Article | October 3, 2024
How to Apply for Clean School Bus Program Funding

Applications for Clean School Bus Program funding are now open! Learn more.

Electric school buses charge in a parking lot, under a canopy.

Applications for the Clean School Bus Program are now open!

Applications for the Clean School Bus Program are now open! School districts and fleet operators can apply today on the EPA website.

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With no tailpipe emissions of harmful pollutants that can cause asthma, health issues and cognitive development problems in students, electric school buses are the clean ride that every child deserves.

Thanks to the Clean School Bus Program, school districts and fleet operators now have the opportunity to use federal funds to cover up to the full cost of new electric school buses and charging infrastructure. 

Applications for Clean School Bus Program funding are now open. Learn more on this page, and apply on the EPA website.

What is the Clean School Bus Program?

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress authorized up to $5 billion to replace polluting diesel-burning school buses nationwide – and nearly $1 billion of these funds are available right now for school districts and fleet operators. 

These funds can be used to purchase electric school buses and charging infrastructure through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. This is your chance to bring the health, air quality and climate benefits of clean-running electric school buses to your students, communities and school districts – using federal dollars to cover up to the full cost! 

Already, there has been historic demand for these funds. Through the first three rounds of Clean School Bus Program funding, the EPA has released nearly $3 billion across nearly 1,000 school districts. This funding amounts to approximately 8,500 school bus replacements at more than 1,200 school districts. Together, these districts serve 16 million students who stand to benefit from cleaner air.

Now the fourth round of funding is open! In September 2024, the EPA opened the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program for applications, with approximately $965 million available. Applications close January 9, 2025 at 4 PM ET.  

Who is eligible to apply for Clean School Bus Program funds?

All public school districts in the U.S. are eligible to apply for funding through the Clean School Bus Program! 

That includes school districts in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations and Tribally-controlled schools. Public charter school districts are also eligible. 

Nonprofit school transportation associations and certain types of eligible contractors including school bus dealers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), school bus service providers and private school bus fleets that provide school bus transportation services, are eligible to apply directly to the program on school districts’ behalf with their approval. A Regional Education Service Agency or Joint Transportation Agency with a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ID may also apply.

Check the EPA website for full eligibility information. 

How does the rebate program work? 

The 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates program is a lottery, with priority for low-income, rural and Tribal schools. Public school districts and fleet operators in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories and Tribal nations are eligible to apply. 

Applications are due January 9, 2025 at 4 PM ET, and eligible school districts and fleet operators can apply on the EPA website. 

After applying, school districts will be selected for funding using a lottery system that gives priority to districts that meet certain criteria. You can learn more about these priority districts, including how to self-certify as a priority district, below – and you can see the full list of priority districts here. 

Priority districts that are selected will be awarded up to $325,000 per electric school bus. Districts that don’t meet the priority criteria but are selected for funding will be awarded up to $170,000 per electric school bus.

To apply, districts will need to set up an account on SAM.gov, the website the federal government uses to track and disburse funds. This process can take a few weeks, so it’s best to start registering on SAM.gov right away. Districts may already have an active SAM.gov account, and if that’s the case, may need to track down the account holder. 

The 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates program involves a shorter, quicker application than most federal funding programs, making it a great opportunity for school districts with limited time and resources.

While the application is short, it does involve a few steps such as coordinating with your local electric utility, identifying buses for replacement and informing your school board. And you should be sure to begin engaging stakeholders early to determine how you can equitably transition your routes to electric school buses. 

How much funding is available through the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates?

With up to $965 million available, the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates are your district’s opportunity to use federal funding to cover up to the full cost of electric school buses and associated charging infrastructure.

For priority school districts, the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates offer up to $325,000 per electric school bus to cover the purchase of both the bus and related charging infrastructure. For school districts that aren’t on the EPA’s priority list, the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebates offer up to $170,000 per electric school bus. You can see the full list of priority districts here, and see below for information on options for school districts that are not on the priority list, including self-certification for priority status.

All school districts are eligible for an additional $20,000 in funding to help cover the cost of including a wheelchair lift. You can learn more in the EPA’s program guide on page 20. This is particularly important because students with disabilities are more likely to ride the bus to school than their peers, exposing them to the harms of diesel exhaust pollution at disproportionate rates.

School districts in Alaska, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also eligible for an additional $20,000 in funding to help cover the cost of shipping. You can learn more on page 18 of the EPA’s program guide here.  

What are priority districts?

The EPA has designated certain school districts as priority districts who are prioritized in the application process and are eligible for higher levels of funding. 

These priority districts are high-need school districts and low-income areas, certain rural school districts, Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school districts, and school districts that receive basic support payments for children who reside on Indian land. 

