Dear Friend,

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! I hope you're spending time with loved ones, eating well, reflecting on the past year, and relaxing. We all have so much to be grateful for – and I’m grateful to represent you in Congress. This year, my team and I assisted 1,439 San Diegans who needed help with federal agencies. We also returned over $23 million to San Diegans who were entitled to backpay from the VA, tax refunds, Social Security reimbursements, and more.

My team and I are focused on bringing your taxpayer dollars home and lowering your costs – whether that’s through federal casework, community project funding, or federal grant opportunities. During this time of year, I know that energy costs are rising – so below there are some federal grant opportunities to help you improve heating and water conservation and lower your energy bills.

You can also find up-to-date information on all open federal grants here. This spreadsheet is updated regularly as more grants become available and lists grants related to agriculture; arts and culture; business and commerce; community development; consumer protection; disaster prevention and relief; education; employment, labor, and training; energy; environment; food and nutrition; health; infrastructure; income security and social services; natural resources; opportunity zones; regional development; science, technology, and R&D; transportation; and more.

Here are some of the best grant opportunities available right now:

Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas

This program is available for applicants in communities of 10,000 people or fewer – and you can propose projects that support at least one eligible activity, as explained in the grant posting here. For more info, please check the Full Funding Opportunity Announcement at https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/. All application materials must be submitted through the OCED Funding Opportunity Exchange, and you can apply anytime from now through Thursday, August 28, 2025.

WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Projects 2024

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Program helps expand and secure water supplies for future generations. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation uses federal and non-federal funding to work together with states, tribes, and local entities as they take steps to make their water supply more reliable by investing in existing infrastructure and paying attention to local water conflicts. More info can be found here. Applications are due Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Energy Storage Pilot Demonstrations

This program will help fund technology demonstrations for energy storage solutions by focusing on non-lithium technologies, long-duration systems, and stationary storage applications. More info can be found here. You can submit application materials through the OCED Funding Opportunity Exchange from now until Thursday, February 13, 2025.

And don’t forget – my office can also help your grant efforts with a letter of support! Congressional letters of support help show grant reviewers that your project has buy-in from regional stakeholders and make your application more competitive. If you would like to request a letter of support from our office, please contact my team by emailing [email protected] to learn more about how my staff and I can help you!

Happy holidays!

Warmly,

Sara Jacobs