The U.S. EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program is Now Open and Accepting Applications!
Our team at Drive Clean Colorado is here to assist you throughout the application process from answering questions to providing resources. Keep reading to learn more about the program and where to begin in your application process.
About Clean School Bus funding
Authorized by the recently signed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA’s Clean School Bus Program provides $5 billion over the next five years to replace school buses with low- and zero-emission school buses. The first funding opportunity under this program will be the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. EPA will offer $500 million for zero-emission and clean school bus rebates. Application submissions opened on May 20, 2022, and will close on August 19, 2022.
Who’s Eligible to Apply for EPA Clean School Bus Rebates?
A goal of the Clean School Bus program is to provide opportunities for as many eligible applicants as possible to participate. The following entities are eligible to apply for EPA school bus rebates: State and local governmental entities that provide bus service, Eligible contractors, Nonprofit school transportation associations, and Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or tribally controlled schools responsible for the purchase of school buses or providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funded school.
For further information on application eligibility, including criteria for old school bus replacement and new replacement buses, please visit this page. This link will also bring you to further information on funding availability. Please note that school districts may only submit one application. Other eligible applicants may submit multiple applications, but each application must be for buses serving a different school district. Each application can request funds for replacing up to 25 buses.
What’s Next?
If you are an eligible applicant and are ready to begin the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Application process, you can find it here. An Application User Guide from the EPA is not yet available but will be soon, to further help with the application process.
Be sure to sign-up for the Clean School Bus Newsletter to guarantee you receive regular program updates and information. If you have any questions or feedback you’d like to share to improve the program, please email cleanschoolbus@epa.gov.
Additional Resources
For further information on electric school bus education, check out the Clean Cities Coalitions technical assistance series called “Flipping the Switch on Electric School Buses“. These educational webinars and handouts provide valuable information for school bus fleets interested in adopting electric school buses. This is an 8 part series that can be watched as a whole for a step-by-step guide through the process of electric school bus adoption, or as an individual focus on information to meet your specific needs. Find the series here.
