Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I apply for an EcoPartnership if I already have a working relationship with a Chinese/American partner?
A. Yes! If you already have a working relationship with a Chinese/American partner—or if you have a particular Chinese/American organization in mind for a partnership—you are encouraged to apply to the EcoPartnership program.
Q: Do I have to identify a matching partner organization in China/US before I apply?
A: No, apply as soon as you are seriously interested, and we’ll do our best to help you find an appropriate match in the other country. We can help suggest a range of potential matches.
Q. Is the EcoPartnership program competitive?
A. Yes. EcoPartnership proposals are vetted by the EcoPartnership Secretariat, and only the best-designed, most promising partnership proposals are approved. Applicants who are not selected to be EcoPartners are encouraged to improve their proposals and apply subsequently.
Q: How can I get funding for my partnership?
A: Currently, the EcoPartnership program is not designed to provide project funding to individual EcoPartners.
Q: Is there a registration fee?
A: No.
Q: What are the ongoing requirements of an EcoPartnership?
A: Each EcoPartnership is different, but generally each leadership team visits its counterpart, on-site, at least once a year. With modern technology, team leaders are encouraged to conduct frequent video teleconferences, and exchange very frequent emails and phone calls. Also, every six months, each team leader is expected to submit a brief update to his country’s EcoPartnership Secretariat, to keep the EcoPartnership program up-to-date on the progress and potential problems of the collaboration.
Q: What is the duration of an EcoPartnership?
A: Each EcoPartnership will be different, but the target length of an EcoPartnership is 5-10 years.
Q: What are the benefits to me of associating my partnership with the US-China Ecopartnership program? What does the federal government promise and/or provide to EcoPartners?
A: An EcoPartnership provides a rare opportunity to participate in a program sanctioned jointly by the Governments of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. Being an EcoPartner means that you are one of a tiny handful of governments, universities, or companies to be selected at the national level, at this meaningful phrase in U.S.-China clean energy diplomacy.
Q: How long does it take to become an accepted EcoPartnership?
A: The 3-step EcoPartnership application phase usually lasts between 2-3 months. Both U.S. and Chinese Secretariats must approve your Statement of Interest, and then your Statement of Intent and Action Plan may be submitted to the U.S. Secretariat.
Q: Can an EcoPartnership be profit-focused?
A: Yes.