This page features a continually updated list of transportation grants from State and Federal Sources:

Summer 2008 Federal Grants:
reverse chronological by due date

Jump down to State of Ohio Grants

Clean Energy & Defense
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a
Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for proposals for Defense Sciences
Research & Technology. Areas of interest include, but are not
limited to: New approaches to engine designs to improve performance
and efficiency; new approaches to harvesting solar energy; materials
and enabling technologies for power generation, energy storage at
all scales; and new non-carbon-based fuel sources. Responses due
2/27/09.
For more info, contact the BAA Administrator at
BAA08-22 AT darpa.mil
Link to detailed info on this Clean Energy grant opportunity

$10 Billion in Efficient and Clean Energy Loan Guarantees
The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Federal Loan
Guarantees for Projects that Employ Innovative Energy Efficiency,
Renewable Energy, and Advanced Transmission and Distribution
Technologies. DOE seeks projects related to biomass, geothermal,
solar, wind energy, hydropower, alternative fuel vehicles, energy
efficiency, energy efficient building technologies and efficient
electricity transmission, distribution, and storage. DOE intends to
issue loan guarantees for stand-alone projects and projects related to
manufacturing technologies and the large-scale integration of
renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage technologies
into the electrical grid. $10 billion expected to be available. The
guarantees can be issued for loans of up to 80% of total project cost.
Applications due 12/31/08.
Link to detailed info (PDF) on this Clean Energy Loan Opportunity

Energy Frontier Research Centers
The U.S. Department of Energy requests proposals for Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) to accelerate the rate of scientific
breakthroughs needed to create advanced energy technologies for the 21st century. The EFRCs will pursue the fundamental understanding necessary to meet the global need for abundant, clean, and economical energy. Through this initiative, DOE seeks to bring together the skills and talents of multiple investigators to enable fundamental research of a scope and complexity that would not be possible with the standard individual investigator or small group research project. $500 million expected to be available, up to
50 awards anticipated. Responses due 10/1/08.
For more info, contact Emiela Bradford @ emiela.bradford AT ch.doe.gov
Link to detailed info on this Energy Research Centers grant opportunity

Power, Buildings, Transportation, and Climate
The Energy Foundation accepts proposals on a continuous basis in the areas of Power, Building, Transportation, and Climate. The
Foundation's mission is to advance energy efficiency and renewable
energy, an essential components of a clean energy future.
Link to detailed info on this Power, Building, Transportation, & Climate grant opportunity

Clean Energy and Cost Effective GHG Reductions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for
Cost-Effective Approaches to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through
Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, and Corporate Greenhouse Gas
Management Grants. Proposals should demonstrate the potential to
create lasting change in the market for energy efficient and clean
generation products, services, and best practices and should address
areas including, but not limited to: Improving energy performance in
the residential and/or commercial/government market through increased
use of high-efficiency products; Improving quantification and
management of greenhouse gas emissions, reductions, and energy use
across the lifecycle of products, and; increasing demand/market
penetration for green power products and on-site renewables.
$6 million expected to be available, up to 20 awards anticipated.
Responses due 8/6/08.
For more info, contact Kayla Roach @ roach.kayla AT epa.gov
Link to detailed info on this Cost Effective GHG Reductions

Ongoing State of Ohio Grants:

1) Ohio Department of Development's Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant (DERG) Program.
DERG was conceived in state budget bill H.B. 66 earmarking $19.8
million over the biennium of Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT)
federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds authorized
through the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), to reduce
diesel emissions.
The program is available for all public diesel
engine fleets and private diesel engine fleets (with public
sponsor) that have at least 20% matching funds and who are committed to
operating their updated equipment in Ohio
non-attainment-and-maintenance counties at least 65% of the time.
First round of applications due 02/11/08 and the RFP for the second round of funding is expected to be announced in July of 2008. For more info, contact Jim Zuber @ jzuber AT odod.state.oh.us
Link to detailed info on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant program

2) Ohio Department of Development's B20 School Bus Grant Program

In January, Lee Fisher, lieutenant governor and director of the Ohio
Department of Development, announced a new grant program to help
school districts, county mental retardation and developmental
disabilities agencies and other local K-12 agencies pay for the incre-
mental costs of purchasing B20 fuel. The program is part of
a larger state effort to promote the use of domestic, renew-
able fuel resources.
B20 fuel is a cleaner-burning blend of 20 percent biod-
iesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. B20 reduces carbon
monoxide emissions, particulate matter and sulfates and
can be used in diesel engines without modification.

The maximum grant award is $25,000, and applicants
are asked to provide information about their fleets, refuel-
ing practices and estimates of the amount of B20 fuel to
be consumed. Complete applications will be funded first
come-first served on a reimbursement basis within four
weeks of approval. Total funding for the B20 grant program
is set at $250,000 for fiscal year 2008 and another $250,000
for fiscal year 2009.
In addition, the Ohio Soybean Council is engaged in
a Clean Air for Kids campaign. The Council is providing
educational materials and opportunities for schools. Con-
tact Tom Fontana at tfontana AT soyohio.org for additional
information or visit www.soybiodiesel.org/kids.
Link to detailed information on the Ohio School Bus B20 Grant Program

3. Ohio EPA Clean Diesel School Bus Fund Retrofits Grant Program

A new grant program is helping school districts retrofit their diesel
school buses with pollution control equipment and use cleaner fuels to
reduce emissions.

Priority will
be given to applications from school districts in communities that do
not meet the federal air quality standards for outdoor concentrations
of fine air particles, and districts that employ additional measures
such as anti-idling programs, to reduce emissions from their school bus
fleets. The following counties in Northeast Ohio are not meeting the EPA's standard for fine particle pollution and are therefore eligible for funding from this program.

-Cuyahoga
-Lake
-Lorain
-Medina
-Portage
-Stark
-Summit

A portion of Ashtabula County is in non-attainment. Please consult the OH EPA for more information.

Grants
are funded from civil penalties Ohio EPA collects from environmental
violations. Since the program began, Ohio EPA has awarded $1.6 million
to 33 school districts to retrofit 652 school buses. These grants have
resulted in the removal of nine and a half tons of pollutants from the
air. The next grant application deadlines will be:

• September 2, 2008
• March 2, 2009.

For additional questions about the grant program, please contact Carolyn Watkins at carolyn.watkins AT epa.state.oh.usor 614-644-3768. For questions about diesel bus retrofitting, particle standards, or program rules, contact John Paulian at john.paulian AT epa.state.oh.us or 614-644-4832.
Link to detailed information on OH EPA Clean Diesel School Bus Fund