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03/08/2010
<br />This final program element serves to provide each region with the resources necessary to help
<br />facilitate the rapid adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation system
<br />installations throughout the target area by connecting property owners to any and all available on-
<br />the- ground or proposed resources, and services, providing a streamlined framework for easy
<br />navigation, reduced out -of- pocket expenses, and overall increased cost effectiveness for both
<br />participants and the program overall. The focus of the program will be to create region -wide (or
<br />county -wide, where appropriate) cooperative project design, implementation, marketing, and
<br />coordination to maximize economies of scale, take advantage of overlapping markets, and
<br />ultimately allow each dollar to go further to benefit all parties.
<br />Financina C osts and Fee
<br />A. Financing Costs
<br />As Program Administrator of the California Communities CaliforniaFIRST Program, Renewable
<br />Funding will coordinate and provide program administration, financing, and legal services to
<br />support a robust statewide municipal financing program. Specific financing costs are concentrated
<br />at the start of the program and result in increased fees to a program participant, and therefore a
<br />higher effective interest rate. In order to Lower the interest rate, the SEP funds will be used to
<br />cover bond disclosure counsel, bond rating fees, and a bond fiscal agent. In addition, a direct
<br />interest rate buy -.down will be employed to achieve a bond rate that is equivalent to an A -rated
<br />bond, which is likely to be the bond rating Later in the program.
<br />B. Set -up Fees
<br />A funding request equivalent to the city and county set -up fees will be included in the proposal.
<br />The costs for initial legal work and validation proceedings will be covered by this request.
<br />Additionally, the costs of establishing county web portals, importing local assessor's data, and
<br />maintaining the website will be part of this funding request.
<br />Suggested Major Marketing Program Coordination & Marketing Pro ram Elements
<br />A. Agency Coordination / Steering Committee Participation
<br />In recognition of the additional coordination time required to get new programs off the ground,
<br />individual counties may elect to include a modest amount of staff time for agency representatives
<br />to participate in the program steering committee and other activities to drive marketing program
<br />design, educational /marketing material development, form and protocol development, etc. By
<br />investing this time at the onset, we are able to develop a self- sustaining program for the long
<br />term. County agencies (that is, auditor /tax collector /controller) will receive a small percentage,
<br />incorporated into each loan, to cover regular ongoing program administration costs associated with
<br />maintaining the tax roll and collecting annual assessments in years beyond the grant term. Some
<br />jurisdictions may instead wish to contribute this time as project leveraged funds /resources to
<br />increase overall program cost effectiveness based on their individual needs and resources.
<br />Regional partnership may also elect to use a portion of the resources from this program element
<br />toward informal or formalized staff /personnel training within their jurisdictions.
<br />B. Education / Outreach/ Marketing
<br />Successful program adoption requires thoughtful design, convenient procedures, and a robust
<br />program education component to encourage and energize program participation. Achieving this
<br />goal, the project team will create clear, consistent, and thematic program branding imagery,
<br />educational and recruitment tools such as program brochures. The program will be supported by
<br />the CaliforniaFIRST web portal and links to new and existing partner and complementary websites,
<br />frequently asked questions, applications, and /or other program materials. In addition, the project
<br />will engage a wide - stretching network of partners to promote, recruit, and disseminate program
<br />information utilizing existing mechanisms of door -to -door outreach, community event tabling,
<br />workshops and presentations, or other appropriate energy efficiency and complementary program
<br />participation activities. Major elements might include:
<br />✓ Outreach Promotional Materials: Brochures, Door - hangers, Postcard Mailers, Bill Inserts, etc.
<br />✓ Program Marketing Advertisements: Print Ads, Radio /TV Ads, PSA Production
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