Best Renewable Energy Grants in Washington

Nonprofit and community organizations running existing AmeriCorps programs in Washington can seek continuation funding for operational costs, including projects in renewable and sustainable energy, environmental stewardship, and related community services. Serve Washington’s AmeriCorps Continuation Grants are only for currently funded programs in year two or three of their three-year grant cycle.

Current grantees with existing building electrification projects in Washington can apply for additional funding to expand measures that boost energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Washington State Department of Commerce provides up to US $495,000 to enhance renewable and sustainable energy, electrification, and related clean energy upgrades in previously funded projects.

About Serve Washington

Serve Washington advances national service, volunteerism, and civic engagement to improve lives, expand opportunity to meet the local critical needs of residents of Washington, and strengthen community capacity while creating healthy and resilient communities.

AmeriCorps Planning Grant

AmeriCorps Planning Grants provide initial funding to support current staff or to hire additional staff who can plan a proposed AmeriCorps program and develop systems for successful implementation of an AmeriCorps operational grant application. This is a great place to start if you are new to AmeriCorps! 

AmeriCorps Focus Areas

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended by the Serve America Act, emphasizes measuring the impact of service and focusing on a core set of issue areas. To carry out Congress’s intent, maximize the impact of investment in national service, and achieve the goals laid out in the Strategic Plan (2022-2026), AmeriCorps has the following Focus Areas:

• Disaster Services: Helping individuals and communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of disasters and increase community resiliency.
• Economic Opportunity: Improving the economic well-being and security of underserved individuals.
• Education: Improving educational outcomes for underserved people, especially children. AmeriCorps is particularly interested in program designs that support youth engagement and service learning as strategies to achieve high educational outcomes.
• Environmental Stewardship: Supporting communities to become more resilient through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve land and water, increase renewable energy use and improve at-risk ecosystems, especially in underserved households and communities.
• Healthy Futures: Support for health needs within communities, including mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 and other public health crises, access to care, aging in place, and addressing childhood obesity, especially in underserved communities.
• Veterans and Military Families: Improving the quality of life of veterans, military families, caregivers, and survivors. 

Funding

Awards for planning grants may not exceed $75,000

Nonprofits and First Nations in the Columbia Basin region, including Washington, can apply for Columbia Basin Trust’s Non-profit SMART Grants Stream Two, offering up to US $150,000 for solar photovoltaic arrays, energy efficiency retrofits, and other building improvements. Funding may benefit organizations pursuing renewable energy and efficiency projects in buildings and facilities.

Washington renewable energy and sustainability nonprofits and First Nations can access funding through Columbia Basin Trust to purchase one new electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle and up to two charging stations. This Stream One Non-profit SMART Grant offers up to US $75,000 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support cleaner transportation in Basin communities.

Washington nonprofits and public agencies ready to run an AmeriCorps program can seek operational funding to address disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, or support for veterans and military families. Serve Washington’s New & Recompete AmeriCorps Operational Grant supports new programs or those renewing after a three-year operational grant cycle.

Washington Tribes with lands or territories in the state can access funding to build climate capacity, including developing Tribal clean energy projects and supporting climate resilience. Washington Department of Ecology’s Tribal Climate Capacity Grants offer up to US $1,000,000 and may benefit renewable and sustainable energy initiatives alongside broader climate-related activities.

Tribal governments and Native-serving organizations in Washington seeking to build solar energy capacity can apply for GRID Alternatives’ Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund, offering up to US $100,000 for renewable energy and workforce development projects. Funding supports new solar infrastructure, energy planning, training, and community-focused initiatives that advance tribal energy sovereignty and resilience across Indian Country.

Farmers and ranchers in Washington implementing regenerative, soil‑health practices can seek US $1,500 - US $25,000 to support projects that sequester atmospheric carbon and improve soil organic carbon. Zero Foodprint’s Restore Grant, backed by USDA NRCS, may benefit operations advancing sustainable agriculture and renewable/sustainable energy-related climate goals.

Agricultural education and youth leadership programs in Washington can seek funding to support ag education, leadership development, or career training for high school students through young professionals. CHS Foundation supports projects that build a diverse talent pipeline for agriculture and promote understanding of the agricultural cooperative business model, with priority for regional or multi-state initiatives.

The CREST program by the NSF aims to bolster research capabilities at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) through education and research integration. It specifically supports STEM doctoral programs and encourages proposals in high-priority areas such as AI and climate change. By enhancing the institutional capacity, the program seeks to increase the number of underrepresented doctoral graduates in STEM fields, thereby fostering diversity and innovation in scientific research.

The Edison Scholars Program, sponsored by Edison International, offers $12,500 annually to thirty high school seniors pursuing degrees in STEM fields at accredited U.S. colleges. This renewable scholarship supports students who demonstrate financial need and reside in Southern California Edison’s service territory. Scholars also gain access to a paid summer internship after their first year. Eligible majors include engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences, fostering the next generation of innovators and leaders.

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center invite proposals to explore the interactions between fishing communities and offshore wind development in the U.S. Northeast. This initiative aims to enhance understanding of community resilience and economies, while fostering collaborative research that informs decision-making. Proposals should utilize qualitative and quantitative methods and involve at least one Co-PI from the six states of the NESGC, with a requirement for a 25% non-federal match.

Graduate-level students and researchers in renewable or sustainable energy, climate and clean energy innovation, or related security technologies can receive up to US $40,000 for study between Australia and the U.S., including those from Washington. With a mission to foster cross-country graduate education, American Australian Association provides funding for tuition, travel, living, and research costs.

