Clean Energy Grant Program: Call for Applications

Applications Due: Mar 3, 2025

Overview

The Colorado Community College System has received funding through HB21-1149 to support the creation of an energy sector career pathway. The Clean Energy Grant program intends to increase the awareness of clean energy career pathways and the application of clean energy principles. Approximately $150,000 is available to fund multiple projects during this round of applications. The maximum amount of funds a school can apply for during this round is $30,000, and the minimum amount that can be applied for is $1,000. We invite schools to apply for funding by the deadline of Mar 3, 2025. Clean Energy, for the purpose of this grant, is inclusive of the following applications: solar, wind, and other renewable energies, electric vehicle (EV) repair and maintenance, EV charging stations, energy storage, carbon capture, energy efficiency, electrical energy transmission and distribution, HVAC and weatherization, building sciences and clean energy engineering.

 Program Objective

 Increase awareness of clean energy career pathways and the application of clean energy principles. 

 Allowable Uses of Funding

 The Clean Energy Grant Program must support increasing awareness of clean energy pathways and/or the application of clean energy principles. Funding can be used to support the following: 

1.  Creation or extension of credit and/or non-credit curriculum that supports training programs, apprenticeships, certificates or credentials in the clean energy workforce.
2. Incorporation of clean energy professionals into curriculum that supports academic exploration in the clean energy workforce.
3. Expansion of academic exploration and/or career counseling for students interested in clean energy pathways.
4. Scholarships for students taking courses in clean energy pathways.
5. Creation or expansion of academic and/or career and technical education programs to incorporate clean energy principles.
6. Creation or expansion of work-based learning opportunities in academic and/or career and technical education programs in the clean energy workforce. 
7. Equipment or supplies to enhance or create clean energy curriculum.
8. Professional development for faculty to explore incorporating clean energy principles into their current program curriculum or pathways. 

This is not an exhaustive list and applicants are encouraged to submit their own ideas within the application.

 Final Reporting

Final Reporting should include the following items:

• Number of participants involved in the project.
• Demographics of participants involved in project.
• Qualitative report summarizing the impact of the clean energy grant funds. 

 Eligibility

 Any staff or faculty employed by one of the colleges within the Colorado Community College System may apply for this funding. 

 Application Requirements

 Please submit all applications to: Submittable by the deadline: Mar 3, 2025

 PROJECT SUMMARY (500 words or less)

• Describe the clean energy project, population served by the project, and the project’s impact on the clean energy workforce.
• Identify the college stakeholders and their roles within the project.
• Describe how the project’s impact will be measured.
• Maintenance: Will this projected be maintained and continued past the funding period? If yes, describe how maintenance will be achieved and is this project a one-time event? If yes, describe how the impact data will help future planning. 
• Describe the project timeline, including key milestones and a plan for when/how the team will work on the project.
• Describe how the project will be advertised within the school community and participation encouraged (if applicable)

BUDGET TABLE

• Explain the requested funding amount, project costs, and provide any relevant vendor quotes.
• A table format is suggested for this summary, and a budget template is provided at the end of this document.
• The maximum amount of funding an application can request is $30,000 and the minimum amount that can be requested is $1,000.

Application Evaluation

This program has an evaluation process to ensure fair selection of the most-qualified applications. Applications will be reviewed for completeness and scored by CCCS staff with subject matter expertise.

The evaluation criteria is provided in a table at the end of this document. Applicants are encouraged to tailor their application to address the evaluation criteria, as these are how applications will be scored.

Timeline

Applications due: Mar 3, 2025

Application evaluation & selection: April 1, 2025

Funding recipients notified: April 30, 2025

Funding made available to recipients: May 1, 2025

Projects completed: May 1, 2026

Final Data Reported: June 1, 2026

Questions? Email any questions to the CCCS team at: Chelsea.Campbell@cccs.edu. We’re here to help and support project applications throughout the entire process!