The DOE’s Industrial Training & Assessment Centers (ITAC) Implementation Grant Program provides funding for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to implement energy and efficiency recommendations identified through various DOE-sanctioned assessments. Administered in partnership with ENERGYWERX, this grant program offers up to $300,000 per unique project with a required 50% cost-share. The grants aim to advance energy efficiency, material efficiency, and emission reduction in alignment with the Justice40 initiative by directing federal resources toward disadvantaged communities, fostering energy affordability, creating quality jobs, and supporting the U.S. manufacturing base.

Eligible applicants include SMMs that have undergone ITAC or Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership (CHP TAP) assessments since 2018, or assessments by qualified third-party organizations since 2021. The grant is structured to address only new projects—those that have not already been implemented. Eligibility criteria stipulate that applicants must be U.S.-based manufacturing or water/wastewater entities with less than $100 million in annual sales, energy costs between $100,000 and $3.5 million, and fewer than 500 employees at the assessed site.

Applications, which can be submitted quarterly, will be evaluated based on the potential energy, productivity, and environmental benefits of the proposed projects. Additional scoring considerations include the financial need for grant funding, alignment with community benefit goals (particularly in disadvantaged areas), and commitment to job quality and equity principles. Projects in line with these goals are especially prioritized if they contribute to a diverse, resilient domestic manufacturing base, use U.S.-made materials, or support repurposing of industrial infrastructure.

Grants are reviewed quarterly, with the upcoming submission deadline set for January 10, 2025. DOE and ENERGYWERX also offer support for potential applicants, including informational sessions scheduled through December 2024. Interested applicants must submit a form for each facility they intend to support under this program and should plan to comply with Davis-Bacon Act requirements if paying staff or contractors for work involving construction, alteration, or repair.

Additionally, third-party assessors can apply for their assessments to be recognized as "ITAC-equivalent," thereby allowing clients to qualify for implementation grants. Applications for assessor qualification follow similar submission timelines, and once qualified, assessors are expected to maintain eligibility standards and report on project impacts annually.