Washington graduate students researching drinking water quality, environmental science, or public health can access funding through the American Water Works Association’s Dr. Philip C. Singer Scholarship. This US $3,000 award supports research that delivers timely, actionable outcomes for current water industry challenges, which may intersect with renewable or sustainable energy and clean water initiatives.

Organizations commercializing ARPA-E-funded energy technologies that meet specific subject invention and patent criteria can seek US $5,000,000 - US $20,000,000 to scale transformative solutions. Grants from United States Department of Energy (DOE) help U.S. innovators advance high-risk, high-impact renewable and sustainable energy, energy efficiency, biofuels, and emerging technologies, which may benefit Washington-focused renewable energy efforts.

Tribal governments and Tribal collaboratives pursuing offshore wind and broader renewable energy engagement in Washington can access funding for capacity building, planning, and community engagement activities. United States Department of Energy’s Capacity Accelerator for Tribal Offshore Wind Engagement offers up to US $565,000 per team across three phased cash awards with extensive technical assistance.

Industrial and clean energy innovators developing thermal or electric storage solutions for industrial facilities in the U.S., including Washington, can seek up to US $700,000 to advance cost-effective energy storage concepts. With a mission to improve industrial efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy provides multi-phase prize funding for design, prototyping, and validation of scalable industrial energy storage systems.

The Park Foundation Grants for the Environment focus on ensuring clean and accessible drinking water while opposing shale gas extraction and infrastructure expansion. They fund diverse initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable practices and policies, particularly within New York State. The Foundation supports advocacy, organizing, and corporate responsibility efforts that align with their mission to foster a just and sustainable environment, empowering communities to protect their natural resources.

BMO Gives is committed to fostering positive societal impact through community support and charitable initiatives. It focuses on enhancing community and economic resilience, as well as environmental sustainability. Eligible applicants must be registered charities or non-profits operating in Canada or the U.S. and align with BMO's corporate values, which promote inclusivity and non-discrimination. The program aims to support projects that address significant societal needs and empower local communities.

The AES Hawaiʻi Foundation Grant supports communities near AES Hawaiʻi’s renewable energy projects, focusing on social justice, education, environmental stewardship, and community health. Preference is given to nonprofit organizations in these areas, but statewide entities may also apply. Successful projects should align with the Foundation’s impact pillars, demonstrate measurable community benefits, and address unmet needs, ensuring long-term positive effects on the local community.

About All Points North Foundation

All Points North Foundation is dedicated to navigating communities upward.

All Points North Foundation was founded in 2011 by a family who believes passionately that everyone has a “true North” – a place of achievement – and that everyone should have equal opportunity and access to realize their goals.

Our Vision

We envision a nation where the middle school years are seen as an important, vital time in the lives of youth, and where the public middle school education experience in underserved communities measurably improves

We also envision a nation where the integration of solar benefits families, local economies and the environment.

Our Priorities

All Points North Foundation funds grantees in two areas – public middle school education (grades 6-8) and solar – that have the power to help communities nationwide navigate upward.

Grant Making

All Points North Foundation seeks collaborative partnerships with grantees in our two priority areas.

Solar Energy

All Points North Foundation is focused on finding ways to significantly advance the penetration of solar through education, job training and use of solar electric technologies in the United States.

All Points North Foundation has three priority areas:

Providing solar and workforce development training for Tribal communities to expand and diversify the solar job pipeline.

Working with small- to medium-sized science centers to engage students, families and local communities on the benefits and science behind solar.

Providing solar installations to nonprofit organizations that build high-quality, safe and affordable residential housing, offsetting energy costs and enabling cost savings for households.

The cost of solar has dropped dramatically over the last decade, however the upfront cost of going solar remains a hurdle for most families, communities and nonprofits.

All Points North Foundation does consider funding solar projects outside of these focal areas, but the programs must demonstrate how solar will have a broader impact on local communities (e.g., economic, social or environmental), as well as showcase the potential for replication across the nation.

The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program, administered by the USDA's NIFA, aims to enhance the capabilities of eligible institutions in agriculture and related fields. By providing financial support, the program encourages institutions to compete for federal funding, disseminate vital information, and foster community engagement in educational and research initiatives. This initiative is crucial for developing infrastructure, promoting faculty development, and establishing graduate assistantships to address national and regional agricultural priorities.

The Clif Family Foundation Open Call invites 501(c)(3) organizations to apply for grants supporting general operating costs or specific projects. With a focus on regenerative farming, food worker health, climate justice, and food access, the foundation aims to empower grassroots initiatives. Grants range from $5,000 to $50,000, with applications reviewed twice a year. Deadlines are March 1 and August 1, and announcements occur about four months post-deadline.

The Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund provides grants to support communities in the U.S. and Canada where the company operates. Focused on affordable housing, education, environmental stewardship, and more, the fund emphasizes projects that meet local needs and demonstrate community support. Eligible organizations include nonprofits and educational institutions. Applications are accepted year-round with a deadline for 2025 on September 30. National initiatives related to working forests are funded by invitation only.

The Waste Management Charitable Contributions Program supports initiatives that enhance environmental stewardship, sustainability education, and community vitality. With a commitment to civic pride and economic development, the program prioritizes organizations that address local needs and promote sustainable practices. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations that focus on public purposes, while ineligible requests include funding for operating costs and individual fundraising events. This initiative fosters a collaborative approach to community betterment.