Grant Opportunities
NMPP Energy monitors energy-related gr
ant opportunities for our member communities, as well as our own four agencies, where benefits could flow to members. We also partner with national and state organizations to understand and evaluate potential grants so we can communicate with members as opportunities that a good fit for our member communities become available.
This web page provides information and resources to assist you in taking advantage of these funding opportunities.
Grant Interest Webform
Does your community have a specific project in mind for which you are seeking assistance to complete a grant application? Let us know about your project by submitting this webform to us. While NMPP Energy does not have the resources to write applications on behalf of individual members, we’d like to assist by connecting you with other resources to help you with your grant project.
Where Do I Begin?
There are things you can do NOW to get started!
- Complete registration of your community on several federal websites so you’re prepared to apply when the opportunity is right. Applications often have short deadlines once released, so completing these steps ahead of time is VERY IMPORTANT. Click here for grant registration requirement information.
- Begin scoping your projects now. Complete whatever engineering studies or other evaluations are needed, so you know what you need and want to ask for in the grant. Planning is 80% of grant writing. Think about your project, objectives, your goals, who you’ll partner with, how you’ll evaluate the impact, and what you want to accomplish with use of these funds.
Articles of Interest
Cybersecurity
Through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), states apply for
funds that can then flow to municipalities as subrecipients. Each state designates a State Administrative Agency (SAA) that determines the state’s application process and timeline. Links below are for each SAA; you may need to search the site for SLCGP information:
Grant Search
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is the federal government's central location for grant seekers to fund and apply for federal funding opportunities. The website also handles grant application submissions to many federal agencies.
You can set up custom saved searches for grant categories of interest and receive regular emails regarding new grant opportunities by going to "Connect" and "Manage Subscriptions."
The Grants.gov Community Blog is also a helpful source of straightforward "How to" guidance and other topics related to grant applications.
Grants.gov also contains helpful training resources and videos, including step-by-step explanations of registering and setting up your application workspace, a self-help knowledge base, and links to other help.
Local Infrastructure Hub
The Local Infrastructure Hub is a national program that was created to help local leaders navigate federal infrastructure funding opportunities and to provide resources to help cities successfully apply for funding. It includes a tool for searching funding opportunities targeted to communities.
Energy Grants
Colorado (Colorado Energy Office)
Colorado Electric Grid Resilience Funds (Note: this includes a sign up to receive future program announcements)
The Colorado Energy Office has released its Grid Hardening for Small and Rural Communities Grant Program; check the link for application deadlines.
Kansas (State of Kansas Corporation Commission)
Formula Grant for Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid
Nebraska (Nebraska Dept. of Water, Energy and Environment)
Full applications are being accepted for the Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid/Hazard Hardening program. These are state formula grant funds under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation 40101(d) Grid Resiliency Funding; Nebraska has $10.4 million available for years one and two of this five year program.
NDWEE has a listing of Energy Loans, Grants & Rebates, which includes funds for Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid/Hazard Hardening.
Iowa (Iowa Economic Development Authority)
The Iowa Grid Resilience Fund provides grants to improve current and future resilience of the electric grid; check the link for application deadlines. Municipal utilities are eligible recipients of grant funding.
The Iowa program manager is Stephanie Weisenbach, stephanie.weisenbach@iowaeda.com.
Wyoming (Wyoming Energy Authority)
Electric Vehicle Charging Grants
To learn more about developing the infrastructure needed to charge electric vehicles, click here.
Communities interested in electric vehicle charging grants have two potential opportunities:
- A competitive federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program that includes two funding categories: 1) Community Charging and Fueling Grants (Community Program); and 2) Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program), as designated by the Federal Highway Administration. To the extent possible, all applications will be considered for both the Community and the Corridor Program, regardless of which grant is applied for.
- Grant funds also flow to the states through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. In order to receive the funds, each state has developed a State EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan, which will likely continue to evolve over five year. Each state establishes its own priorities/criteria for distribution of charging infrastructure funds. Click on the links below to learn more about your state’s plan and opportunities:
Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Grants
Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grants are available. Check the link for current funding cycles and application deadlines. The link has several additional resources, including the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), evaluation plan, best practices for submitting a grant application, webinars, and FAQs.
Additional State Opportunities
Colorado
Colorado Department of Local Affairs Local Community Funding Guide
Colorado Local Match Program (IIJA)
Kansas
Kansas Energy Office
Kansas Infrastructure Hub
Build Kansas Matching Funds
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Water, Environment and Energy
Iowa
Iowa Grants
Iowa Economic Development & Finance Authority
State Funding Opportunities from Iowa League of Cities
Wyoming
Grant Writing Help
We recognize our member communities have very limited resources to pursue grant opportunities. Here’s some potential resources to assist you.
Each state has development districts that
generally have experienced grant writers. They may be able to assist you, or work regionally with neighboring communities as well, to develop your project and write a compelling grant. We encourage you to reach out to them for assistance. Contact information can be found at the links below:
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs also offers a IIJA and IRA Grant Writing Assistance Program.
Businesses that have indicated they can provide services in grant-writing and project assistance:
Premier Energy
Jeff Cook-Coyle
jeff@premier-clean.energy
970-744-9462
Quanta Technology
Salvador Palafox
SPalafox@Quanta-Technology.com
919-548-5205
https://quanta-technology.com/
Olsson
Aury Kangelos
Infrastructure Funding Strategist
akangelos@olsson.com
731-446-9878
https://olsson.com/
Universal Broadband Consulting
Loel Brooks
lbrooks@brookspanlaw.com
402-476-3300
https://www.ubconsultingltd.com/
Vacanti Municipal Consulting Service
Al Vacanti
alvacanti@hotmail.com
308-430-3904
Water:
Dig Deep Research, LLC.
Tia Cavender
tia@godigdeep.com
720-785-4155
https://digdeepgrants.com/
This information and these links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by NMPP Energy of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual.
Other Grant Application Resources
Click on the links to download:
Acronym Glossary
Click here for a glossary of grant terminology.
Connect with Us
If you have questions regarding grant opportunities, please contact Sarah Jones at sjones@nmppenergy.org.