Current Grant Opportunities

Clean Heavy-Duty Off-Road Equipment Grants

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now accepting applications for grant funds to replace or improve heavy-duty off-road diesel equipment, eligible under the federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA). Recipients can use the funds for cleaner diesel, alternative fuels, hybrid, or all-electric equipment, helping reduce emissions from older, diesel-powered equipment. Applications are due Dec. 20, 2024.

The maximum grant funding per project is $500,000. The money comes from Minnesota’s share of the national Volkswagen (VW) settlement and DERA. Grantees will be required to provide a cash match. The funding for these grants expires Sept. 30, 2026, but awarded projects are encouraged to complete projects as quickly as possible after grant agreements are executed.

Learn more and apply for a Clean Heavy-Duty Off-Road Grant.

Active Transportation Planning Assistance Grants

Communities across Minnesota are invited to apply for Active Transportation Planning Assistance through the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Approximately $1 million of technical assistance is available through this solicitation. Applications are due Nov. 22.

These grants help communities of all sizes and types create action plans with assistance from a consultant. Action plans will analyze existing conditions, engage the community, determine ways to improve infrastructure and networks, and identify policies and programs to promote walking and bicycling. 

Each community will be responsible for further pursuit (i.e. construction costs) of action plan recommendations.

New this year, selected applicants will also choose a supplemental technical assistance project to keep momentum during the planning process. This project can be one of six options:

  • Demonstration infrastructure projects.
  • Basic cost-scoping estimates and/or preliminary engineering design layouts.
  • Photography and visioning graphics.
  • AT program and policy implementation roadmaps.
  • Targeted supplemental engagement activities.
  • Strategic communications development.

Learn more and apply for an Active Transportation Planning Assistance grant.

Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Grants program, which provides funding for the use of construction materials that have substantially lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of the program is to reimburse or provide incentives to eligible recipients for the use, in projects, of construction materials and products that have substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with all relevant stages of production, use, and disposal as compared to estimated industry averages of similar materials or products as determined by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The program also will help transportation agencies:

  • Develop specifications for collecting documentation of a materials embodied greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Develop or update technical specifications to allow for use of materials, products, and strategies that result in lower embodied carbon materials.
  • Establish a process to identify, verify, and use materials with lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.

Local governments and agencies are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Nov. 25.

Learn more and apply for Low-Carbon Transportation Materials funding.

2024 Active Transportation & Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Grants

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) State Aid for Local Transportation (SALT) is kicking off the 2024 Active Transportation (AT) and Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Infrastructure Solicitations on Sept. 23, 2024. Both solicitations will run concurrently and provide up to $16.252 million and $8.5 million, respectively, for funding eligible bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Improvements funded by these grants will require a useful life of at least 10 years and must be ready for construction in 2025 or 2026.

Strong projects will:

  • Mitigate safety hazards related to interacting with vehicular traffic.
  • Create safe and comfortable environments for walking and biking.
  • Connect communities and key destinations and boost public health. 

The first month of the solicitation schedule will be a period of submittals for Letters of Intent. Applicant entities can, but are not required, to submit potential projects to allow state aid staff to provide feedback on application strength and readiness. The full application submittal period will begin on Nov. 4, 2024, and close on Jan. 17, 2025. Project selections will be announced on or before April 30, 2025. 

Community Innovation grants

The Bush Foundation’s Community Innovation (CI) grant program is a flexible program that invests in great ideas and the people who power them across our region. The program aims to:

  • Develop, test, and spread great ideas.
  • Inspire, equip, and connect leaders.

Learn more and apply for a CI grant.

Establish a Local Housing Trust Fund With Help From the Minnesota Housing Partnership

The Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) is offering free assistance to rural communities to establish Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTF). Funds can be used for education on Local Housing Trust Funds, as well as implementation of LHTF programs and community engagement activities.

In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $4.8 million to a Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) State Match Program; with $1 million appropriated in a prior year, available funds for the state match program total $5.8 million. An application for state match funds is likely to be released in late summer or early fall.

Learn more and apply for free technical assistance from MHP to establish or implement your LHTF.

MNOSHA WSC: Safety Grant Program

The Safety Grant Program awards funds up to $10,000 to qualifying employers for projects designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to their workers.

To qualify, an employer must meet several conditions, including but not limited to:

  • Having been in business for at least two years.
  • Having at least one employee to create the employer/employee relationship.
  • Having workers’ compensation insurance.
  • Having had an on-site hazard survey conducted by a qualified safety professional and a written report of the findings and recommendations to reduce the risk of injury or illness to employees.
  • Having the knowledge and experience to complete the project and is committed to its implementation.
  • Being able to complete the project within 120 days of a fully executed contract.

To qualify, the project must be supported by all public entities involved and comply with federal, state, and local regulations where applicable.

