1. Alt Fuel Vehicle Grant
Funding
Bill Van Amburg
Senior Vice President
Jasna Tomic, PhD
New Fuels Program Mngr
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2. Agenda
Background CALSTART
Start with a Plan – NOT the Funds!
Outline your Project First
Develop Relationships – Before you Need
Money!
Work your Partners
Learn the Rules
Seek Funding – from multiple sources
Success Story
Summary
Resources
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3. CALSTART
CALSTART is a unique national, non-profit,
advanced transportation technologies
organization.
Founded in 1992 as a public-private
partnership to launch and grow a clean
transportation industry.
Mission: via programs and services support
and expand the growth of a clean
transportation technologies industry that will:
Create high-quality jobs;
Clean the air;
Reduce dependence on foreign oil; and
Reduce global warming emissions
5. Don’t Do This!
$$$
Chasing the Funding is NOT a Fleet Plan!
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6. Start With a Plan
Step 3: Compare
Step 1: Baseline Step 2: Learn your options to fleet mix
Fleet fuel & tech options – geography,
operation
Step 4: Outline alt
Step 5: Understand
fuel implementation
cost and then seek
plan over several
funding
years
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7. Clear Goals Boost Chances of Success
FedEx Example:
Corporate Objective - 20% fuel economy
improvement by 2020
Actual - 15.1%
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February 29, 2012
Cleaner Truck Early Adopter
Panel
8. Develop Relationships
You are doing some of that today!
Contact and talk with fleet peers who have
gotten funding
What has worked
Traps to avoid
Contact, talk with and join organizations that
can help you identify and meet funders
Local NAFA Chapters; Clean Cities; Diesel
Emission Reduction Collaboratives;
CALSTART
Call – and if possible meet with – your local,
regional and state funders 8
9. Possible Funding Sources
Now you have a plan and know the cost - can
present to management
Total Cost and Outside Funding Help
Know what your project needs to succeed, and of
what type (vehicle; infrastructure; etc)
Seek additional funding from multiple sources
Federal
DOE; Clean Cities; EPA Regions; DERA; FTA
State
Alt Fuel Solicitations (ex: NYSERDA's AFV)
CMAQ solicitations every 2 years
State Energy Commission, State DOT
Regional
Transportation Manag. Org. -TMO
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Air Quality Management District
10. Trends in Funding
Generally there is LESS at all levels (with
some exceptions)
Federal grant funding programs are shrinking
or disappearing
Federal alt fuel incentive programs are
“sunsetting” and not being reapproved
State budgets are tight
Regional and local funds – air, congestion –
often still available
High competition – So you need to have your
goals clear – nothing sells like a clear plan
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11. What Are the Incentives?
One Resource
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/matrix/tech 11
12. Funding Considerations
Timing
When does the funding become available? How
many times per year are there opportunities?
Grant or Funding Rules
Do you have to replace older vehicles? Is there a
limit on what is covered? Are you eligible? Can
you work with someone who is?
Proposal or Application – how long will it take to
do this? (Hint: longer than you think!)
Contracts – how complex? Will company sign?
Who Else in Your Organization should be
Involved? – Facilities? Legal?
Reporting – Build in time going forward 12
14. Timely Example: Diesel Emission
Reduction Grant Solicitation Active
http://epa.gov/cleandiesel/prgnational.htm 14
15. National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance
Amount: $20M nationwide
Solicitation opened: April 20, 2012
Proposals due: June 4, 2012 (45 days)
What’s allowed:
Competitive grants to fund projects that
reduce emissions from existing diesel engines
through a variety of strategies. These
strategies include, but are not limited to,
emission control and idle reduction
technologies; cleaner fuels; engine upgrades
or replacements; and/or vehicle or equipment
replacements.
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16. National Clean Diesel Funding
Restrictions:
Under this grant program, funding is restricted
to the use of technologies, fuels, and engines
that have been verified or certified by EPA or
California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Eligible entities: tribes, non-profits, MPOs,
municipalities (private fleets can be part of a
proposal)
Limits on amounts that can be used for
different approaches – 25% of cost of new
vehicle; 100% of cost of eligible retrofit; must
“retire” (with extreme prejudice) vehicles
replaced
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17. Funding Success Story: Why not an Electric
School Bus?
John Clement, Director of Transportation
Kings Canyon Unified School District
18. KCUSD Did its Homework – Made a
Plan
No Diesel Fuel at nearly $4.00 per gallon
No Oil Changes or Oil Filters
No Transmission Fluid Flushes & Filters
Transmission Fluid - $1,400 per barrel
Rising cost of CNG Engine Parts & Repair
Already Plugging in DPFs to Electricity
19. Available Funding to KCUSD -
They Looked to Mix and Match Funding
Lower Emissions School Bus Program
SB 923 – Local Air District
Other Local Air District Funds – White Fleet
ARB Air Quality Improvement Program –
Hybrid Voucher Incentive Program
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air
Quality Funds
Fresno County Measure “C” - School Bus
You can pursue and match multiple sources, but check
the rules – some grants limit total funds allowed; some
can only be used for specific purposes; some federal funds
cannot be matched with other federal funds
20. So this is how is the 1st KCUSD eTrans
Was Funded
$140,000 LESBP
$15,000 SB923
$40,000 ARB AQIP HVIP in 2012 = $20,000
base + $10,000 for School Bus + $10,000 1st
one of three in 2012
$20,000 San Joaquin Valley Air District HVIP
Match
$15,000 from General Fund CBO KCUSD
Then: they remembered to thank their funders – and
include them in all press and announcements, and roll
outs. This is more than just filing reports and meeting the
letter of the grant – it’s creating a “win-win” for all involved
21. Did it Work?
Nearly $500,000 in Funding Awarded to
Deploy Two More eTrans and arriving
KCUSD Hybrid School Buses in a Loaner
Program in the San Joaquin Valley
ARB AB 118 AQIP Hybrid/Electric School Bus Demonstration Project
22. And He is Planning More!
Other Electric Vehicle School Uses
23. Grant Preparation Tips
Have a clear vision of what YOU want
But – understand what the FUNDER wants
and is allowed to pay you for
Write to the grant criteria – show how you will
meet their goals
Less is more – be concise and to the point –
say exactly what you will do and what its
benefits are (not how great you are)
Don’t be greedy – how can you be
competitive within your project plan – you
may not need all the money offered
Assume this takes more time than you think! 23
24. Summary
Know what you want to do: Start with a Plan
Develop Relationships with potential partners,
funders in advance
Understand the restrictions and different uses
of funding sources
Seek Funding – often takes multiple sources
Build in enough time during and after
proposing – it’s another asset to manage
Exhale! – it can be done and generally
funders want you to succeed – it’s a win for
them, too (don’t forget to thank them!)
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25. Resources to Learn About Funding
Grants.gov – Listing of ALL current federal grants available – but
can be confusing
Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicle Data Center - US DOE
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/matrix/tech
National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) – EPA
http://epa.gov/diesel/
Clean Cities – DOE
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/index.html
Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)
http://www.propanecouncil.org/
National Biodiesel Board www.biodiesel.org
NGVC http://www.ngvc.org/about_ngv/index.html
EDTA http://www.electricdrive.org
NTEA http://www.ntea.com/index.aspx
CALSTART www.calstart.org
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26. Thank you
Please complete and submit your evaluation
forms!
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