The State Department announced a competition for a $396,000 grant to work with Morocco on fighting against climate change.
The United States Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) made the announcement on the federal grant website GrantSolutions.gov.
"Morocco and the U.S. share a strong commitment to combating climate change, which they are tackling aggressively at the international, national, and local levels. The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) seeks to highlight this shared commitment by driving policy and commercial innovation through a Green Growth Climate Challenge," the grant announcement said.
The application deadline is Aug. 15. The winner will be judged on "quality of project idea," as well as planning, the ability to achieve the proposed solutions and sustain them, and keeping a cost-effective budget.
The grant application pointed out the evolving nature of the energy industry and the challenges it faces.
"The energy industry is undergoing rapid transformation, offering countries the opportunity to accelerate clean energy deployment, from solar and wind to energy efficiency, through innovative policies and business models. Local innovation is a critical component in the fight against climate change," the announcement said.
The competition will include teams to identify policy, business or technological strategies to improve business practices and increase job opportunities for youth and women. The winner or winners will get grants to bring their plans to fruition and mentorship to help them implement their ideas.
The winners will share what they've learned at the COP22 event in Marrakesh, Morocco in November.
According to the announcement, the ENR prefers to work with nonprofits for the competition, but the competition is open to for-profit companies.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.