School districts only need to meet one of these criteria in order to be considered a prioritized school district under the rebate program. You can see the full list of priority districts here. 

School districts have the opportunity to self-certify as priority school districts even if they are not on the list of priority districts, if they meet certain criteria. Districts can self-certify if they received a Title I, Part A grant through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the 2022-2023 academic year but are not represented in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) database. Large public school districts with more than 35,000 students or more than 45 public schools can also self-certify all or part of the district, based on Title I funding. You can find out more about the self-certification process here. EPA’s list of districts eligible for self-certification can be found here.

All school districts, whether designated as EPA priority school districts or not, are eligible to apply – and with up to $965 million in this round of funding, this is a historic opportunity to bring the benefits of electric school buses to your students! 

When are Clean School Bus Rebate Program applications due? 

The application deadline is January 9, 2025 at 4 PM ET. You can see more important dates on the EPA website.  

What do I need to submit when I apply?

If you represent an eligible entity and are applying, you’ll need to submit a few forms:

  • The Clean School Bus Rebate Application Form: this is the application itself, and it’s shorter than most other federal funding application forms. It’s only a few pages long and must be submitted in the applicant portal.
  • Utility Partnership Template: this form demonstrates that you have connected with your electric utility and are working together to ensure you’ll have the electric supply needed to power your electric school buses. This form must be signed, but it is non-binding.
  • School Board Awareness Form: this form demonstrates that your school board is aware you’re applying for funding. Your school board is an important partner in your transition to electric school buses, so make sure they know about this application. This form must be signed, but it is non-binding.
  • For third party applicants, School District Approval Letter: for applicants applying on behalf of a school district or fleet operator, this form demonstrates that the school district has approved of this application. This form must be signed, but it is non-binding.

In addition to these forms, you’ll need to make sure your school district is registered as an entity at SAM.gov. Your district may already have an active SAM.gov registration, especially if you’ve applied for Clean School Bus Program or other federal funding previously. If not, you will need to register your school district, which can take a few weeks, so it’s best to start registering on SAM.gov right away. Check the EPA website for more information about SAM.gov. 

What does Clean School Bus Program funding cover?

Rebate funding can be used to pay for new electric school buses that replace fossil fuel-burning school buses currently in use. The rebate funding prioritizes diesel-burning school buses from 2010 or earlier. If your district doesn’t have any school buses that old, newer diesel-burning school buses or other fossil fuel-burning buses can be replaced by electric school buses too. To be replaced, school buses need to be at least 10,000 pounds and in operation an average of three or more days per week.

Funding can also be used to cover the cost of new charging infrastructure. Rebate funds can cover charging infrastructure that is on the customer’s side of the electric meter (“behind the meter”), but not on the electric utility’s side of the electric meter (“front of the meter”). Common behind-the-meter infrastructure includes conduit, electric panels and charging stations. Charging infrastructure is subject to Build America, Buy America requirements, so you should plan to purchase American-made charging infrastructure products. You can learn more on page 15 of the EPA’s program guide here. 

Beyond the cost of new electric school buses and related charging infrastructure, funding can also cover some related costs like workforce training, installation of charging infrastructure, consulting, delivery, warranties and service level agreements. You can learn more on page 17 of the EPA’s program guide here.

School districts in Alaska, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also eligible for an additional $20,000 in funding to help cover the cost of shipping. You can learn more on page 18 of the EPA’s program guide here.

All school districts are eligible for an additional $20,000 in funding to help cover the cost of including a wheelchair lift. You can learn more in the EPA’s program guide on page 20. This is particularly important because students with disabilities are more likely to ride the bus to school than their peers, exposing them to the harms of diesel exhaust pollution at disproportionate rates. 

How do I get started? 

EPA’s Application User Guide is a helpful resource for completing your application. 

If you’re an eligible applicant, begin by confirming whether your school district is registered as an entity at SAM.gov. This is the website the federal government uses to track and disburse funds, and you’ll need your Unique Entity ID (UEI) from this site to fill out the application. Your district may already have an active SAM.gov registration, especially if you’ve applied for CSBP or other federal funding previously. If not, you will need to register your school district. Check the EPA website for more information about SAM.gov. 

Other steps to take right away are contacting your school board and your electric utility, as both entities will have a form to complete as part of your application. See “What should I consider when applying?” below for details. 

You should also begin the planning process for transitioning to electric school buses as soon as possible. Our Step-by-Step Guide can walk you through the key steps in that process, including:

  • Foundation Setting
  • Charging Infrastructure and Operations Planning
  • Procurement and Installation
  • Training, Testing and Deployment
  • Performance, Benefits and Scaling

Throughout the process, it’s important to actively engage with stakeholders in your school district, those directly involved with your pupil transportation process and within the community. Check out the Step-by-Step Guide to learn more!

