By applying for a Reduce Your Use grant, all applicants agree to be bound by these Reduce Your Use Grant Program Guidelines (“Guidelines”) and the decisions of First Choice Power, which are final and binding in all respects.

 

1. Reduce Your Use Grant Program. The Reduce Your Use Grant Program provides funding for Texas nonprofits to purchase energy-efficiency products and services.  Grant recipients will receive a grant of up to $2,500 for these products and services. 

 

2. Eligibility. Organizations classified by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations in areas served by the ERCOT electric grid are eligible to apply.

 

The following groups, programs and activities are not eligible for grant consideration: 

• Projects taking place outside of North America

• Capital (bricks and mortar) or equipment campaigns

• Political, fraternal or advocacy organizations

• Third-party fundraisers or service clubs

• Private foundations and private (i.e. fee-based schools

• Religious organizations – unless the project benefits the entire community

• Endowment funds, memorials or advertising campaigns

• Individual initiatives (i.e. fundraiser walks, trips or tours)

• Golf tournaments, conferences or travel-related events

 

All determinations of eligibility shall be made by First Choice Power in its sole discretion. 

 

3. How to Apply. Eligible institutions must submit an online grant application (available at www.reduceyouruseforgood.com/firstchoicepower. Applicants must complete all of the required information (including EIN number), follow all posted instructions and submit their applications by no later than 5 p.m. (CST) August 31, 2013. First Choice Power is not responsible for failure to receive applications due to transmission failures or technical failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any network, hardware, or software, whether originating with sender, First Choice Power, or  online application administrator. All applications become the property of First Choice Power and none will be returned. The information and proposals contained in applications may be used in accordance with First Choice Power’s Privacy Policy.

 

4. Entry Restrictions. First Choice Power will only accept one application per EIN number, per county. The first application to be submitted will be the one considered. Any subsequent applications associated with such EIN number will be considered ineligible. 

 

5. Selection Process. The Reduce Your Use Grant Program is administered by a committee of First Choice Power employees. This selection committee will review the applications and choose grant recipients in its sole discretion which shall be based on the following criteria: 

 

• Understanding the mission of the applicant and how it makes a positive difference in people’s lives, especially those most vulnerable (25%) 

• Effectiveness of the energy-efficiency grant proposal (25%) 

• Achievability of grant proposal within budget (25%)

• Creativity, innovation and collaboration with others in the community (25%) 

• Additional consideration will be given to nonprofits who are a customer of First Choice Power and/or who have First Choice Power employees volunteering with their applicant

 

All applicants will be notified by email on or about September 30, 2013, to the email address contained in the application as to whether they have been successful or not.

 

Please note that competition is increasing for our community investment resources.  Accordingly, we may receive many more applications than we can possibly award grants therefore, First Choice Power reserves the right to fund or to deny any grant proposal request in its sole discretion. Awards may also be approved in amounts which are less than the requested amount.

 

6. Grant Agreement; Publicity. Each applicant awarded a Reduce Your Use grant will receive a Grant Agreement by email. The Grant Agreement must be signed and returned with no changes within 14 days to claim the grant award.  An award recipient may waive the right to receive a grant.     

 

Under the terms of the Grant Agreement, each applicant will be required to submit a final report at the conclusion of the project (or prior to November 30, 2013) that describes, among other things, the estimated energy cost savings achieved and the number of people affected by the energy-efficiency project.

 

As a condition of receiving the grant award, award recipients must abide by the terms of the Grant Agreement. Further, acceptance of the grant award constitutes the award recipient’s irrevocable consent to the publication or other use by First Choice Power and its licensees of the award recipient’s name, trademarks or logo in any media, including the Internet, throughout the world in perpetuity, for commercial, publicity, or promotional purposes related to the Reduce Your Use Grant Program, without limitation, review or approval, or compensation to award recipient. Award recipients must work with First Choice Power to utilize information about their organization and use of the grant to create awareness of the grant award through a number of avenues, including, but not limited to, our company website, media outreach and social media platforms.  

 

In addition, by submitting an application, applicant grants First Choice Power a royalty-free and irrevocable license and right (but not the obligation) to broadcast, copy, edit, adapt, modify, reproduce, publish, create derivative works of, distribute, use or otherwise publicly display any or all of applicant’s application materials, or any portion thereof, in any manner or medium throughout the world in perpetuity, for commercial, publicity, or promotional purposes related to the Reduce Your Use Grant Program, and to license others to do so, without limitation, review or approval, or compensation to applicant.

 

7. Participation. By participating, applicant agrees to be bound by these Guidelines and the decisions of First Choice Power and any grant selection committee members or administrators selected by First Choice Power, which are final and binding in all respects. First Choice Power reserves the right to disqualify applicants and/or award recipients who fail to follow the program procedures or tamper with or otherwise abuse any aspect of this program as solely determined by First Choice Power.

 

8. Authorization. By submitting an application, the applicant represents and warrants that (i) its application is truthful and accurate, and (ii) its proposal is original and does not infringe the intellectual property or any other proprietary rights of any third party. Further, the person submitting the application on behalf of the applicant represents and warrants that he or she has the authority to bind applicant.

 

9. Indemnification. If First Choice Power’s use of your application materials causes First Choice Power to be subject to a claim by any third party, applicant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless First Choice Power, and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with First Choice Power, against any and all damages, costs, judgments and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) which First Choice Power may incur as a result of the use of your application materials as authorized herein. 

 

10. Questions. The Reduce Your Use Grant Program is administered by First Choice Power. First Choice Power will not be responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Guidelines or in other materials or announcements relating to the program. If you have any questions, please contact janette.sooley@directenergy.com.