Earn Grants
Two types of grants are available in the Clean Energy Communities Round 3.0, each requiring a separate agreement with NYSERDA. To access grant funds, local governments must submit a Clean Energy Communities grant application 
.
Designation Grants
Municipalities collect points by completing high-impact actions. Each high-impact action has a certain number of points assigned to it. Once a municipality collects enough points, they can move on to a different point threshold and designation level and earn more grant funding for higher point levels. Through the program, NYSERDA is offering different levels of designation as outlined in the tables below. Please note that the funding levels decrease after October 1, 2024.
Designation Grants Before 10/1/24:
To earn funding at these levels, the municipality must submit for the action(s) that qualifies them for the designation grant by 9/30/24 at 11:59 PM EST. If the action(s) is rejected, municipalities will not be eligible for grant awards at this level.
| Designation Level | Number of Points | Funding for Small Municipalities (Up to 39,999 population) |
Funding for Large Municipalities (40,000 or greater population) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEC Designation - must complete 4 high-impact actions | N/A | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 1-Star Designation | 1,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 2-Star Designation | 3,000 | $50,000 | $125,000 |
| 3-Star Designation | 5,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
| 4-Star Designation | 7,000 | $175,000 | $275,000 |
| 5-Star Designation | 9,000) | $250,000 | $350,000 |
Designation Grants On or After 10/1/2024:
| Designation Level | Number of Points | Funding for Small Municipalities (Up to 39,999 population) |
Funding for Large Municipalities (40,000 or greater population) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEC Designation - must complete 4 high-impact actions | N/A | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 1-Star Designation | 1,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 2-Star Designation | 3,000 | $40,000 | $100,000 |
| 3-Star Designation | 5,000 | $75,000 | $150,000 |
| 4-Star Designation | 7,000 | $125,000 | $200,000 |
| 5-Star Designation | 9,000) | $200,000 | $300,000 |
Action Grants
Action Grants are available for completing Community Campaigns. Once a community completes the stated requirements, NYSERDA will send an email to the community contact with details and instructions on how to proceed.
Action Grants for Community Campaigns
Community Solar
| Tier 1 – 200 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 25 | $15,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 10 | $5,000 |
| Tier 2 – Additional 300 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 100 (125 total participants) | $30,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 50 (60 total participants) | $10,000 |
| Tier 3 – Additional 500 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 250 (375 total participants) | $60,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 100 (160 total participants) | $20,000 |
Electric Vehicles
| Tier 1 – 200 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 10 | $15,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 5 | $5,000 |
| Tier 2 – Additional 300 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 50 (60 total participants) | $25,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 15 (20 total participants) | $7,500 |
| Tier 3 – Additional 500 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 100 (160 total participants) | $40,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 50 (70 total participants) | $15,000 |
Clean Heating and Cooling
| Tier 1 – 500 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 10 | $15,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 5 | $5,000 |
| Tier 2 – Additional 600 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 20 (30 total participants) | $30,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 10 (15 total participants) | $10,000 |
| Tier 3 – Additional 700 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality Size by Population | Required Number of Campaign Participants | Action Grant Amount |
| Large (40,000+) | 30 (60 total participants) | $60,000 |
| Small/Medium (0-39,999) | 15 (30 total participants) | $20,000 |
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