Other resources that may be useful during your application process include:

What should I consider when applying? 

Here are some key steps you may want to follow while planning your application:

  • Conduct a fleet inventory with key information about each bus in your fleet, to help you decide which buses are good options to replace and how many zero-tailpipe-emissions electric school buses you’ll apply for. The EPA has a helpful spreadsheet tool available here.
  • Review the Clean School Bus Program’s eligibility requirements for buses to be replaced. To be eligible for replacement, school buses need to provide regular bus service, among a few other requirements. Be sure to review the program’s bus eligibility requirements on page 8 of the EPA program guide for full details.
  • Connect with your electric provider(s) to discuss charging options, infrastructure updates needed and any available funding programs they may offer. Your electric provider will be a key partner as you transition to electric school buses, and for this round of funding, applicants are required to submit  a form documenting coordination with their electric utility. This form must be signed, but it is non-binding. To prepare for discussions with your electric provider(s), check out the Power Planner here.
  • Discuss your application with your local school board. An authorized representative, such as your district Superintendent, will need to complete a school board awareness form after notifying an appropriate person at the School Board. This form must be signed, but it is non-binding.
  • Hold conversations within your school district’s maintenance, transportation and facilities teams, and with any relevant school district business officers and grant writing staff. Getting early buy-in and alignment across key school district departments, as well as with PTAs and other community groups, will help to identify potential roadblocks and make for smooth implementation. You can find resources to support these initial planning conversations in our Resource Library.
  • Determine how you’ll scrap, sell or donate the school buses you’ll be replacing. The Clean School Bus Program offers a two-year window to transition to your new electric school buses and remove the buses you’re replacing from your fleet. The new school buses and old school buses can overlap during this time. Read more about the program’s requirements for decommissioning buses on page 31 of the EPA’s program guide.
  • When you’re applying, be sure to make clear that you are applying for funds for zero emission school buses, which is the EPA’s term for electric school buses.

How can I learn more? 

To sign up for updates from the Electric School Bus Initiative, click here. 

To read more about the 2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program, check out the EPA website. 

There is a Question-and-Answer document available on the EPA website, which will be updated periodically until the program closes, so check back regularly for updates. 

Why are electric school buses the right choice for my district? 

Electric school buses are the only school bus type with zero tailpipe emissions. That means no tailpipe emissions of harmful pollutants that can cause asthma, cancer and cognitive development issues in children.

Electric school buses are responsible for significantly lower levels of greenhouse gases than diesel-burning and propane-burning school buses, and they can save school districts thousands of dollars each year on fuel and maintenance costs. In fact, our analysis shows that a school district operating an electric school bus can expect to see over $100,000 in lifetime fuel and maintenance savings, compared to an equivalent diesel-burning school bus. 

Electric school buses run cleaner and quieter, and drivers report high satisfaction. With electric school buses successfully operating in urban, rural and suburban settings – and in every type of climate nationwide – they’re proven to be effective and reliable. 

Learn more about why electric school buses are the right choice here. 

What other funding is available for electric school buses? 

The Clean School Bus Program is just one of a growing number of federal, state and local funding programs designed to help school districts deliver the benefits of zero-tailpipe-emissions electric school buses. 

The 45W “Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle” tax credit can be applied to electric school buses purchased through the Clean School Bus Program, saving school districts up to an additional $40,000 per electric school bus. You can learn more about the 45W tax credit here. 

The 30C tax Credit for Alternative Fuel Refueling Property can also be used by school districts to cover up to an additional $100,000 in charging infrastructure costs, in low-income and non-urban areas. You can learn more about the 30C tax credit here. 

There are also billions of dollars in state-level funding available to support the transition to clean-running electric school buses. Look through our one-of-a-kind Clearinghouse of Electric School Bus Funding and Financing Opportunities to find funding programs that your district may be eligible for. You can find the Clearinghouse here. 

Want to learn more about funding and financing options for electric school buses? Check out our explainer here. 

Are propane-burning school buses a clean option? 

Propane is a fossil fuel and, when it burns, produces harmful pollutants. Electric school buses are the only type of school bus that does not require burning a fossil fuel onboard the vehicle. 

Propane-burning school buses emit dangerous pollution at levels generally comparable to or higher than current diesel-burning models, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory AFLEET tool. In fact, propane-burning school buses emit more carbon monoxide than diesel-burning school buses and just as many greenhouse gases — the only benefit of propane-burning buses over diesel are for nitrogen oxide emissions, AFLEET data demonstrates. 

The data is clear: electric school buses are the best at lowering the emissions that affect student health and the environment. You can learn more about the dangers of propane-burning school bus exhaust here. 

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