Anticipated Launch Summer 2025
One-Time $60M Grant Opportunity for Local Governments
Your Feedback Requested Today!
Program Purpose: Grant funding to support large-scale efforts to plan and implement energy efficiency and clean energy projects across local governments’ portfolios of public facilities. For FY26 only, MEA anticipates offering $60 million in one-time not-to-be-missed funding to accelerate adoption of clean energy. This program will replace Maryland Smart Energy Communities (MSEC) for Fiscal Year 2026. By empowering local governments, the program will save energy and cut annual operating costs, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing state climate goals.
Anticipated Application Period: Summer 2025 - Winter 2025
Anticiapted FY26 Budget: $60 million total: $10 million anticipated for energy efficiency projects and $50 million anticipated for renewable energy projects.
Anticipated Type of Grant Program: The L-GEM FY26 portfolio offers awards in two core Areas of Interest (AOI):- Area of Interest 1 (AOI1). Formula Block Grant: A block grant is formula-based, flexible funding that is secured upfront and can be used over multiple years to support both planning and implementation of a variety of energy related projects. This allows recipients to align the funding with local priorities and timelines. Counties are encouraged to apply for AOI1.
- Area of Interest (AOI2). Competitive Project Grant: A competitive grant is project-specific funding awarded through an application process in which local governments propose individual projects for consideration. Each application is evaluated based on its merits with funding awarded to projects that best align with the program’s goals and priorities based on the evaluation criteria. County and municipal governments may submit multiple applications with one application per project.
Anticipated Eligible Applicants:
- AOI1: Block grant: counties of Maryland and Baltimore City are eligible for and encouraged to apply to AOI1.
- AOI2: Competitive grant: Eligible applicants include all incorporated towns, cities, and counties of Maryland. Counties that apply for AOI1 are not eligible to apply for AOI2.
Request For Information
MEA has issued a 
Request for Information (RFI) to seek feedback on the design of the FY26-Only Local Government Energy Modernization Program (L-GEM).
MEA kindly requests that responses to this RFI be submitted via
this form by
June 30, 2025. MEA may continue to receive comments after the deadline, but comments received by this date will be most impactful. Alternatively, if you prefer, you may send your feedback to
msec.mea@maryland.gov with “L-GEM RFI” in the subject line.
