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HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
There are two steps to the funding process. First, you must submit a Letter of Enquiry. After reviewing the Letter of Enquiry, BEF may request that you submit a full proposal. Guidelines for the Letter of Enquiry are described below.
BEF strongly recommends that all applicants download and review the Renewable Energy Project Criteria and Proposal Process (MS Word | Acrobat PDF). This document explains the details of the entire funding process - from the Letter of Enquiry to the full Proposal - and also describes the kinds of projects BEF is looking for. Because BEF’s funding decisions follow the guidelines and requirements outlined in this document, we urge you to familiarize yourself with it.
THE FIRST STEP: THE LETTER OF ENQUIRY
This letter is the first step in the application process. Therefore, it is extremely important that you prepare a thorough and complete Letter of Enquiry form (a PDF document).
This letter should describe a proposed renewable energy project and explain why this project is of interest to BEF. The letter should generally demonstrate the project's consistency with BEF's Criteria for Renewable Energy Projects (these criteria are described in Renewable Energy Project Criteria and Proposal Process).
For a project to be considered, the Letter of Enquiry must be submitted using this form. A successful Letter of Enquiry will both answer the questions on the form and demonstrate how the project is relevant to the goals and criteria of BEF as described in the Renewable Energy Project Criteria and Proposal Process.
After reviewing the Letter of Enquiry, the Foundation will invite a full proposal if the project has a strong ability to compete for our limited funds.
Due to BEF’s limited staff resources available for reviewing enquiries, we are unable to consider projects that submit incomplete Letters of Enquiry. While you may contact us with questions, phone calls and emails do not serve as a substitute for the Letter of Enquiry.
BEF will make an initial reply within two weeks of receipt of your Letter of Enquiry. If your letter appears to be incomplete, we will notify you at that time. Once complete Letters of Enquiry have been received, the review process usually takes 1-2 months.
For a project to be considered, the Letter of Enquiry must be submitted using the form available for download from the link above. The form, which is saved as a Microsoft Word template, may be downloaded and completed electronically. Applicants should fill in the appropriate fields and save the form. Completed forms may then be emailed to grants@b-e-f.org.
Alternatively, applicants may also mail a copy of the Letter of Enquiry to our office in Portland at:
Renewable Energy Program -- Letters of Enquiry
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
240 SW 1st Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
HOW TO LEARN MORE
The document Renewable Energy Project Criteria and Proposal Process describes the entire funding process and the kinds of projects that BEF is interested in. Because we are a small organization with many ongoing projects and obligations, we request that you consult this document prior to contacting us with questions.
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