Washington Energy Grants

The Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership, in collaboration with the City of Kennewick’s Community Development Department, is excited to announce the relaunch of the Downtown Kennewick Façade Improvement Grant Program Donor Name: Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership State: Washington City: Kennewick Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants Deadline:  07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose of the Façade Improvement Program is to build a cohesive image, promote coordination with improved signage and store graphics, and compliment adjacent building façades. To qualify for assistance the project must be in compliance with City of Kennewick Façade Improvement Program Underwriting Guidelines. Starting work without approval will result in disqualification from the program and denial of requests for reimbursement. Funding Information Up to $25,000 per storefront. Eligible Improvements: Cleaning and painting New awnings, canopies, and signs Gutters and downspouts Exterior wall repairs Building-mounted lighting Door and window repairs and replacements Accessibility improvements Eligibility Criteria Project must be located in the target area. Work must not have been started on the project prior to approved application. Applications will be evaluated for consistency with approved color palette by Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership’s Design Committee. The committee encourages use of color and patterns in a sophisticated, restrained application that places vibrant colors on small areas (building highlights and trim features), and uses softer, more subdued or muted colors for the main building elements. Applications must be accompanied by the required documentation before being reviewed by the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership. Any signage or awnings paid for by this grant must remain the permanent property of the building or it may be relocated to another building within the Revitalization Area with written approval of the City’s CDBG Coordinator. If the applicant is a tenant of a building, tenant must have at least three (3) years left in lease agreement. For more information, visit Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership.

This funding opportunity supports community organizations, tribal groups, local governments, and ports in reducing air pollution through projects like replacing diesel vehicles and installing electric vehicle charging stations in overburdened areas of King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various public and nonprofit entities for replacing outdated diesel marine engines with cleaner technologies and for training programs that prepare individuals for careers in zero-emission transportation.

The Washington State Department of COMMERCE, hereafter called “COMMERCE,” is initiating this Request for Applications (RFA) to fund clean energy projects in Washington through a combination of funding sources. Donor Name: Washington State Department of Commerce State: Washington County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Commerce is now accepting applications to support the planning, design, and construction of clean energy projects through a general round which is open to all eligible project types and applicants. Approximately $34 million will be available in the general round to support the following project areas: Electric grid modernization and innovation Innovative large-scale and dual-use solar Solar energy retrofits for public buildings Clean energy project siting and permitting Building, industry, aviation and maritime Decarbonization Clean energy projects that leverage private and federal funding. Project Categories  Large scale solar innovation Planning or a construction project. Planning project must lead to a capital asset. Solar array(s) must have alternating current (AC) nameplate capacity of more than 100 kW at a single site or more than 1 MW across multiple sites Cannot displace critical habitat or productive farmland Dual-use solar Planning or a construction project Must involve commercial, dual-use solar power demonstration Hard to decarbonize and economic development Planning or a construction project. Planning project must lead to a capital asset. Project must achieve one or more of the following goals: Reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sector Bring private investment and federal funding to the state Grid integration and innovation Planning or a construction project Must develop and demonstrate distributed energy resources and non-wire alternatives Must be for electrical grid integration and innovation projects Must do at least one of the following: Support implementation of demand response Improve integration of renewable energy and energy storage Advance community resilience Support implementation of sustainable microgrids Accelerate beneficial load integration and demand management for at least one of the following: Building electrification Equipment electrification Electric vehicle charging Clean energy siting and permitting Planning projects only Must support siting and permitting of clean energy projects through at least one of the following methods: Support pre-development work at sites for clean energy projects Support land use studies Conduct or engage in planning efforts such as planned actions and programmatic environmental impact statements (EIS) Improve permit timeliness and certainty with staff, expertise or databases Solar installations on existing public buildings Construction projects only Must purchase and install solar PV only at an existing public building (must have a certificate of occupancy prior to application). Funding Information The minimum award amount is $50,000, and the maximum award amount for a single award is $3,000,000. Eligibility Criteria  Unless the Applicant is a federally recognized tribe, applicants must be licensed to do business in the State of Washington or submit a statement of commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as an Apparently Successful Contractor. Applicants must be in good standing with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and requirements, including with the Department of Commerce. Applicants must be one of the following entities (please note, not all entities are eligible for all project categories. Associate development organization Federally recognized tribal government For-profit entity Investor-owned, co-operative, or public retail electric utility K-12 school district Local government Non-profit organization Private educational institution or public higher education institution Other academic or research institution State agency Tribes’ contracted service providers. For more information, visit WSDC.

