Public Electric Vehicle Charging Grant

The District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) has released a grant opportunity titled "Public Electric Vehicle Charging" (RFA-FY25-PCD-872), aimed at expanding publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Washington, DC. This initiative reflects the city’s broader environmental and transportation goals as established by multiple plans and legislative actions including the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act (2018), Climate Commitment Act (2022), and the Transportation Electrification Roadmap (2021). These strategies aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and increase access to clean transportation alternatives. To support these objectives, the grant offers a total funding pool of $609,500, drawn from the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement fund. DOEE is seeking applications from qualified entities capable of planning, purchasing, installing, owning, operating, and maintaining Level 2 EV chargers located at or near DC Government-owned properties. Projects may include installations in public rights-of-way and should comprise at least 14 grid-powered chargers and a minimum of two chargers that are either solar-plus-grid-powered or solar-plus-battery-powered. Applicants are expected to propose robust and cost-effective plans, including clear strategies for securing required permits, engaging with stakeholders such as government agencies and utility providers, and ensuring charger reliability and accessibility. Equipment must meet or exceed industry standards, and applicants should provide warranty details, maintenance plans, and operational life estimates. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status, faith-based organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and private enterprises. Applications must be submitted through the DOEE Grants Application Portal by 11:59 p.m. on September 22, 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. A pre-application information session is scheduled for Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. via Webex. Although not mandatory, participation is encouraged to clarify expectations and improve proposal quality. Additional updates and responses to applicant questions will be posted to the DOEE website and shared via email with those who opt in. Proposals must include a complete application narrative addressing goals and objectives, target locations, project outputs and outcomes, and the proposed implementation timeline. Detailed budget breakdowns are required, along with a justification for all line items and documentation of any matching contributions. Eligible administrative costs include staff salaries, travel, contracted services, construction, and maintenance. All expenditures are subject to DOEE approval and reimbursement policies, and grantees may request an advance only under limited circumstances. Evaluation will be conducted by a review panel and scored across multiple criteria including cost effectiveness, technical viability, qualifications of key personnel, innovation, equitable distribution of chargers, and long-term operational reliability. The grant period runs from the award date through September 30, 2027, with the possibility of extension based on performance and availability of additional funds. Quarterly progress reports and a final summary report are required deliverables. Grantees must also report key metrics including installation counts, location data, usage costs, and charger performance. All installations must ensure public accessibility, ADA compliance, and multilingual support options. Interested applicants should direct questions to Mel Hogg via email at 2025PublicEVCharging.grants@dc.gov or by phone at (202) 535-2600. The full Request for Applications (RFA) document is available on DOEE’s website or by email request referencing the RFA number. This funding opportunity represents a strategic investment in sustainable urban infrastructure and supports the District’s transition to a cleaner, more resilient transportation future.

DOEE advises attending the pre-application session and reviewing past scoring criteria. They also provide a 4-part training series on effective grant writing.