Monrovia, Ind., December 14, 2011 –USDA Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) award recipients have been named. Thirty-six (36) Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources clients across ten (10) states have been awarded grants for renewable energy projects and energy efficient improvements, which totals over $1.3 million in funding. Over the past four months, USDA made three announcements of award recipients and today USDA released their final announcement, which concludes the REAP award cycle for 2011. Click here for today's press release from USDA. This list may not be exhaustive, however, as there may be a lag between applicant notifications of award and the issuance of USDA's announcement today. Prosperity will publish an additional release with new awardees when they can be reached. Prosperity client awardees are as follows:

The REAP Program funding is authorized through the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). REAP funding can be used for renewable energy projects, energy efficient improvements, energy audits, feasibility studies and renewable energy development assistance. Information on the REAP program can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_ReapResEei.html

Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources began in 2007 and is a full service funding opportunities development firm. Prosperity focuses on grant writing, guaranteed loans and general grant administration working closely with state and federal contacts to strengthen communities, empower entrepreneurs and foster growth for farms and businesses. Owner Sarah Aubrey also writes and speaks widely on the issue of funding and entrepreneurship. Information on Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources can be found at www.prosperityagenergy.com.

Bell Aquaculture, LLC was awarded $467,494 from the Office of Energy Development (OED) through the Conserving Hoosier Industrial Power (CHIP) grant program to retrofit existing equipment to converse water and energy.
Full Press Release

Perpetual Recycling Solutions, LLC was awarded $50,000 from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to install bale sorters and make implement a new recycling business in Richmond, Indiana, through the Recycling Market Development Program (RMDP).
Full Press Release

The City of Logansport, Indiana was awarded a $257,224 grant through the Office of Energy Development (OED) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program for energy efficiency upgrades to Government-owned structures and wastewater treatment plants owned by the City.
Full Press Release

Ball State University received $5 million in funding for the creation of a geothermal-based district heating and cooling system through the Recovery Act (ARRA) – Industrial Energy Efficiency grant.

Liberty Green was awarded $25,000 from the Office of Energy Development (OED) to conduct a feasibility study for a biomass project.

Seymour Biofuels was awarded $100,000 from the Office of Energy Development (OED) through the Conserving Hoosier Industrial Power (CHIP) Program to construct a community scale biodiesel plant.

Susquehanna Aquaculture, Inc. of Mt. Wolf, Pennsylvania, was selected to receive a $24,675 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant to replace outdated, less efficient water pumps with new, efficient pumps to improve farm energy efficiency, create cost savings, and reduce energy use for raising fish.

Melon Acres, Inc. was selected to receive a $12,912 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Feasibility Study Grant to study the feasibility of generating butanol from the farm's cull watermelons and cantaloupe.
Full Press Release

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) selected the following Indiana fuel retailers to install flexible fuel pumps at their existing fuel stations.
$43,032 – Eddies Service, Inc. of West Baden, IN
$16,636 – Austin West-Side Sunoco, Inc. of Austin, IN
$45,186 – Little Point Auto and Truck Stop, Inc. of Stilesville, IN
Full Press Release

Doug Bell and Dorothy Bell of Bell Land Trust received $6,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to install geothermal heating in a small office for their local grain elevator.  

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) selected seventy-eight (78) of Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources’ clients in 2010 to receive grants and loan guarantees for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects (totaling over $2 million in funding) through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
Full Press Release

Sarah is with a successful 2009 applicant named Bruce Brown of Tip Top Farms. Photos taken by Chad Martin.