EPA Opens $400M for 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program
Eligible applicants: states, local governments, nonprofits, tribal entities. Applications are due: August 22, 2023
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (this program is currently accepting applications)
Opportunity: Clean School Bus Grant Program
Overview and Eligible Uses: The Clean School Bus Grant Program provides funds to expand fleets of zero emissions (ZE) school buses or clean school buses, which operate by using alternative fuels.
Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which they propose to replace buses that serve high-need local educational agencies; rural school districts; Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school districts. The EPA will also prioritize funding to applicants that leverage additional external funds, such as public-private partnerships, grants from other entities, or the issuance of school bonds, in order to support the proposed project activities.
Applicants must request to replace between 15 and 100 school buses, depending on the applicant type, with up to $395,000 available for an individual ZE bus and charging infrastructure.
Amount: $400 million total will be available for the 2023 award year, and EPA anticipates making between 25 and 50 awards. Funds will be awarded by EPA region, of which there are 9, with between $27M to $59M allocated to each region.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law created the Clean School Bus Program and funded it with $5B over five years.
Award Type: Competitive grants and cooperative agreements. The 2022 CSB Program was a rebate program issued by lottery. This program will be application-based, and EPA will open a new round of rebate opportunities later this year.
Eligible Applicants:
State and local governmental entities that provide bus service, including public school districts
Eligible contractors
Nonprofit school transportation associations
Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or Tribally-controlled schools responsible for the purchase, lease, license, or contract for service of school buses or for providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funded school
Key Dates: Applications are due August 22, 2023
Key Links:
Website: Clean School Bus Program Grants (EPA)
Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.