DOER PON-ENE-2025-032 Regional School District Grant Program Opportunity Notice

The DOER Regional School District Decarbonization Grant Program, issued by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) under solicitation number PON-ENE-2025-032, provides up to $2 million in funding to assist regional school districts within Massachusetts in transitioning their existing fossil fuel-powered equipment to efficient electric alternatives. The program caps individual awards at $250,000 per applicant and prioritizes projects located in disadvantaged communities, those not eligible for Green Communities grants, and districts not served by Mass Save utilities. Eligible electrification projects include space heating, water heating, battery-powered landscape maintenance equipment, and commercial kitchen equipment. Applications are submitted exclusively through the EEA Grants Management System with deadlines spaced in funding blocks beginning June 4, 2025, with the first application due September 5, 2025. Projects are required to be completed within twelve months of award, with all funds expended by January 1, 2028. Applicants must first submit a Statement of Interest, signed by the Regional School District Superintendent, to receive written approval from DOER before proceeding to full application. The full application entails a detailed deployment plan with comprehensive cost breakdowns and requires documentation of compliance with applicable regulations such as the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) and the Davis-Bacon Act where applicable. The grant supports environmental goals, including GHG emissions reductions aligned with Massachusetts’ Net Zero 2050 objectives. The program also emphasizes integration of workforce development and co-benefits like pollinator habitat creation in project implementation. While inspection and acceptance procedures are guided by DOER approval processes, no specific packaging, labeling, or bar-coding standards apply. Applications are reviewed based on cost-effectiveness, emissions impact, and benefits to disadvantaged communities. Awardees must execute formal grant contracts prior to project initiation, with funds disbursed only upon satisfying PON requirements. The program mandates leveraging other funding sources, such as Mass Save incentives, where feasible and stipulates reporting and compliance obligations throughout project delivery.