![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509065129im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Grants & Funding
There are multiple ways to fund school bus retrofit and replacement programs. Below is a list of resources that will help identify potential funding.
- 2009 EPA Request for Proposals
- Tips for School Districts Seeking Grant Funds
- Other EPA Funding Sources
- Other Federal Funding Sources
- State and Local Funding Sources
- Other Sources of Funding
Clean School Bus USA
Grant & Funding Archive
2009 EPA Request for Proposals
The National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program provides funding to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines through a variety of strategies, including but not limited to: add-on emission control retrofit technologies; idle reduction technologies; cleaner fuel use; engine repowers; engine upgrades; and/or vehicle or equipment replacement; and the creation of innovative finance programs to fund diesel emissions reduction projects. Under this grant program, funding is restricted to the use of EPA verified and certified diesel emission reduction technologies.
The National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program is administered by EPA’s Regional Offices and their clean diesel collaborative partners. Request for Proposals (RFPs) will be found on each of the Regional Clean Diesel Collaboratives' Web sites.
Request for Proposals for 2009 National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program are scheduled to be posted in February 2009.
Tips for School Districts Seeking Grant Funds
- Sign up for email alerts by subscribing to EPA Clean Diesel News on National Clean Diesel Campaign's home page.
- Begin preparing now for future opportunities:
- Browse the Clean School Bus USA web site to familiarize yourself with the range of options for reducing school bus pollution
- Check the federal government's comprehensive grants web site
for information about applying for federal grant programs. - Assess the school bus fleet(s) you wish to upgrade by compiling information about vehicle and engine models, ages, annual mileage, and so on.
- Identify local resources that could be used to match or leverage additional funding.
- Take action now by implementing no cost or low cost practices that reduce emissions and exposure to diesel exhaust. See Clean School Bus Idle Reduction.
Other EPA Funding Sources
-
EPA's Smart Growth Program
(Maintained by EPA's Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation)
The Smart Growth Program is an alternative to sprawl and urban decay, and is an innovative approach to addressing EPA's environmental mandates. The goal of smart growth is to work with communities, businesses, industry, state and local officials and others to shape land use and growth so that it has minimum impact on environmental, economic, and community health. There are some grant programs that may support school bus projects: -
EPA Performance Partnership Grants
(Maintained by EPA's Office of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations)
Performance Partnership Grants (PPG) are multi-program grants made to state or tribal agencies of EPA funds allocated for categorical grant programs. They are non-regulatory and provide States and Tribes the option to combine funds from two or more categorical grants. Under regulatory authority (since 1996) this policy covers sixteen program grants (including air pollution control). They are funded from EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grants appropriation. -
EPA Program Grants (Guidance)
(Maintained by EPA's Grants Administration Division, Region 5, and Purdue University)
In addition to defining Federal grants, this site provides a table of actual use of EPA grants administered. Historically, EPA has funded both state and local programs in all environmental media. A number of grants are targeted towards research and demonstration projects, while others support various program activities.
Other Federal Funding Sources
-
Government-wide grants information and resources
(Maintained by the US Federal Highway Administration)
Comprehensive Web site with information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs. -
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ)
(Maintained by the US Federal Highway Administration)
The primary purpose of the CMAQ program is to fund projects and programs in areas with air quality programs which reduce transportation-related emissions. This listing provides a variety of CMAQ information in your area which may include your city or state's CMAQ budget, on-going or potential CMAQ projects, CMAQ grant funding agencies and contacts. Look to this site for ideas in implementing retrofit projects and funding information. Simply select any state to obtain its CMAQ information. (Note: This may not be the most current budget information. Please contact the State office for budget update if available.) -
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(Maintained by the US Federal Highway Administration)
The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) authorizes expenditures of $218 billion from 1998 to 2003 to fund the development and maintenance of the nation's transportation infrastructure, while protecting the environment and enhancing economic growth. The largest public works program ever authorized, it is having a significant impact on the air quality programs and issues being addressed by the EPA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and state and local agencies. EPA also has more information in Air Quality Opportunities in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) (PDF). (3 pp, 14K, EPA400-F-99-001, Feb. 1999) -
Clean Fuels Formula Grants
(Maintained by the US Federal Transit Administration)
The Clean Fuels Formula Grant program is a new formula grant program created by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) intended to assist non-attainment and maintenance areas in achieving or maintaining attainment status. Under the program, maintenance and non-attainment areas, as defined by the EPA, can apply for funds to acquire clean fuel vehicles, to re-power or retrofit engines for clean fuels operation, and to construct or improve facilities to support these vehicles. The legislation defines clean fuel vehicles as those powered by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, biodiesel fuels, batteries, alcohol-based fuels, hybrid electric, fuel cell and clean diesel, and other low or zero emissions technology that sufficiently reduces harmful emissions. -
Catalog of All Federal Domestic Assistance
(Maintained by the US Department of Health and Human Services)
The Catalog of all Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) is a government-wide compendium of all 1,425 Federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public and is available from the General Services Administration. -
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: Air Pollution Control Program Support
This listing of air pollution controls funding programs is provided to assist State, Tribal, Municipal, Inter-municipal, and Interstate agencies in planning, developing, establishing, improving, and maintaining adequate programs for prevention and control of air pollution or implementation of national primary and secondary air quality standards.
State and Local Funding Sources
-
Carl Moyer Clean Engine Incentive Program
(California only) (Maintained by the California Air Resources Board)
The Carl Moyer Program is administered by the California Environmental Protection Agency's Air Resources Board (ARB). Funds are distributed through local air districts. Incentives, in the form of grants for private companies or public agencies operating heavy-duty engines in California, will cover an incremental portion of the cost of cleaner on-road, nonroad, marine and locomotive engines. -
Oregon Non-point Source Pollution Control Facilities Tax Credit
(Maintained by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality)
The State of Oregon offers a tax credit for Oregon taxpayers who purchase a "pollution control facility" (includes any equipment or device) used to reduce or control air pollution. The tax credit applies to retrofit technologies verified by the EPA's Retrofit Diesel Program. Information about the application procedures, fees, and assessment of cost can be found following this link to Oregon's Pollution Control Facilities Tax Credit Program. -
Dallas, Texas Adopt-a-School Bus Dallas
This is a cooperative partnership between the American Lung Association, EPA, State Agencies, local elected officials, and corporate sponsors was established as a nonprofit grant program to aid local school districts replacing their aging, diesel school bus fleets with new "clean fuel" buses. The program is administered by an independent Steering Committee and operates under the auspices of the American Lung Association.
-
Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP)
(Maintained by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission)
The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), is a comprehensive set of incentive programs aimed at improving air quality in Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality administers TERP grants and other financial TERP incentives. Additional financial incentive and assistance programs are administered by other state agencies. The TERP was not funded in 2002.
Other Sources of Funding
- In addition to the sources listed above, some school bus retrofit programs have been funded through state-negotiated settlements in legal actions against companies that violated state environmental laws. Please contact your state environmental agency about the possibility of receiving money resulting from an enforcement action.
- Toyota Motor Corporation has announced
plans to provide financial assistance to school districts
interested in retrofitting school buses and purchasing ultra-low
sulfur diesel fuel. Parties interested in these retrofits
may contact Toyota and obtain more information by calling
703-934-3040 or going to Toyota's Clean Buses for Kids.