Federal Funding Fridays

2/21/25 – Funding freeze thaws for some

By •

The rumors are true, some organizations are seeing the release of funds, most notably for CPRG implementation grants. However, a lack of uniformity exists across various grant programs regarding the freezing and thawing of funds, creating uncertainty and hindering effective implementation.

Whether or not your funding is currently accessible, to best safeguard your hard earned funds, it’s essential to stay in full compliance. Regularly document the ASAP system’s status by taking screenshots of “active” or “inactive” displays and keep a detailed log of every check. If you continue to encounter difficulties or have concerns, reach out to your federally elected officials to let them know what’s happening and how it’s impacting your project(s) so they can advocate for your access to necessary funds.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Save money and register for the MCC Climate Summit and take advantage of the early bird registration through March 7th!
    • When: April 30 – May 2, 2025 in Madison, WI. Members receive 2 free tickets! We are also inviting state environment and sustainability agencies to exhibit this year in lieu of federal agencies due to the existing limitations in place. If you have any recommendations on who we should invite, please let us know!
  • Later Today! Please join us after this call today at 10:30am CT for a webinar co-hosted by the MCC and M-RETS on “Strengthening Rural Resilience with Green Ammonia.” Register here!
  • Registration is OPEN for the MCC/SIUE Virtual Grant Management Module Training! More information here (scroll down and click the Grant Management tab)
    • Are you a non-profit professional, educator, community activist/organizer or small business owner new to grant management or looking to sharpen these skills?  Check out this self-paced online program and gain valuable skills from proposal development to project closeout. Take advantage of ad hoc facilitator support and networking with fellow participants!
      • Offering two cohorts:
        • Cohort #1 – April 2, 2025 – August 31, 2025 (Mandatory Session 1: 6pm CT on April 2, 2025)
        • Cohort #2 – October 30, 2025 – March 31, 2026 (Mandatory Session 1: 6pm CT on October 30, 2025)
        • Register for either cohort here! 
  • Next week, Wednesday, February 26th, at 4:00 PM ET there’s a webinar to discuss the status of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Direct Pay tax provision. Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) will be on the call and provide an overview of recent legal developments regarding Direct Pay, followed by Atlas Public Policy Analyst Annabelle Rosser who will present a dashboard visualizing Direct Pay uptake and walk through the survey for submitting project stories. Register here.
  • Save the Date! FFF March 7th Join us for a special presentation by Alex Crowley, Executive Director of the Indiana Energy Independence Fund, as he shares creative financing strategies. While IEIF is based in Indiana, the insights are valuable for anyone working on clean energy and climate projects, regardless of location. Questions and discussion to follow. We hope to see you there!

FUNDING UPDATES

  • Municipal Investment Fund (MIF): 
    • Extended the application deadline to March 5, 2025!
    • What is it? ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA is partnering with the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) to offer market-building funding and technical support to help communities — local governments, Tribes, and their partner not-for-profit organizations —  to develop public-private partnership plans that can accelerate the deployment of capital to clean energy projects. Selected communities will be qualified to pursue CGC’s Municipal Investment Fund.
  • Region 7 Grantmaker awards, next round applications (all tiers and non-competitive awards) accepted through April 30th!
    • Be sure to check out Heartland Environmental Justice Center for technical assistance! 
    • RTI accepting applications for Region 7
      • If you applied by Jan. 31 – should be hearing back in February–has anyone heard anything yet? 
      • Next deadline is April 30
  • Minneapolis Foundation is still accepting applications for Region 5 Grantmaker awards, the next application window hasn’t been announced yet. 
  • Mosaic Call for Concept Notes: Building Bridges: In 2025, Mosaic will fund movement-building efforts  — collaborative projects, coalitions, networks etc. — designed to fill critical movement infrastructure gaps (as described in Mosaic’s strategic framework) within US based climate, conservation, environmental health and justice movements, with a focus on those aimed at building bridges across differences. Check out the informational webinar recording here.

RESOURCES