Illinois Climate Pollution Reduction Grants: Stretch Code Adoption Grant Application - Fourth Round

In July 2024, Illinois was announced as one of the recipients of an award under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) awarded $430,251,378 to the State of Illinois to implement a variety of programs over the five-year grant period (2024-2029). Stretch Code Adoption Grants are one of these programs. The 2023 Illinois Stretch Energy Code, established under 20 ILCS 3125/55, took effect on January 1, 2025. Illinois developed this stretch code as part of its broader efforts to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and align with the state’s ambitious climate goals. By adopting a stretch energy code, municipalities have the opportunity to exceed the baseline statewide energy efficiency requirements. ICB anticipates the release of a 2026 Illinois Stretch Energy Code by the Capital Development Board (CDB) later this year. The 2026 Stretch Code will include changes to the target dates for the site energy index standards. Projects under this grant program may target adoption of either the 2023 Stretch Code or the 2026 Stretch Code, once released.

Eligible applicant types: Government Organizations

Applicant Eligibility: Only municipalities defined in the Energy Efficient Building Act (20 ILCS 3125/1) as any city, village, or incorporated town, are eligible to apply. Any entity that is not defined as a municipality is not eligible to apply. Applicants included in the SAM.gov Exclusion List and status on the Illinois Stop Payment List will not be eligible for an award. Please note that there is no restriction on the use of consultants to prepare applications, so long as a municipality is the prime applicant. Municipalities that opt to submit collaborative applications must identify one lead applicant to submit the joint application in Euna. Beneficiary Eligibility: The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program in Illinois supports initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions across five key sectors. For the Stretch Code Adoption Grant, beneficiaries include local governments that receive financial and technical support to adopt and implement energy-efficient building codes. Indirect beneficiaries include community members who will benefit from lower utility bills, improved building performance, and reduced exposure to pollution as energy efficiency measures are adopted across the building stock. Credentials Documentation: To submit an application, the applicant must register and pre-qualify through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, www.grants.illinois.gov/portal. Registration and pre-qualification are required annually. Selected applicants must also register with the federal SAM.gov and must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned in the sam.gov. Applicants included in the SAM.gov Exclusion List and status on the Illinois Stop Payment List will not be eligible for an award. The Grantee Portal alerts the entity alerts of “qualified” status or informs how to remediate a negative verification (e.g., missing UEI Unique Entity Identifier assigned in SAM.gov, not in good standing with the Secretary of State). Inclusion on the SAM.gov Exclusion List cannot be remediated.