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2026 R2E2 Technical Assistance Application

ACEEE’s R2E2 initiative is providing a new round of technical assistance to communities aiming to design, launch, or implement equitable programs that help low-income households make energy efficiency upgrades in their homes.  

The technical assistance will focus on helping partner teams of local governments and community-based organizations (CBOs)* strengthen their capacity to carry out equitable residential energy efficiency programs, especially those that incorporate electrification, resilience, workforce development, housing affordability, and/or community engagement. Support may include: 

  • Access to expertise on retrofit program design and implementation 
  • Assistance navigating policy and programmatic challenges 
  • Stakeholder engagement and partnership development 
  • Actionable resources that help communities advance long-term goals related to energy efficiency, electrification, resilience, workforce development, and housing affordability 

ACEEE staff and partners will provide technical assistance to selected small and mid-sized communities (population under 250,000) between August 2026 and April 2027. The scope of the technical assistance will vary depending on the specific needs and priorities of each community. For more information on this opportunity, see our technical assistance menu. Please contact Stephanie Sosa-Kalter at r2e2@aceee.org with any questions regarding this application. 

*Community-based organizations (CBOs) are representative of a community or significant segments of a community, defined by place or population, and provide financial, educational, cultural, or other resources aimed at enhancing health, wealth, and overall community well-being. For-profit entities and large nonprofits with a focus beyond the local level are typically excluded from this definition. Ideally, CBOs are physically based in the communities they serve, though in some cases CBOs can be effective even without a physical presence. CBOs range from formal organizations with legal nonprofit status (501c3, c4, etc.) to informal, grassroots community groups that are mission-driven and headed by respected community leaders. 

Program Goals 

The R2E2 Technical Assistance Cohort is intended to: 

  • Support local governments and partners in serving more residents of low-income housing with energy efficiency and electrification upgrades 
  • Strengthen collaboration among local governments, housing agencies, nonprofits, utilities, and CBOs 
  • Provide implementation-focused technical assistance tailored to local priorities and political contexts 
  • Facilitate peer learning and knowledge sharing across participating jurisdictions 
  • Support long-term community benefits, including affordability, housing quality, workforce development, resilience, public health, racial equity, and energy burden reduction 

Technical Assistance Areas 

Technical assistance may include support related to: 

  • Multifamily and single-family housing retrofit implementation 
  • Program design and implementation 
  • Funding and financing strategies 
  • Community engagement, community benefits, and accountability to communities 
  • Workforce development and economic inclusion 
  • Community outreach and engagement 
  • Housing affordability, renter protections, and anti-displacement strategies 
  • Health, safety, resilience, and climate adaptation 
  • Peer learning, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder coordination 

Application Requirements and Selection Criteria 

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements: 

  • Lead applicant should be a local government, housing agency, utility, nonprofit organization, or CBO 
  • Applicant must demonstrate an active partnership with at least one CBO serving disadvantaged communities and/or low-income residents. CBOs should play a meaningful role in shaping project priorities and activities 
  • Applicant must identify a clear technical assistance need related to the design, launch, expansion, or implementation of a residential energy efficiency and/or electrification program that advances housing affordability, workforce development, resilience, or community engagement goals 
  • Applicant must demonstrate a clear implementation opportunity, including identified next steps, potential funding sources, implementation partners, or a tentative timeline for program launch, expansion, or improvement 
  • Proposed work should support equitable outcomes and community benefits 
  • Applicant should demonstrate capacity and commitment to actively participating in technical assistance activities, meetings, and peer learning exchanges throughout the cohort period 

The most competitive applicants will also have the following characteristics: 

  • Strong partnerships across departments, agencies, and other community stakeholders 
  • Existing funding, implementation partners, or other resources that position the project for near-term action. 
  • Potential for replicability in other jurisdictions 
  • Interest in cross-sector collaboration and peer learning 
  • Alignment with broader housing, resilience, workforce, and equity goals 
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