Funding Opportunities
/Driving PA Forward
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has a program that makes rebates available to businesses, governments, and other entities that install electric vehicle charging stations on their properties. The Driving PA Forward Initiative opened in September 2018 and is designed to improve air quality in Pennsylvania by making the option to drive clean vehicles more accessible. Through this program, Pennsylvania’s goal is to permanently reduce NOx emissions by as much as 27,000 tons.
Details on the program and grant application forms can be found at: www.depgis.state.pa.us/DrivingPAForward.
Energy Efficiency Projects
The Sustainable Energy Fund Program provides financial assistance for energy efficiency projects through grants and loans. The Program supports commercial, industrial, municipal, agricultural, and nonprofit entities implementing energy efficiency or renewable energy projects. Eligible projects include such improvements as solar photovoltaic and wind energy systems, lighting retrofits, HVAC upgrades, and building envelope enhancements. The Program offers three financing options, each with distinct benefits. Details on the program and FAQs can be found at: https://www.thesef.org/get-financing/.
Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized to provide financial, technical, and other assistance to state officials in cooperative efforts to organize, train, and equip local forces in rural areas or communities under 10,000 in population to prevent, control, and suppress fires which threaten Human life, Livestock, Wildlife, Crops, Pastures, Orchards, Woodlands, Farmsteads, and other improvements in rural areas. The key objectives of this program are to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Therefore, the selection of the participating agencies must be based on vulnerability and the adequacy of existing fire protection. This is a cost-share program. Financial assistance on any project during any fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures, including expenditures of local, public, and private nonprofit organizations participating in the agreement. The maximum grant for 2020 is $10,000. The 2020 grant round will open in February of 2020. Successful recipients will be notified in late July of 2020.
Pennsylvania fire company officers can apply for Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grants using DCNR’s Grant Portal: https://www.grants.dcnr.state.pa.us/.
Natural Gas Distribution Lines
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)’s Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) provides grants to construct the last few miles of natural gas distribution lines to business parks, existing manufacturing and industrial enterprises, which will result in the creation of new economic base jobs in the commonwealth while providing access to natural gas for residents. Funds may be used for acquisition, construction, and site preparation costs associated with extending natural gas pipelines to serve eligible applicants. Funds may be used for acquisition, construction, and site preparation costs associated with extending natural gas pipelines to serve eligible applicants (Economic Development Organizations, Businesses, Municipalities, Hospitals, or School Districts).
For more information visit https://dced.pa.gov/programs/pipeline-investment-program/.