Electric School Bus grants

On March 29, Colorado’s Electric School Bus Grant program opened its portal for applications for electric school buses and their associated charging infrastructure.  The $65 million grant program was created through legislation last year for school districts, charter schools and non-profit organizations applying on behalf of a school district or charter school.

The program offers grants up to $375,000 for each school bus and up to $10,000 for non-bus student transportation like minivans. Grantees can also receive funds ranging from $3,000 – $72,000 to cover charging station infrastructure.

Paired with the federal EPA Clean School Bus Program, the state’s program will help accelerate deployment of electric school buses statewide. These buses reduce air pollution by eliminating tailpipe emissions, reduce student exposure to toxic fumes from diesel-powered buses, and are cheaper to maintain and run than their diesel counterparts.

Four districts already received federal EPA funding for electric school buses: Big Sandy, East Grand, Primero, and Sangre de Cristo. The EPA will open its next round of electric school bus funding later in 2023, and applicants who demonstrate their commitment to apply for EPA funding will receive priority in the state’s grant program evaluation process.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is running the grant program, and the Colorado Department of Education will also be providing support to school districts and charter schools. Other technical assistance can be found through nonprofits like the World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative, which provides assistance on electric school bus outreach, planning and procurement, charging infrastructure, and deployment.