Funding: Total: $7,500,000. Maximum awards: $2,500,000.
Dates: Pre-Application Workshop: August 24, 2020. Written Questions Deadline: August 31, 2020. Application Submission Deadline: October 02, 2020.
Summary:
This is a competitive grant solicitation. The California Energy Commission’s (CEC’s) Clean Transportation Program (formerly known as the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program) announces the availability of up to $7.5 million in grant funds for projects that will implement projects developed and identified in Phase I, Blueprint Development, of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready Communities Challenge.
Project Topic Areas:
Examples – implementation activities may include, but are not limited to:
Electric Vehicle Charger Installations: Installing one or more chargers either on, adjacent, or cooperatively sited to a specified number of multifamily residential developments before 2025, and utilizing site analyses and/or site lists developed during Phase I. Installations must be complete by the end of Phase II.
Ombudsman: Establishing an ombudsman to work with local agencies responsible for issuing permits and reviewing site compliance for charging station sites and equipment.
Permitting and Inspection Process: Implementing the streamlining of permitting and inspection processes, including outreach to city permitting offices and inspectors, development of online permitting and information websites, dissemination of best practices and standardization of permit fees. Work with the ZEV Infrastructure Project Manager in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to facilitate and accelerate the permitting and establishment of EV charging infrastructure.
Fleet Electrification Support: Installing a specific number of charging stations and connectors identified in the Phase I blueprint to support the electrification of local/regional fleet vehicles, including transport and shared mobility vehicles.
E-Mobility Hubs: Establishing an e-mobility hub by leveraging existing transportation network companies, or a new micro-mobility or car-sharing provider to expand deployment and services in neighborhoods outside these programs’ home zones.
Workforce Development: Arranging train-the-trainer sessions to certify local instructors to teach EV certification courses to experienced mechanics. For example, certify five local instructors to teach EV certification courses to at least 10 local mechanics by the end of Phase II.
Secondary EV Market: Taking action to foster a secondary market for used EVs and to expand access to underinvested communities. For example, target 10 regional dealerships to host community outreach events; develop a program for EV owners replacing their EVs with a new vehicle to donate used EVs to disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, or California Native American tribes. Establish metrics to evaluate program success and provide analysis of successes/areas to improve by the end of Phase II.
Funding:
A total of $7.5 million is available for awards under this solicitation. CEC, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to increase or decrease the amount of funds available under this solicitation. Applications must include a minimum 25% total match share. The CEC will provide a maximum of $2,500,000 or 75% of the total project cost, whichever is the less. There is no minimum cash match share requirement under this solicitation. For example:
| Total Project Costs (Including CEC Award) | Maximum Request for CEC Funding | Minimum Match Share |
| $3,300,000 | $2,475,000 | $825,000 |
| $3,333,334 | $2,500,000 | $833,334 |
| $3,400,000 | $2,500,000 | $900,000 |
In order to maximize the distribution of limited funds, applicants will compete in one of three geographic regions as follows: Bay Area, Central, and Southern California. $2,500,000 will be available in each defined project group for at least one project per region.
For purposes of this solicitation, Bay Area is defined as regions containing following cities/counties: Santa Clara, Contra Costa, and San Francisco.
- Phase I projects that fall under Bay Area: City of Santa Clara, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and San Francisco Department of the Environment.
For purposes of this solicitation, Central California is defined as regions containing the following cities/counties: Kern, Fresno, and Sacramento.
- Phase I projects that fall under Central California: Kern Council of Governments, Tierra Resource Consultants (Fresno), and City of Sacramento.
For purposes of this solicitation, Southern California is defined as regions containing following cities/counties: Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Ventura.
- Phase I projects that fall under Southern California: City of Long Beach Harbor Department, County of Los Angeles, and Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance.
| Project Group | Available Funding | # of Awards Expected |
| Group 1: Bay Area | $2,500,000 | 1 |
| Group 2: Central California | $2,500,000 | 1 |
| Group 3: Southern California | $2,500,000 | 1 |
Project Requirements:
Applicants will apply for implementation of actionable items identified in the Phase I – Blueprint developed under GFO-17-604. Eligible applicants are required to submit a new proposal. Applicants must propose projects that are located in the EV Ready Community associated with the Phase I – Blueprint Development region. Applicants must identify which portion of their blueprint they would like to implement and indicate measurable outcomes. Activities that the applicant plans to implement must be consistent with blueprint created in Phase I. Applicants are only eligible to submit one application under this solicitation.
Eligible Applicants:
This solicitation is open to the entities that completed Phase I blueprints under GFO-17-604 within one year of their agreement start date. Only the following entities are eligible to apply:
- City of Santa Clara
- Contra Costa Transportation Authority
- San Francisco Department of the Environment
- Kern Council of Governments
- Tierra Resource Consultants (Fresno)
- City of Sacramento
- City of Long Beach Harbor Department
- County of Los Angeles
- Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance