Orange County NC Website
must have the legal standing to enter into a contractual funding agreement with Orange County. Such legal <br />standing is not required at the time of application. <br />The Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) intends to use the Climate Action Fund to support <br />projects that would not be completed without funding assistance. Existing projects and programs may be <br />eligible if the applicant can demonstrate that Climate Action Funding would significantly accelerate the pace <br />or amplify the scope of the project or program. Projects that contain repairs and replacement of necessary <br />technology or infrastructure must show both energy efficiency improvements and demonstrate that the <br />project is unlikely to be funded through another funding mechanism within the next 5 years. <br />Scoring Process and Technical Assistance: <br />For the FY 20‐21 funding round, there will be a single open application period during the Fall of 2020 with <br />project awards announced by the end of the January 2021. <br />In addition to the guidance and online impact estimation tools provided, the Orange County Commission for <br />the Environment (CFE) and supporting staff will respond to applicants’ requests for clarification or technical <br />assistance if submitted before the posted deadline for questions. Applicants are encouraged to ask for <br />clarification and technical assistance as early as possible. Questions and requests for Technical Assistance <br />should be directed to the Orange County Sustainability Coordinator, Brennan Bouma <br />(bbouma@orangecountync.gov). <br />Once the FY 2021 application period closes, the CFE will review and score all eligible projects using a formula <br />that prioritizes social justice and racial equity. The CFE will consult with other experts or advisory boards on <br />any or all submitted applications for the purposes of ensuring diversity and inclusion and to reinforce their <br />scoring decisions. Upon request, comments from the reviewers on an application will be made available to <br />the Board of Orange County Commissioners and/or to the party who submitted the application. <br />The CFE will deliver a rank‐ordered list of their recommended projects and scores to the Board of Orange <br />County Commissioners who will make the final funding decisions. In this process, the CFE may recommend <br />full or partial funding for their recommended projects. <br />Scoring Criteria: <br />Projects will be assessed by the CFE based primarily on the following criteria. Example metrics that can be <br />used to assign scores under the criteria are listed below each one. Not all example metrics will apply to each <br />project. <br />Application reviewers will pay close attention to any objective and authoritative evidence supporting a <br />proposed project. As you complete your application, please describe how your proposed programs align <br />with evidence-based approaches to addressing climate change. <br />1. Social Justice and Racial Equity (0 to 5pts): <br />Low‐income households have fewer resources to help them avoid or adapt to the impacts of climate <br />change, and communities of color are often most‐heavily impacted by the disruptions of climate <br />change. Both socioeconomic status and racial identity are key factors that will be used to target and <br />track the positive impacts of these programs. It should be noted that socio‐economic status and race <br />should be tracked separately since it should not be assumed that County residents below the <br />poverty line are people of color. <br />Example metrics: <br />P a g e 2 o f 23 <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 674071D6-B48A-4209-80A1-FCDFB6EDB134