanded economic opportunities. WIPO provides funding only to state and local governments, overseas U.S. territories, and Indian tribes to support their clean energy programs. WIPO does not provide any funding or assistance of any kind to private companies or individuals.

Weatherization Assistance Program
The Weatherization Assistance Program provides grants to states, territories, and some Indian tribes to improve the energy efficiency of the homes of low-income families. These governments, in turn, contract with local governments and nonprofit agencies to provide weatherization services to those in need using the latest technologies for home energy upgrades.

State Energy Program
The State Energy Program (SEP) provides leadership to maximize the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy in each state through communications and outreach activities and technology deployment, and by providing access to new partnerships and resources. Additionally, SEP helps states improve the security of their energy infrastructure by assisting them with the development of state energy plans. SEP provides financial and technical assistance to states through formula and competitive grants. States use their formula grants to develop state strategies and goals to address their energy priorities.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program
Through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), the DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program provided $3.2 billion in block grants to cities, communities, states, U.S. territories, and Indian tribes to develop, promote, implement, and manage energy efficiency and conservation projects that ultimately created jobs. The EECBG Program represents the largest nationwide direct investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies at the community level in U.S. history, rapidly increasing the number of communities directly engaged with DOE on programs that increased renewable energy capacity, technical knowledge, and deployment of energy efficiency projects at the local level.

Tribal Energy Program
The Tribal Energy Program promotes tribal energy sufficiency and fosters employment and economic development on America's tribal lands. The program offers financial and technical assistance to Indian tribes to help them evaluate and develop their renewable energy resources and reduce their energy consumption through efficiency and weatherization. As building knowledge and skills is essential to developing, implementing, and sustaining energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, the program also offers education and training opportunities.