7 USC 8114 - Sun grant program

U.S Code last checked for updates: Dec 04, 2025

§ 8114.

Sun grant program

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish and carry out a program to provide grants to the sun grant centers and subcenter specified in subsection (b)—

(1)

to enhance national energy security through the development, distribution, and implementation of biobased energy technologies;

(2)

to promote diversification in, and the environmental sustainability of, agricultural production in the United States through biobased energy and product technologies;

(3)

to promote economic diversification in rural areas of the United States through biobased energy and product technologies; and

(4)

to enhance the efficiency of bioenergy and biomass research and development programs through improved coordination and collaboration among—

(A)

the Department of Agriculture;

(B)

other appropriate Federal agencies (as determined by the Secretary); and

(C)

land-grant colleges and universities.

(b)

Grants

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall use amounts made available under subsection (g) to provide grants to each of the following:

(A)

North-central center

(B)

Southeastern center

A southeastern sun grant center for the region composed of—

(i)

the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia;

(ii)

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and

(iii)

the United States Virgin Islands.

(C)

South-central center

(D)

Western center

A western sun grant center for the region composed of—

(i)

the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington; and

(ii)

insular areas (as defined in section 3103 of this title (other than the insular areas referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (B))).

(E)

Northeastern center

(F)

Western insular Pacific subcenter

(2)

Manner of distribution

(A)

Centers

(B)

Subcenter

(3)

Failure to comply with requirements

(c)

Use of funds

(1)

Competitive grants

(A)

In general

A sun grant center or subcenter shall use 75 percent of the funds described in subsection (b) to provide competitive grants to entities that are—

(i)

eligible to receive grants under subsection (b)(7) of section 3157 of this title; and

(ii)

located in the region covered by the sun grant center or subcenter.

(B)

Activities

(C)

Administration

(i)

Peer and merit review

In making grants under this paragraph, a sun grant center or subcenter shall—

(I)

seek and accept proposals for grants;

(II)

determine the relevance and merit of proposals through a system of peer review similar to that established by the Secretary pursuant to section 7613 of this title; and

(III)

award grants on the basis of merit, quality, and relevance to advancing the purposes of this section.

(ii)

Priority

(iii)

Term

(iv)

Matching funds required

(I)

In general

(II)

Exclusion

(III)

Reduction

(v)

Buildings and facilities

(vi)

Limitation on indirect costs

(2)

Administrative expenses

(3)

Research, extension and educational activities

The sun grant centers and subcenter shall use the remainder of the funds described in subsection (b) to conduct, in a manner consistent with the purposes described in subsection (a), multi-institutional and multistate—

(A)

research, extension, and educational programs on technology development; and

(B)

integrated research, extension, and educational programs on technology implementation.

(d)

Plan for research activities to be funded

(1)

In general

(2)

Funding

(3)

Use of plan

(e)

Grant Information Analysis Center

(f)

Annual reports

(1)

the results of all peer and merit review procedures conducted pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(C)(i); and

(2)

a description of progress made in facilitating the priorities described in subsection (d)(1).

(g)

Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7526, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1274; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7526, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2035; Pub. L. 113–79, title VII, §§ 7128(b)(5), 7516, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 879, 903; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, §§ 7414, 7614(b)(4)(A), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4819, 4836.)

cite as: 7 USC 8114