Unprecedented amounts of federal funds are being rolled out for climate action through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This document examines how to leverage federal funds and use the grants process to implement priority climate projects in the Midwest. It describes the need for charting a “funding map” that identifies gaps in the region and aims to help navigate the funding landscape, particularly for smaller, under-resourced and capacity-constrained communities, by building funding pathways to regional and national opportunities.
Category: Midwest Matters
Amplifying climate stories across the region.
Federal funding to improve housing stock is approaching in the midwest. How can we prepare?
In August 2022, the Biden Administration signed into legislation the landmark Inflation-Reduction Act (PUBLIC LAW 117–169—AUG. 16, 2022). This legislation, in addition to billions in grant funding and tax credits, includes two categories of home rebates: Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR). HOMES Retrofitting single-family homes under HOMES has three […]
The MCC is tracking climate commitments!
The Midwest Climate Collaborative is officially tracking climate commitments! Across the Midwest, various cities, institutes of higher education, and cultural organizations have begun putting together climate action plans to decrease their own impact. What does the spreadsheet track? The spreadsheet tracks climate commitments on a broad scale (ex: emissions reduction goals), but also dives into […]
Charging Ahead! Which Midwest States are taking the lead with EV Legislation and Infrastructure
By Kyle Jacobs, class of ’24 Washington University The transportation sector accounts for nearly 30% of emissions in the United States making it the largest GHG emitting sector in the United States. In light of this the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has published two scorecards: one in 2021 and one just […]
Heat pumps offer an answer. What are we waiting for?
As evidence surrounding heat pumps becomes increasingly more corroborative, why are American households still hesitant to make the switch? In a recent RMI analysis, the transition to air-source heat pumps in residential buildings has resulted in a significant and immediate decrease in carbon pollution, in some states up to 93% over a 15-year lifetime.
Green Jobs in the Midwest: How many are there and how do you find them?
Many people are motivated by a desire to work towards solving the largest issue facing our generation: climate change. Job functions of climate-related careers vary widely. People from every background are needed—engineers, advocates, coders. But even as the Inflation Reduction Act pours more money and job opportunities into the field, finding jobs from a core-motivation […]
Climate Commitments in the Midwest
By Matthew Boyd, class of ’24 Washington University In the United States, climate action taken up by the coasts often gets the bulk of the attention but there have also been important milestones taken up by other parts of the United States. In particular, the Midwest, a region that many people consider to embrace fossil […]