States Have Made Billions Available for Electric School Buses
In states like Texas, New York, Wyoming and California, electric school buses are eligible for a wide variety of state and regional funding programs, helping schools to deliver a clean ride for kids.
Across the country, hundreds of thousands of students now ride to school on clean, reliable electric school buses. In many cases, federal funding has supported the purchase of these buses — saving local taxpayers money while improving air quality for schoolchildren.
But did you know states and regions have also made billions of dollars in funding available which school districts can use to purchase electric school buses?
In fact, over the last decade state governments have established more than $2.3 billion in funding for which electric school buses are eligible. In addition, electric utilities have made even more funds available through make-ready programs, which help cover the cost of preparing a site for electric vehicle supply equipment.
For school districts looking to deliver a clean ride to their communities, these funds can be a powerful tool — particularly in districts that have been historically underserved or have high percentages of low-income residents.
Where to find state and regional electric school bus funds
To find out if your district is eligible for state and regional funds, you can check:
- Clearinghouse of Electric School Bus Funding and Financing Opportunities – WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative. This database of funding and financing options for electric school buses, last updated in January 2024, allows you to filter opportunities by location, type, prioritization and more.
- Alternative Fuels Data Center – U.S. Department of Energy. The “Laws and Incentives” section of this federal government site includes state-by-state information about funding and incentive programs.
- Clean Cities and Communities Coalitions. Contact your local Clean Cities and Communities Coalition chapter to learn about electric school bus funding opportunities in your area.
- Electric Vehicle Make-Ready Programs Table – WRI’s Electric School Bus Initiative. Find make-ready programs from electric utilities that can help fund your electric school bus project in this table, last updated July 2024.
How a Missouri school district stacked funding opportunities, including state and regional programs, to bring a clean ride to its students.
State and regional funding opportunities open now
As of May 2025, these are some of the top state and regional funding programs to consider:
- Texas All Electric Program: $95 million, apply by August 31, 2025.
- New York School Bus Incentive Program: $500 million, applications open on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Georgia Power Make Ready Infrastructure Program: check with Georgia Power for funding and eligibility information.
- Colorado Xcel Energy Electric School Bus Rebate: up to $275,000 per project, contact Xcel Energy for more information.
- Massachusetts Accelerating Clean Transportation (ACT): applications for planning support are open on a rolling basis.
- Wyoming School Bus Replacement Program: applications are open.
- New York Joint Utilities Medium- and Heavy-Duty EV Make-Ready Pilot: contact your utility for more information on eligibility and funding.
- Utah Clean Fleet Program: applications are open.
Many of these programs offer additional funds for wheelchair lifts, give prioritization to districts that serve lower-income populations or which have higher air pollution, and include funding for charging infrastructure.
Don’t see your state? Be sure to check out the Clearinghouse of Electric School Bus Funding and Financing Opportunities and filter for your state to find more funding opportunities.
Priority programs
For districts that serve communities that have been historically underserved or overburdened with dangerous air pollution, these funding programs provide a particularly important way to access clean rides for kids. Some programs prioritize by income level, air pollution burden, or Tribal status, including:
- New York’s PowerReady Medium-Heavy-Duty Pilot Program: prioritizes by income and air pollution, with up to 90% of electric school bus charging infrastructure costs covered. As of April 2025, applications are open.
- Carl Moyer Program (California): prioritizes by income and air pollution, with up to $332,167 available per electric school bus.
To find more funding programs that prioritize those who most need access to electric school buses, go to the Clearinghouse of Electric School Bus Funding and Financing Opportunities and filter by “EJ Approach” and “EJ Criteria.”
Learn more
States, electric utilities and nonfederal organizations are supplying billions of dollars that can support electric school buses, and the transition to clean rides shows no sign of slowing down.
Explore some of the ways school districts can use funding, financing and operational savings to bring the benefits of electric school buses to their communities:
