Your Guide to the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program
Highland has the most experience competing for electric school bus grants and deploying electric fleets in the United States. Put our expertise to work for you.
Learn About the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The third round of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSB) opened on September 28, 2023. This round is a lottery-based rebate program, unlike Round 2. Get the latest information about Round 3 below.
How Does the 2023 CSB Rebate Program Work?
The 2023 CSB Rebate Program is the third round of funding under the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Program. Round 1 was a lottery with a relatively simple application process that awarded about $1B in rebates, while Round 2 was a competitive process with a complex application that will distribute at least $400M in grants.
Round 3 will provide at least $500M in rebates using a lottery-based system that has evolved in important ways since Round 1. Notable differences from Round 1 include:
— The maximum incentive levels per bus are lower (up to $345k for priority districts and $200k for non-priority districts)
— Eligible contractors, including Highland, can apply on behalf of districts
— Roughly 60% of funds are being set aside for priority districts, with the remaining 40% allocated to non-priority districts
— The application requires more documentation about the proposed project
Read our blog post to learn more.
How Highland Can Help
We’ve helped school districts secure approximately $60M in grants & incentives, and we’re happy to share our expertise with you. With regard to the 2023 CSB Rebate Program, Highland can help you at every step of the way. We can take care of gathering all of the information required for applying and submitting the application, implementing your project, and then ultimately staying with you to make sure your fleet is always charged and route-ready.
Our goal is to help as many school districts as possible bring cleaner, healthier transportation to their students and communities, whether they choose to do so with Highland or not. We have dedicated grant and policy staff who are happy to answer questions or even help with your application. Please email epa@highlandfleets.com to get in touch with our team.
Guaranteed Buses
Get 2+ Electric School Buses
From charger procurement and infrastructure installation to paving and bus barn maintenance, Highland manages the entire project from start to finish. We guarantee your depot electrification will be completed in the 2023-2024 school year.
Guaranteed Upgrades
Electrify Your Depot in the Next School Year
From charger procurement and infrastructure installation to paving and bus barn maintenance, Highland manages the entire project from start to finish. We guarantee your depot electrification will be completed in the 2023-2024 school year.
Guaranteed Savings
Do More with Your Budget
Highland can help your district upgrade to electric school buses AND save money. We guarantee savings of 10% or more on what you would pay to purchase, fuel, and maintain equivalent new diesel buses.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2023 CSB Rebate Program will award at least $500M to applicants from around the country.
All application packages need to be submitted electronically to EPA by January 31st 2024, at 4:00 p.m. (ET) to be considered for funding.
If you’d like to discuss getting support with your application, please contact us at epa@highlandfleets.com.
Applying with Highland allows you to skip all the steps to register your organization with SAM.gov. If you apply with Highland, Highland will apply on your behalf through SAM.gov.
Up to 25 buses.
The EPA sets funding maximums at $345k and $200k (depending on whether the community is a priority community or not) for an iconic long school bus. Smaller buses have lower maximums. It is important to note that the funding can be used towards a bus and a charger. The school district is allowed to decide how much of the funding goes toward the bus and how much goes toward a charger.
Yes! If you applied for a previous round of EPA funding, EPA has explicitly stated that you can apply for Round 3 and you should. This is a significant funding opportunity, and applying signals to the EPA that you are committed to improving your fleet.
The winners are selected via a lottery process designed to ensure that each state receives at least one project as long as one of its districts submits a viable application.
The districts will be prioritized as they were in the 2023 CSB Grant Program. In general the criteria prioritize districts that serve low income students, tribal nations, and rural areas.
Yes, but don’t let scrappage deter you! If you apply for electric school buses and don’t have a bus to scrap, Highland can help you.
Districts have up to two years to demonstrate that one 2010-or-older diesel bus has been scrapped. These diesel buses have to meet a few operating criteria but can come from anywhere in the country (they do not have to come from your district) as long as your new bus is electric. If you apply for ESBs and don’t have a 2010 or older model to scrap, you could scrap, sell, or donate a newer bus.
We have lots of experience locating and obtaining scrap buses for incentive programs, and we’re ready to help you.
Key Dates and Timelines:
— Submit Questions & Comments: January 10, 2024, 4:00 PM ET
— Submission Date: January 31, 2024, 4:00 PM ET
— Notification of Selection: April 2024
— Selectees submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating that new buses and eligible infrastructure have been ordered: April 2024 – October 2024
— Project period deadline for selectees to receive new buses, install eligible infrastructure, replace existing buses, and submit Close Out Forms: April 2026