The Washington State Department of Commerce, hereafter called “COMMERCE,” is initiating this Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit Proposals from those qualified and interested in participating in a project that will serve counties throughout Washington State to weatherize multifamily buildings. Donor Name: Washington State Department of Commerce State: Washington County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: Commerce is looking for an entity that will act as an additional agency and/or to expand current weatherization agency services with a focus solely on increasing the energy efficiency and lowering the energy burden in multifamily buildings. Commerce is prioritizing service to traditionally hard-to-reach markets, including serving a broader category of homes and underserved regions of Washington State. Funding Information COMMERCE has budgeted an amount not to exceed $7,301,514.13 for this project. West Region Program Operations: $1,343,729 Admin Total Award: $149,303 Total: $1,493,032 East Region Program Operations: $1,950,462 Admin Total Award: $216,718 Total: $2,167,180 Central Region Program Operations: $1,797,622 Admin Total Award: $199,736 Total: $1,997,357 Coastal North Region Program Operations: $1,479,550 Admin Total Award: $164,394 Total: $1,643,945. Funding Period July 10th 2024 – June 30th 2027. Minimum Qualifications Minimum qualifications include: Licensed to do business in the State of Washington or submit a statement of commitment that business will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Contractor. Two years of experience with weatherizing multifamily buildings. One year of demonstrated experience implementing weatherization, residential energy efficiency measures, and/or health & safety remediation programs for multifamily properties. For more information, visit WSDC.

The Farmland Preservation Grant program provides funding to buy development rights on farmlands to ensure they remain available for farming in the future. Donor Name: Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office State: Washington County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Grant recipients also may use some of the funding to restore natural functions to improve the land’s viability for farming. The program is part of the larger Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, which was created in 1990 to buy land for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, to keep pace with a growing population. In 2005, the state Legislature expanded the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to include preservation of significant farmland. Typical Projects Buying a conservation easement on farmland threatened with development. Funding Information No grant limits, except for the following: Enhancement and restoration elements may not exceed more than half of the total acquisition costs, including match toward acquisition. Farm stewardship plans may not exceed $10,000. Eligible Projects Land acquisition through easements and leases (required for all projects). Public access is not required. Enhancement or restoration, such as installing fences to keep livestock out of streams, replanting riverbanks, restoring historic water runoff patterns, improving irrigation, and installing solar well pumps. These activities must further the ecological functions of the farmland. Combination of land acquisition and either restoration or enhancement Stewardship plans. Who May Apply? Cities Counties Nonprofit nature conservancy corporations or associations State Conservation Commission. Ineligible Projects Acquisition of rights for less than 25 years, of land already owned by the government, or of property acquired via a condemnation Consumable supplies such as fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, except as a one-time application in an otherwise eligible restoration activity Elements that cannot be defined as fixtures or capital items Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as meth labs Indoor facilities Organizational operating expenses or overhead Purchase of maintenance equipment, tools, or supplies Restoration work done before a grant agreement is signed Transfer of development rights. For more information, visit WSRCO.

The Public Works Board (Board) Broadband program is authorized by state statute (RCW 43.155.160). Its purpose is to loan and grant funding to promote the expansion of broadband access to unserved populations in rural and urban communities across the state. $2 million per project loan/grant award limit with a 50% match. Projects in financially distressed areas and Indian country may receive up to 90% of the total project cost for a total not to exceed $5 million.

Our Water Quality Combined Funding Program is an integrated funding program for projects that improve and protect water quality throughout the state. The program combines grants and loans from state and federal funding sources. We also provide technical assistance to program applicants to help them navigate this process. We have one combined funding cycle, one application, one competitive rating process, and one list of funding offers. Applicants submit just one application for all of the funding sources under the Water Quality Combined Funding Program. Amount of funding available: Varies based on the state budget — ranges from $100 million to $200 million annually. Grant award limit: Varies depending on funding source and project type. See the current funding year guidelines below for more information. Amount of matching funds required: Depends on the funding source you receive, can be up to 25 percent match required.

LIHEAP provides energy assistance to households in Washington through a network of community action agencies and local partners. These local organizations will help determine your eligibility and how much assistance you might receive. If you qualify, your local LIHEAP agency will send a payment directly to your energy utility on behalf of your household. LIHEAP primarily assists households by making an energy assistance grant directly to the energy provider on behalf of the eligible household. LIHEAP may also help repair or replace an unsafe, dysfunctional, and inoperative heating or cooling system in some situations. Households eligible for LIHEAP may also qualify to have their homes made more energy efficient through the Weatherization Program. The amount of money awarded to your household will depend on multiple factors. For example, each household’s size, income and annual heat cost will affect the amount of their LIHEAP grant. You’ll have to schedule a LIHEAP appointment with the provider in your community to find out how much you could receive.