Financing Resources by Region and State
The following financing resources are region and state-specific. Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.
Midwest Region
- Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) Lights for Learning Program - A school-oriented fundraiser that raises money through the sale of energy efficient CFLs. Schools receive 50% of the profit from CFL sales as well as bonuses for exemplary sales achievements.
Northeast Region
- Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) - High Performance Schools Exchange
- ESCo Case Study (PDF 116 KB) - A case involving the use of an Energy Service Company in the financing of an energy-efficient school project.
- High Performance School Exchange - NEEP State Policies and Regulations for School Buildings - Descriptions and links to New England state agencies that demonstrate the current school building requirements in each the state.
Pacific Northwest Region
- Puget Sound Energy, Inc. Corporate Giving Program - Offers grants, rebates, and other options for energy-efficient projects.
California
- California Energy Commission - Provides financing for schools through low-interest loans for feasibility studies and the installation of energy-saving measures
- How to Finance Public Sector Energy Efficiency Projects (California Energy Commission) (PDF 500 KB) - Addresses public school districts
- Savings-by-Design (PowerPoint 389 KB) (Pacific Gas and Electric) - Provides technical and financial assistance for new school construction in California
- Energy Efficiency Financing/Bright Schools Program (California Energy Commission)
- Association of Bay Area Governments, Financial Services - Offers a full range of programs to public and private borrowers in the municipal capital market
- California School Board Association, Financial Services - List of financial services available through CSBA
- California State Association of Counties, Financial Services - Provides a broad array of financial services and programs to California's counties
- League of California Cities and California State Association of Governments, California Statewide Communities Development Authority - Provides various financing programs
- Case study: Cali Calmecac Charter school, Windsor, CA – This school was retrofit in 2005 with solar panels and other systems intended to teach students about energy efficiency.
Connecticut
- Connecticut Clean Energy Trail – Offers case studies on a number of Connecticut schools that were retrofit to save or produce energy using renewable energy systems, such as solar and fuel cells.
Maine
- Efficiency Maine - This state-wide provider promotes the more efficient use of electricity for Maine residents. Funded by electricity consumers and administered by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, it offers school-related incentives under its business segment. It also offers a High Performance School program
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts High Performance Green Schools Guidelines - Planning (PDF 6.6 MB)
- MTC Renewable Energy Trust Green School Grants - $15 million in grants are available to fund solar electric panels, wind turbines, and other clean technologies, as well as green building design and planning assistance.
- Massachusetts High Performance School Incentive - Massachusetts schools receive a 2% reimbursement of total project cost for school districts that have their projects MA-CHPS certified.
- Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) Green Schools Publications
New Hampshire
- New Hampshire High Performance School Incentive - New Hampshire law provides 3% incremental reimbursements for schools that build to high-performance standards.
- New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission Core Energy Efficiency programs - Utility programs designed for state-wide implementation, funded by the System Benefits Charge
New York
- New York State's School Assistance Program (PowerPoint 281 KB) - Reviews barriers and solutions for energy efficiency in New York State public schools
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) - New Construction Program Case Studies
- New York System Benefits Charge - The SBC funds public initiatives that are not addressed by New York's competitive electricity markets
- NYSERDA Energy $martSM Loan Fund Program - Low-interest loans offered to provide interest rate reductions on loans for certain energy-efficiency improvements or renewable technologies. Loan fund terms and documents are effective September 1, 2007 to July 31, 2009.
- New York Energy $martSM Photovoltaic (PV) Solar-Electric System Incentive Program (50kW and smaller) - Explains how solar power works and describes available incentives
- NYSERDA Capital & Maintenance Planning Reports Toolbox (Excel 743 KB) - A tool for producing comprehensive maintenance plans, five-year capital facility plans, and facility report cards. Enable macros to access Excel spreadsheet.
- On Site Small Wind in New York – Cash Incentives Available - Explains how wind power works and describes available incentives
Rhode Island
- RI High Performance School Incentive – Outlines the Northeast High Performance Schools Protocol
- RI Renewable Energy Fund and Rhode Island Solar on Schools Initiative - Rhode Island's Office of Energy Resources is dedicated to increasing the role of renewable energy in the state's electricity supply
- Rhode Island Health and Education Building Corporation - Issues tax-exempt bonds to non-profit institutions, which include public and private primary and secondary schools
Vermont
- Vermont Fuels for Schools Program - State-wide renewable energy-use initiative, providing schools with the information and support they need to evaluate and successfully implement woodchip and other biomass heating systems that replace expensive fossil fuels with locally produced wood fuels
- Efficiency Vermont - State-wide provider of energy-efficiency services operated by an independent, non-profit organization under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board. School-related incentives are offered under their business segment