Electric School Bus Grant Program
Electric School Bus Grant Program supports school districts with electric buses, chargers, fleet planning, and federal funding application assistance to advance school bus fleet electrification.
Funder: Minnesota Department of Commerce
Due Dates: December 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Time (Equipment and Planning & Technical Assistance)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1.7 million across both tracks; equipment cost coverage of 80–90% for buses and 65–95% for other eligible expenses; planning and application assistance up to $27,000
Summary: Supports electric school bus purchases, charging infrastructure, fleet transition planning, and federal funding application assistance.
Key Information: Applicants may apply to either track or both through separate, independently scored applications.
Description
The Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Electric School Bus Grant Program supports school bus fleet electrification through two funding tracks. The Equipment Round helps districts deploy electric school buses to serve students, including purchasing new buses, repowering existing fossil-fuel-powered buses, installing chargers, and administering vehicle and charger procurement.
The Planning & Technical Assistance Round supports fleet transition plans and preparation of federal school bus electrification funding applications. It can help participants assess route and bus yard readiness, communicate with their utility, and determine their next steps. Applicants ready to purchase buses can also seek planning assistance for the rest of their fleet.
