Check out our 2024 Clean School Bus Rebate Program Breakdown Google Document. You can share this document with your district or staff on the who, what, when, and why they need to apply for this program right now. We’ve already used $4B of the total $5B we are given, we are running out of money and we cannot miss this opportunity! Fill out this action alert Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate put together- tell your Senators and Representative to protect the remaining $1B in the EPA Clean School Bus Program from cuts by the Trump administration. Pass this on to others in your network too. It only takes a couple of minutes to powerfully advocate to fund thousands of zero-emission electric school buses!
Thanks to the fierce work of our Clean Transportation team (yes, that means you!) Minnesota was able to make the biggest comeback in the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program- but we need to keep the momentum going!
In 2022 Minnesota only received 3 electric school buses from the EPA’s 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Program, 1 to Ogilvie Public School District and 2 to Red Lake Public School District.
Now in 2023, we’ve increased that number 20x! Minnesota was awarded 67 electric school buses from the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program! This is thanks to your help in educating, advocating, and engaging stakeholders across the state on the importance of why we need to electrify our school bus fleets.
We attended multiple school board meetings, published articles, and held training all to better the earth for our current and future generations.
The 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate awarded schools are Bloomington Public School District, Edina Public School District, Lanesboro Public School, Laporte Public School District, Rochester Public School District, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, and St. Paul Public School District.
The 2024 Clean Heavy Duty Vehicle Grant Program awarded schools and agencies are, Minnesota Public Schools (25 Electric School Buses), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (19 Electric School Buses).
Subscribe to our monthly It's Electric Newsletter! This newsletter will provide updates on what funding opportunities, events, and meetings are happening. Additionally, it will provide an overview of the month before and ways to get connected in the month to come.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gives the EPA $5 billion dollars over the next five fiscal years to financially support the deployment of electric school buses. With this funding, schools will be able to apply to make zero-emission school buses a reality in our communities.
We are already halfway through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, with 2 out of the 5 Clean School Bus Rebate Programs being completed, along with 1 of the Clean School Bus Grant Programs being completed. We are expecting to hear updates on which MN districts were awarded electric school buses for the 2023 Rebate round this April.
There is a lot in store for electric school buses in MN in 2025:
With all these programs coming down, we need your help! Join our Clean Transportation Team to make sure your district is able to utilize these FREE electric school buses!
The EPA’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program is open right now, but the application can be daunting.
Your school district needs to hear from parents, kids, and community members in order to take time out of their busy schedules to apply.
We can’t let this opportunity pass us by! Write to your school district today and tell them: Our students deserve clean electric school buses.
Your dedication and creativity have been instrumental in advancing the movement for electric school buses in Minnesota. This video showcases the passion and talent of UMN students as they collaborate to make a significant impact. Thank you for lending your voices and skills to propel this important environmental initiative forward.
Watch now to see how these students are driving change and helping pave the way for a cleaner, greener future!
Check out MN350’s tracksheet of what different electric school bus policies, funding, or both currently exist or are enforced throughout the United States. This tracksheet was created by MN350’s Clean Transportation Summer Intern, Holly Swiglo.
This tracksheet was last updated in August 2024.
Ready to apply? We're ready to support you! Click the pencil above to visit the application support page we put together just for you!
Schmitty & Sons was the first Minnesota bus company to invest in an all-electric bus and has been successfully transporting Lakeville ISD 194 students in their zero-emission bus since 2017!
In addition, the MPCA has awarded 5 school districts $2.1 million in grants to purchase 8 electric school buses.
Electric school buses are already being used in Minnesota, so we can build on their knowledge and best practices to successfully transition other schools to electric school buses.
MN350 is part of the Coalition for Clean Transportation, a team of Minnesota-based clean energy, environmental, and social justice advocacy groups working on transportation improvement. As part of this coalition, MN350 wants to support schools in the transition from dirty diesel buses to zero-emission school buses as part of a larger goal to transition all vehicles — large and small — to zero emissions. We want to support schools, contractors, tribes, and communities interested in electrifying their school bus fleets.
Our team advocated for electric school buses to be taken seriously at the state level this legislative session — and we won! Now we are focusing on:
If you have questions, want to connect with others in your school district, or need advice on how to approach your school board about getting more electric school buses, please reach out to our team! cleantransportation@mn350.org