On February 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) announced more than $366 million for 17 projects across 20 states and 30 Tribal Nations and communities to support clean energy deployment. The funding is through the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). All 17 projects are located in or adjacent to disadvantaged communities that are disproportionally overburdened by pollution and historically underserved and cover a wide range of technologies including solar and battery storage systems, microgrids, hydropower, heat pumps, biomass, and electric vehicle charging. One of the projects is led by the Wisconsin Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy and seeks to increase regional energy reliability by deploying microgrids in 23 rural communities who experience frequent outages. Additionally, a partnership between the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, Efficiency Maine, and MaineHousing was awarded a grant to install high-efficiency heat pump systems in approximately 675 manufactured homes located in rural areas of Maine and expand workforce training for local installers to perform the installations.