Applications have opened for grants from the Bay Area Air District to help pay for installing electric vehicle chargers.
The grants are available to businesses, homeowner associations, nonprofit organizations, public entities and tribes, the Air District said in a press release Wednesday, March 5.
At least $10 million in funding will be awarded from the “Charge!” program. The program targets locations such as multi-family housing facilities, travel destinations, parking lots and workplaces to help meet the goal set for the nine counties represented by the air district of having 90% of their registered vehicles be electric by 2050.
“As EV adoption rises, ensuring access to convenient, reliable charging infrastructure where people live, work and shop is essential,” said the district’s executive officer Philip Fine.
Grants will be prioritized for multi-family housing sites, especially affordable housing complexes, as well as other locations considered “Priority Population Areas” as defined by the California Air Resources Board. Rural areas and areas with few chargers will also be given priority consideration.
“By prioritizing EV funding for disadvantaged and low-income communities, we can help make driving electric the best option for all Bay Area residents,” Fine said in the Air District’s press release.
The air district is monitoring whether a federal grant for an additional $15 for the program that was already announced by the National Highway Administration will actually be awarded, as uncertainty about a litany of federal grants remains as court challenges unfold related to the Trump administration’s freezing of such grants.
Qualifying proposals must be for projects that cost at least $250,000. Government-sponsored projects and those exclusively on multi-family housing sites can qualify with proposals for at least $10,000.
Applications and more information can be found online at www.baaqmd.gov/charge. The deadline is 5 p.m. on June 6.
The Charge! program is funded by a vehicle registration fee paid by Bay Area vehicle owners since 1991 for programs and infrastructure that improve air quality, according to the air district.
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