Communities in Charge application window is now open!

CALSTART launched Communities in Charge, an incentives project funded by the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program, and supported in partnership with GRID Alternatives and Tetra Tech. This incentives project is designed to transform electric vehicle (EV) charging accessibility and accelerate the market with the rapid installation of light-duty electric vehicle charging infrastructure across California.

Communities in Charge incentives are open to a wide variety of project sites like schools, health care centers, local businesses, and communities. Projects able to show a high degree of readiness and those located within disadvantaged or low-income communities shall be prioritized for incentives.

To kick off the project, Communities in Charge is offering $30 million in incentives and began on March 23, 2023, at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. Funding will remain open until May 8, 2023, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Applicants will be able to submit their application documents through an online Incentive Processing Center during the announced application period. The project team will review applications once the funding lane closes and notify awarded recipients.

“CALSTART is incredibly excited to implement the Communities in Charge incentive project,” says Geoffrey Cook, CALSTART Clean Fuels and Infrastructure Deputy Director. “To achieve the state’s aggressive goals and help communities realize a clean transportation future, these incentives are critical in accelerating the deployment of Level 2 EV chargers throughout California.”

“Communities in Charge is designed to give communities access to chargers and set them up for success,” says CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan. “The project will prioritize access for disadvantaged and low-income communities, while also accelerating deployment of chargers statewide. We are excited to offer this first wave of $30 million of incentives and look forward to seeing charging sites go live in the near future.”