Scoring
How REAP applications are scored
USDA ranks every eligible application on a 90-point scale, plus up to 10 priority points. Applications must score at least 40 points to be funded. (7 CFR §4280.140(d)-(e); §4280.150)
Last updated . Reflects USDA's October 1, 2026 final rule.
Estimate my score| Criterion | Points | How it's scored |
|---|---|---|
| Impact (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(1)) | 0–10 | 5 points if you employ at least 3 people besides the owners. 5 points if your business provides critical community services, such as a grocery store, laundry, veterinary clinic, or medical office. |
| Energy per grant dollar (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(2)) | 0–25 | Annual energy saved or produced, in BTUs, divided by the grant dollars requested, then divided by 100. Capped at 25. |
| Percent saved or replaced (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(3)) | 0–20 | Efficiency: share of energy saved versus the 12 months before. Renewable: share of your 12-month use that the system replaced. See tables below. |
| Environmental benefits (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(4)) | 0–5 | 3 points if the project produces no greenhouse gases. 1 point for addressing fire hazards on forest lands. 1 point for water conservation (efficiency) or EPA renewable fuel standard compliance (renewable). |
| Prior awards (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(5)) | 0–15 | 15 if you have never received a REAP award. 5 if none in the two previous federal fiscal years. 0 if you received one within that period. |
| Simple payback (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(6)) | 0–15 | Project cost divided by the yearly dollar value of energy saved or produced. Shorter payback scores higher. See tables below. |
| Priority points (7 CFR §4280.140(e)) | 0–10 | Set by USDA and posted on the program website. Not yet published. |
Percent of energy saved or replaced
| Efficiency: % saved | Points |
|---|---|
| 9.4% or less | 0 |
| 9.5%–19.4% | 5 |
| 19.5%–34.4% | 10 |
| 34.5%–49.4% | 15 |
| 49.5% and above | 20 |
| Renewable: % replaced | Points |
|---|---|
| 9.4% or less | 0 |
| 9.5%–24.4% | 5 |
| 24.5%–49.4% | 10 |
| 49.5%–74.4% | 15 |
| 74.5%–109.4% | 20 |
| 109.5% and above | 0 |
Note: oversizing a renewable system to more than about 110% of your use scores zero on this criterion. (7 CFR §4280.140(d)(3)(ii))
Simple payback
| Efficiency payback | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 4 years | 15 |
| At least 4 and up to 7 | 10 |
| At least 8 and up to 12 | 5 |
| More than 12 | 0 |
| Renewable payback | Points |
|---|---|
| Less than 10 years | 15 |
| At least 10 and up to 14 | 10 |
| At least 15 and up to 25 | 5 |
| More than 25 years | 0 |
The rule's payback tables do not say how to score paybacks between 7 and 8 years (efficiency) or between 14 and 15 years (renewable). Our estimator shows a range for those cases.
How winners are picked
- Requests of $20,000 or less compete first for reserved funds, funded in rank order. (7 CFR §4280.150(a))
- For all other requests, USDA first funds the top-scoring application from each state (the top two per state if more than $100 million is available), then funds the rest in national rank order. (7 CFR §4280.150(b))
- No application below 40 points is funded. (7 CFR §4280.150)
Source: USDA final rule, Federal Register 2026-20178 (Oct. 1, 2026).
See your points before you apply
Enter your project numbers and get an estimated score out of 90, with every criterion explained.