The Energy Efficiency Grant Program serves communities throughout Washington by funding projects that improve existing public-owned facilities and related projects that result in energy and operational cost savings. 

Energy Efficiency grants provide competitive funding for energy efficiency improvements at public buildings and facilities, such as schools, hospitals, community centers, affordable housing, and wastewater treatment plants. Energy Efficiency grants cut energy costs, reduce pollution, and create jobs in communities across the state. Eligible applicants include cities, towns, school districts, state colleges, federally recognized tribal governments, state agencies, and other local governments and districts.

This program received further funding for the 2023-2025 biennium. The next solicitation is expected to open in late fall 2023.

Energy Efficiency Awards 2022

Federal Way School District in King County – $350,000 for heating and cooling controls and lighting retrofits at 18 schools. These updates will improve reliability and reduce energy use in one of the most diverse school districts in the state. With better indoor air quality, thermal lighting and comfort, the district hopes to remove physical barriers that may inhibit learning.

Goldendale School District in Klickitat County – $350,000 for heat recovery and LED lighting updates to a high school and an elementary school. The improvements will modernize heating and cooling systems and automate facility controls, some of which do not meet health ventilation standards in a district with constrained resources.

Town of Mabton in Yakima County – $247,861 for lighting and controls in elementary, middle and high schools plus the district office. Lighting retrofits and the installation of digital controls will help to ensure the safety of students and staff with well-lit classrooms, offices and common spaces in a district with a low tax base.

Mary Walker School District in Stevens County – $350,000 for a complete controls upgrade on a multi-school campus. This update will yield significant utility savings for the district, save on operational costs and ensure each classroom is getting adequate ventilation to improve student learning and safety.

City of Renton in King County – $267,626 for heating and cooling controls and lighting upgrades in the City Hall, aquatic center, maintenance shop, and a park. By increasing the City Hall’s energy efficiency and improving lighting and reliability in other facilities, this project will help address Renton’s goals to save energy and reduce its carbon footprint.

Washington Department of Corrections in Walla Walla County – $284,756 to upgrade plumbing and fixtures in the state penitentiary. This project will decrease domestic water use where the existing outdated domestic water system is a drain on natural resources. The upgrades include water control technologies specifically designed for correctional facilities. This project will significantly reduce both energy and water consumption decreasing economic and environmental impact on the fish, farms, recreation and tribal reservation in the Basin.

These grants fund projects with a goal of benefitting communities through the reduction of energy use and costs. This particular solicitation was designed to align with and advance the goals of the 2021 Washington State Energy Strategy to meet greenhouse gas emission limits while benefitting rural, urban, and vulnerable communities throughout the state. Half of the funds have been awarded to small towns or cities with populations below 5,000. All of the grant awards will provide economic, environmental and quality of life benefits to under-resourced communities in our state, including several highly impacted communities based on Washington’s Environmental Health Disparities Map.

Program documents for Energy Efficiency 2022

• Request for Applications (RFA) (amended 4-27-22) (pdf)
• Q&A (updated 5-19-22) (pdf)