Thank you for visiting the clean energy page of the UMVRDC! This page will show available clean energy and resilience-related federal and state grant opportunities and will be updated often. Please contact Nick Gjerde, UMVRDC Clean Energy Community Development Specialist for additional information or application assistance by sending an email to: nick@umvrdc.org.
Planning Grants for Stormwater, Wastewater, and Community Resilience
Purpose: Provides an opportunity for these communities to assess vulnerabilities and begin planning for the effects of Minnesota’s changing climate in three areas: 1. How to increase resilience to stormwater and reduce localized flood risk. 2. How to improve the resilience of wastewater systems. 3. How to reduce human health effects and adapt community services, ordinances, and public spaces to the changing climate.
Deadline: December 5, 2024
Implementation Grants for Community Resilience
Purpose: For non-stormwater and non-wastewater implementation projects to increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Deadline: December 19, 2024
Clean School Bus Program
The Environmental Protection Agency through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5 billion over five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission clean school buses. Program is available either through a rebate program or a grant funding program.
Application due: January 9, 2025
MPCA Local Climate Action Planning Grants
The MPCA is seeking proposals for planning projects that enable local jurisdictions to adapt to extreme weather events and a changing climate and/or to reduce the local jurisdiction’s contributions to the causes of climate change.
Application due: January 9, 2025
MPCA Local Climate Action Implementation Grants
The MPCA is seeking proposals for implementation projects that enable local jurisdictions to adapt to extreme weather events and a changing climate and/or to reduce the local jurisdiction’s contributions to the causes of climate change.
Application due: January 9, 2025
MPCA Small Community Planning Grants for Stormwater, Wastewater, and Community Resilience
Purpose: This funding provides an opportunity for communities of populations with less than 10,000 people to assess vulnerabilities and begin planning for the effects of Minnesota’s changing climate in three areas: increased resilience to stormwater and reduced localized flood risk, improved resilience of wastewater systems, and reduced human health effects and adapting community services, ordinances, and public spaces to the changing climate.
Deadline: January 17, 2025
Solar for Schools
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has funding available to promote the installation of solar energy systems on Minnesota schools while using the opportunity to integrate renewable energy use into school curriculum. The overall maximum grant is $500,000 outside of Xcel service territory and $675,000 within Xcel service territory.
Readiness Assessment due: January 2025 (tentative)
Full grant application (pending successful Readiness Assessment): May 2025 (tentative)
Energy Improvements in Rural and Remote Areas
Purpose: 1. Provide cleaner, more resilient, more reliable, and/or cheaper local energy sources for rural and remote communities. 2. Increase community capacity to plan, build, and operate clean energy systems, e.g., by developing available technical expertise locally and with partners, and/or increasing community support for those projects. 3. Demonstrate models of approaches, visions, and paths to share with and support similar communities pursuing clean energy planning and projects. 4. Identify and publish further needs and opportunities for supporting rural and remote clean energy projects, to share with interested parties.
Concept Paper due: February 27, 2025
Full Application due: August 28, 2025
Renew America’s Schools
Purpose: To promote the implementation of clean energy improvements at K-12 public schools across the country. Energy infrastructure improvements that reduce building operating costs – like new HVAC and ventilation systems, building envelope and lighting projects, and renewable energy technologies.
Deadline: The Department of Energy anticipates opening applications for a third round of funding in Fall 2025.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
The Minnesota Department of Commerce has provided the UMVRDC with funding through their Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) program utilizing funds from the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Cities may apply to the UMVRDC to use the funds of up to $20,000 for a variety of energy planning and project development uses that result in measurable increases in energy efficiency or renewable energy.
Application due: No deadline, however projects must be complete by June 30, 2026. Disadvantaged communities have priority access to funding until December 31, 2024.
Click here to view the EECBG fact sheet.
Click here to view community energy planning suggestions.
Click here to view the application.
Minnesota Energy Storage Incentives
Purpose: To provide incentives to stimulate the installation of storage systems paired with solar PV installation systems outside of Xcel service territory.
Deadline: Funds available on a first come, first serve basis until the funding has been fully distributed or June 30, 2027, whichever occurs first.
Direct/Elective Pay Can Help Finance Projects
Through the Inflation Reduction Act, a new IRS tax credit rule provides a rebate to nontax paying governments to incentivize 12 existing tax credit programs. Creating a minimum 30% financing support for things like clean energy production and clean vehicles. Governments can do multiple projects that receive credit. Direct/elective pay is a reimbursement you claim after completing the project.
Application due: You must claim the reimbursement in the tax year you expend the funds.