Businesses that are the current focus of the Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation strategic plan will be given added priority. If your grant is approved, you will be notified in writing of the specific approval. Whether we approve your grant application or not, in no way diminishes, delays, or absolves you of any obligation to abate safety and health hazards. When a project is complete, the applicant must submit a certificate of completion form, with invoices and proof of payment, to the grants administrator, to initiate issuance of the grant. An employer that has received a grant for a particular worksite will not be eligible to receive another grant for that worksite during the two years after the date of their award.

Learn more and apply to the MNOSHA WSC: Safety Grant Program.

Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program

The Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program will equip cities, towns, counties, and other local governments and Tribal Nations to lower utilities costs, increase energy independence, expand the clean energy workforce, and take essential action to address climate change.

$4.3 million in state funding will be distributed to local governments to build solar arrays (system size up to 40 kilowatts) across Xcel Energy territory in Minnesota. These grants can be paired with federal clean energy tax credits now available to local governments.

Learn more and apply for Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program funding.

Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) provides loan and grant funding to deliver energy efficiency and electrification improvements to HUD-assisted housing, which can fund retrofitting properties up to $40,000-$80,000 per unit. HUD is accepting applications on a rolling basis, two will be occurring in 2024. Funded under the Inflation Reduction Act, the GRRP is the first HUD program to invest simultaneously in energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy generation, and climate resilience strategies specifically in HUD-assisted multifamily housing.

Learn more and apply for GRRP funding.

State Competitiveness Fund – Match Program

Has your city applied for or is thinking about applying for federal energy-related Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) or Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) discretionary grant funding? Minnesota Cities are now eligible to apply for a portion of the $100 million Minnesota Department of Commerce State Competitiveness Fund for grants that seek to enhance the likelihood of receiving federal funding awards under the IIJA and IRA programs. Grants can be awarded up to $15 million to assist with federal funding matching requirements.

Learn more and apply for a State Competitiveness Fund grant.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Technical Assistance Grants

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) IIJA Technical Assistance Grant Program is now open. $2 Million in state funds is available to qualifying local units of government and tribal governments that seek to submit an application for a federal discretionary grant for a transportation purposes.

State technical assistance funds can be used to hire a consultant for identification of available grants, grant writing, analysis, data collection, technical review, legal interpretations, planning, pre-engineering, application finalization, and similar activities. Learn more and apply for an IIJA Technical Assistance Grant.

Learn more and apply for a IIJA Technical Assistance grant.

Cybersecurity Grant Program Now Available Statewide

The state’s IT agency, Minnesota IT Services (MNIT), in partnership with the Minnesota Cybersecurity Task Force recently released the Whole-of-State Cybersecurity Plan that will be used to implement $23.5 million of funding from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and the Minnesota Legislature.

Eligibility

All state and local government entities are eligible to participate in the SLCGP, including:

  • A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government.
  • Authorized Tribal governments and organizations.
  • A rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity.

How to get involved

Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Program

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is accepting requests for technical assistance for the Thriving Communities technical assistance program. This funding will help local governments ensure housing needs are considered as part of their infrastructure plans. To be eligible, jurisdictions must be a unit of general local government that is receiving federal transportation funding to support a project that coordinates transportation and housing plans, programs, or investments to benefit residents and businesses located in a disadvantaged community. Priority will be given to jurisdictions with populations of less than 250,000 people, as well as to those receiving certain Department of Transportation competitive funds. Requests will be reviewed as they are received, on a rolling basis, beginning on March 15.

Learn more about the interagency Thriving Communities technical assistance program

Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity: Energy Upgrades for Affordable Housing

Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity (R2E2) will provide deep technical assistance to state, local, and tribal governments as well as community-based organizations to jumpstart energy upgrades for single family and multifamily affordable housing, especially in frontline communities. These retrofits will lower utility bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve residents’ health, create good-paying local jobs, and help mitigate racial inequity. R2E2 will kick off with training sessions in January for state, local, and community teams on scaling up building energy retrofits and leveraging the unprecedented federal funding available from COVID-19 relief programs, the bipartisan infrastructure law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and other sources. R2E2 is a partnership of the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Elevate, Emerald Cities Collaborative, and HR&A Advisors, with People’s Climate Innovation Center advising on centering equity in the project and its outcomes and on facilitating community-driven planning processes.

Learn more about Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program for Rural Areas

Low-interest direct loans, grants, or a combination of the two are available to develop essential community facilities (not including private, commercial, or business undertakings) in rural areas through the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant program. The program is offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development. Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and/or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment, and pay related project expenses. Rural areas, including cities, villages, townships, and federally recognized tribal lands, with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census data, are eligible for this program. Applications for this program are accepted year-round.

Learn more about the Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant program

Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program

The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program provides $10,000 in startup funding for resident-driven groups in small cities and towns to implement the Community Heart & Soul model. Community Heart & Soul engages a motivated and dedicated group of individuals to help your town identify what matters most. The grant program is specifically designed for small cities and towns with populations of 2,500 to 30,000. Grant funding requires a $10,000 cash match from the participating municipality or a partnering organization.

Learn more and apply for a Community Heart & Soul Grant