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Please join the Thriving Communities Program and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to discuss electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Please see details below.

Learning Opportunities

DOT’s Thriving Communities Program and the Joint Office are hosting

EV Charging infrastructure webinars

View Previous Webinars

Coming Up

Workforce Development Tools and Resources

Mar 5, 2024 at 02:00 PM Register Here

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) will host a webinar discussing workforce training programs, job creation, and local and economic hiring preferences in the transition to electrified transportation. Workforce development experts across the federal government will provide updates on new resources that are available to stakeholders, including web content from the Joint Office, updates on funded projects from the Ride and Drive Electric Funding Opportunity, and resources across the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation.

EV Charging Infrastructure Office Hours Session: Q&A

March 20th, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. EST Register Here

Where you can ask staff specific questions about your community’s EV needs. Webinar topics include upcoming EV grant opportunities, permitting and site selection strategies, navigating zoning and building codes, utility coordination, curbside charging strategies, leveraging public/private investments, incorporating community charging into the national network, and more

Funding Opportunities

2 Federal grants that we have been hearing about from Resource Rural Network partners:

DOE’s Office of Clean Energy (OCED) Empowering Rural Areas (ERA) Funding

This week the EPA announced 17 community driven projects that have been awarded funding from the ERA program. Check them out here!

DOE’s funding requires applicants to include a Community Benefits Plan (CBP) and encourages applicants to also develop a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)

A Community Benefits Plan (CPB) outlines how the project will engage communities and labor (Tribal communities, specifically); invest in America's workforce, advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and implement Justice40 goals.
A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is an agreement signed by community benefit groups and a developer - identifying the community benefits a developer agrees to deliver in return for community support of the project.

Here are some links that provide more guidance developing Community Benefits Plans and Community Benefits Agreements.

Additional resources to learn more about DOE’s ERA Funding opportunity can be found on the ERA website, including a program fact sheet, a technical assistance fact sheet, and a geospatial dashboard tool to review community eligibility.

OCED has also recently released a publication that more broadly reviews energy-related funding opportunities for rural communities: Federal Energy Funding for Rural and Remote Areas: A Guide for Communities.

EPA’s Community Change Grant (CCG)

Environmental Protection Network (EPN) has developed a helpful guide and timeline for applying for Track 1 of EPA’s CCG funding. Check it out here
Check out these webinar recordings about accessing CCG funding from Community Change Technical Assistance (CCTA)

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RC News

Contractors Wanted

By Brenda Wade • 15 Feb, 2024

ATTENTION LOCAL CONTRACTORS : HELP WANTED

Invitation to bid on surplus equipment

By Suzanne Angell • 01 Feb, 2024

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission has declared the following vehicles as surplus and will accept sealed bids until Friday, March 1 @ 3:00 p.m. at the office of the SWGRC, 181 East Broad Street (USPS mail to: PO Box 346), Camilla, Georgia, 31730. Titles are clear and immediately available, and vehicles are available for inspection at the above address. The minimum bid is set at $750.00. The highest bidder above the minimum will be awarded the vehicles upon the presentation of funds. Please bid on each vehicle separately : 2007 Ford Five Hundred (Gray), V-6, automatic, approximately 114,000 miles, good condition 2007 Ford Five Hundred (White), V-6, automatic, approximately 102,000 miles, good condition Vehicles are presented as is, where is, and with no warranties or representations. All sales are final. For further information contact Suzanne Angell, 229-522-3552.

KGBF Regional Engagement Manager Position

By Barbara Reddick • 25 Jan, 2024

The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation (KGBF) educates and inspires Georgians to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environments. As a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, we support more than 70 local affiliates across Georgia and strive to increase our impact even further by engaging additional communities and individuals in our efforts to end litter, reduce waste, promote recycling, and beautify communities.

City Of Doerun CHIP Grant Call-in Event

By Brenda Wade • 05 Dec, 2023

City of Doerun CHIP Grant Program

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission Receives National Association of Development Organizations 2023 Impact Award

By Suzanne Angell • 20 Nov, 2023

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission Receives National Association of Development Organizations 2023 Impact Award

Congratulations !! You've Been Awarded

By Brenda Wade • 01 Nov, 2023

The Southwest Georgia Regional Commission is actively seeking grants to improve the livability of Region 10 communities. Recently, three cities - Colquitt, Doerun, and Funston - were awarded grants from the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) amounting to approximately $5.3 million ($5,258,297.00). The grants will have a positive impact on the region by, Improving water, sewer, and drainage systems Developing housing, rehabilitating blighted properties and housing Provide assistance to around 200 low-to-moderate-income families To learn more about each grant and how it will benefit each community, please read on.

RRP Lead Paint Certification Training

By Brenda Wade • 13 Oct, 2023

Chuck Griffith is an approved trainer for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Georgia Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) program. He is the only trainer in Georgia with over 40 years of experience as a contractor. Learn from his expertise and gain first-hand knowledge on how to make accurate bids for lead jobs.

Seminole County Chip Grant

By Brenda Wade • 30 Aug, 2023

The Seminole County Board of Commissioners has been awarded a Community HOME Investment Grant (CHIP) to make needed repairs to the homes of eligible low- and moderate-income homeowners living in a target area (see map) within the unincorporated areas of Seminole County. Priority will be given to eligible applicants 62 years of age and older. Repairs cannot be made to mobile homes or manufactured homes. CHIP enables access to safe, adequate, and sanitary housing for families with low to moderate income.