Electric School Bus Grant Program
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Update as of 1/22/2025: The FY25 ESB FOA has been updated below in regards to the deadline, maximum cap per Grantee, incremental cost, and electric school bus amounts. Removed language can be seen in
red and updated language will be
highlighted in bold. Please let us know if you have any questions!
Please reach out to
transportation.mea@maryland.gov email for 1-on-1 meetings or calls to discuss filling out the Jotform application form or any questions on the FOA. Thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Maryland Electric School Bus Grant Program FAQ
Program Purpose: The FY25 Maryland Electric School Bus Grant Program is being established in support of the Moore-Miller administration’s announcement to direct $17 million for grants to purchase and lease electric school buses to serve Maryland public school students. The Program offers a statewide competitive application process for eligible vehicles utilized in student transportation services, with a strong focus on expanding access to funding for overburdened and underserved communities facing economic challenges.
Please note: in no case should MEA and other state incentives (including federal) exceed the total funding request/cost of the project.
Eligible Applicants:
- Public Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
- Fleets/private school bus vendors operating on behalf of LEAs to purchase school buses.
Eligible Vehicles:
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Any publicly-funded school bus procured by an eligible entity for the routine transportation of students for school or school-related programming or activities is eligible for consideration.
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Vehicles must be purchased new (i.e. retrofits or repowered vehicles are NOT eligible).
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A vehicle that has been funded in whole or in part by another Maryland State grant may not be funded through this program.
Electric School Bus Funding Diagram (Updated 01.23.2025)
Funding:
- Up to $17 million available in Fiscal Year 2025.
- Grant will cover up to 120% of the incremental cost of eligible vehicles, with additional funding for charging infrastructure, and other associated costs (more information in the FOA below).
- The maximum award amount cap will be $3,000,000.00 per Grantee, which includes electric school bus purchase, charging infrastructure, and associated costs. Depending on income qualifications and the size of the school district, the maximum award amount cap may be increased to $3,500,000.00.
- Maximum cap on requested charging infrastructure is 30% of total project funding request
Program Documents: Applications are due on
March 17, 2025 at 3:00PM ET. All application materials and instructions are found here:
Apply now! Applications due
March 17, 2025 at 3:00PM ET.
Webinar:
Contact: For more information or questions, please contact Natalie Buscemi, Transportation Program Manager, at
transportation.mea@maryland.gov or 410-537-4071.
