Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program
On this page:
- Background
- Eligibility
- Available Technical Assistance
- Connections to Other EPA, Federal or Non-Governmental Efforts
Background
The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program provides nearly $5 billion in grants to states, local governments, tribes and territories to develop and implement plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution. Authorized under Section 60114 of the Inflation Reduction Act, this two-phase program provides $250 million for noncompetitive planning grants, and approximately $4.6 billion for competitive implementation grants.
CPRG planning grants are used to develop climate action plans that incorporate a variety of measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors including electricity generation, industry, transportation, buildings, agriculture/natural and working lands and waste management and lead to decarbonization. The competitive implementation grants provide funding to support the implementation of greenhouse gas reduction measures contained in those plans.
The next major deliverable for CPRG planning grant recipients is the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, due in mid- to late-2025. Grant recipients are required to include in their CCAPs a broad assessment of benefits associated with their greenhouse gas reduction measures, including but not limited to an analysis of air quality improvements (e.g., criteria air pollution and air toxics), improved public health outcomes, economic benefits, other environmental benefits and/or increased climate resilience. While greenhouse gas reduction remains the core focus of the CPRG program, the EPA recognizes these co-benefits as valuable elements of comprehensive climate action for communities.
Eligibility
Who is generally eligible to apply?
Eligible entities for the CPRG Program were states, municipalities, air pollution control agencies, territories and Tribes. The application periods for the CPRG noncompetitive planning grants and competitive implementation grants have closed.
How can projects funded by this program incorporate adaptation and resilience considerations?
In meeting its climate mitigation-focused goals, the CPRG program can also help support climate adaptation and resilience. CPRG planning and implementation grantees are encouraged to consider the potential for climate impacts to affect their projects. Incorporating future conditions into planning and implementation helps embed climate resilience into decarbonization pathways and promotes climate-informed investment of CPRG funds. There are many types of projects which may be eligible for CPRG funding that advance both climate mitigation and adaptation goals, including but not limited to:
- Wetland restoration which increases carbon sequestration while reducing flood risk and improving water quality.
- Weatherization programs, which increase energy efficiency and protect occupants from harmful health impacts of climate change like extreme temperatures or increased pollutants.
- Deployment of renewable energy and microgrids, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy costs and provide energy resilience in extreme weather events.
Available Technical Assistance
Technical assistance to grantees is an integral part of the CPRG Program.
- About CPRG Training, Tools and Technical Assistance: The website provides tools, technical resources and training to assist planning grant recipients in developing their deliverables. Requirements and program guidance is provided for States, Municipalities and Air Pollution Control Agencies and Federally Recognized Tribes, Tribal Consortia and U.S. Territories.
- CPRG Training and Technical Assistance Forums: Grantees are encouraged to participate in the CPRG technical assistance forms, which provide opportunities for training and technical assistance from the EPA and external subject matter experts and facilitate peer-to-peer collaboration, mentoring and sharing of case studies, best practices and lessons learned in ten topic areas (six key sectors, climate planning, climate analytics, low-income and disadvantaged communities, and Tribes and territories). Through ongoing technical assistance, the program will continue to provide guidance on the benefits of climate pollution reduction, including potential co-benefits from climate resilience and adaptation.
Connections to Other EPA, Federal or Non-Governmental Efforts
In their CCAPs, planning grantees must identify what other funding programs are available to them or have been secured by them from federal, state, local and private sources that could be leveraged to pursue the objectives of the CCAP. There are many more planning grantees and proposed greenhouse gas reduction measures than there are CPRG implementation dollars. Thus, drawing connections to other public funding opportunities to support further action is a key aspect of CPRG technical assistance.