Clean School Bus Grant Program

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ)

Purpose

To decarbonize school bus fleets by replacing existing school buses with zero-emission buses and alternative fuel-based buses.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

State, local and tribal governmental agencies that are responsible for providing school bus service to one or more public school systems; or purchase of school buses. Eligible expenses include buses, charging units, and electrical panels.

Decarbonization Considerations

Half of the available funding is dedicated for zero-emission school buses and half is for clean school buses. These are defined as follows: a zero-emission school bus is a school bus that produces zero exhaust emission of any air pollutant and any greenhouse gas, and a clean school bus is one that reduces emissions and is operated entirely or in part using an alternative fuel or is a zero-emission bus.

Equity Considerations

EPA is allowed to prioritize applications that will replace buses serving high-need local education agencies, Tribal Schools, and rural or low-income areas to further support Justice40 goals. In addition, EPA will focus education and outreach efforts on underserved communities, including partnering with stakeholders to reach communities that may have never applied for a Federal grant or rebate.

Helpful Tips

For additional information on planning effectively for clean school bus fleets, see this guide here: https://www.wri.org/insights/how-states-can-transition-electric-school-buses For a list of past awardees, see here: https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/clean-school-bus-program-awards

Other Notes

The maximum rebate amount per bus is dependent on (1) the bus fuel type, (2) the bus size, and (3) whether the school district to be served by the buses meets one or more prioritization criteria.