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Picture of solar panels
Solar for Savings is the first grant program under the MI Healthy Climate Challenge, funding MI Solar for All pilot projects to reduce energy costs, enhance resiliency, and expand access to solar for low-income households.
With $156 million in federal funding, the MI Solar for All Programaims to bring solar energy to low-income communities, delivering economic and environmental benefits while ensuring equitable access.
Through the Solar for Savings initiative, these pilot projects will test innovative approaches, accelerate solar adoption across Michigan, and contribute to the development of the broader MI Solar for All Program. By expanding access to renewable energy, particularly through residential and community solar, these pilots will play a vital role in advancing Michigan’s clean energy transition.
Expanding access to renewable energy is key to achieving the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan. These pilot projects will help ensure all Michiganders benefit from clean energy by improving air quality, increasing resilience, creating jobs, and lowering energy bills. By removing barriers to solar adoption, Solar for Savings advances the broader mission of the MI Healthy Climate Challenge to accelerate clean energy deployment statewide.
Challenge #1 Objectives
- Help reduce energy burdens experienced by low-income householdsby delivering a benefit (directly or indirectly) equivalent to, at a minimum, an annual average 20% electricity bill reduction from implementation of MI Solar for All program investments (solar, storage, and enabling upgrades) and evaluate the impacts of the benefits provided to participating low-income households. The benefits provided to program beneficiaries must be inclusive of any costs they incur to participate in MI Solar for All program offerings.
- Increase access to wealth building opportunities and solar ownershipby helping to address ownership barriers through different financial strategies and other program assistance.
- Install new renewable energy generation and energy storageto help Michigan reduce carbon emissions and increase energy resiliency.
- Seek partnerships and additional funding sources to expand the program’s impact and reachthrough activities like stacking and braiding of resources and integrating with complementary programs.
- Reduce potential risks to program investment performanceby developing plans to ensure quality control of assets funded by MI Solar for All and promoting adoption of best practices and industry standards for quality installations as well as operations and maintenance of program funded assets.
- Support high-quality, high-wage careersthrough workforce training and industry development investments in program related areas and create opportunities for low-income individuals.
- Develop flexible community assistance and educational opportunities to support Michigan communitiesto address needs pertinent to MI Solar for All success.
Total funding available:
The Solar for Savings grant competition will provide $8,875,000 across the following categories:
- Residential-serving community solar: $6,500,000
- Residential rooftop solar: $1,000,000
- Enabling upgrades: $1,000,000
- Associated storage solutions: $375,000
Eligible applicants
To qualify for funding, applicants must meet the following requirements (additional details are available in the Request for Proposals, or RFP):
- Eligible entities include:
- Public and non-profit entities such as tribes, state and local governments, non-profit organizations, municipal and cooperative utilities, and educational institutions (e.g., K-12 schools, colleges, and universities).
- Eligible property owners located in Michigan.
Please note: For-profit entities are not eligible to apply. Non-profit organizations must not be exempt under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and must not engage in lobbying activities.
Eligible projects:
To qualify for funding, projects must meet the following criteria (additional details are available in the RFP):
- Deliver at least an average annual20% electric bill savingsor the equivalent to eligible low-income households.
- Provide100% of the benefitsto eligible low-income households, or, for residential-serving community solar projects,at least 50%of the benefits to eligible low-income households.
- Support the deployment of the following technologies, as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All Terms and Conditions:
- Residential Rooftop Solar
- Residential-Serving Community Solar
- Associated Storage
- Enabling Upgrades
Application timeline:
Applications will be accepted until all funding is allocated or until5:00 p.m. EST on July 30, 2025. There will be three rounds of reviews. Any application submitted before the relevant review deadline will be considered in that particular review round. Awards will be granted on a first come, first served basis. The timeline is as follows:
- RFP Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
- Round 1 Responses Due: Friday, May 30, 2025
- Round 2 Responses Due: Monday, June 30, 2025
- Final Responses Due: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Please Note:Applications submitted before the relevant round’s deadline will be considered in that round. Awards will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
How to apply
To apply for funding under the Solar for Savings initiative, please carefully review theRequest for Proposals (RFP)and theEPA Solar for All Terms and Conditions. Proposals that do not meet the program requirements as described in the RFP and Terms and Conditions will be deemed ineligible.
- Access the full Request for Proposals (RFP):
- RFP Appendices
- Appendix D – Approved Budget Form
- Appendix E – Approved Project Timeline Template
- Appendix F – U.S. EPA Solar for All Terms and Conditions
- Appendix G. Temporary Waiver for Build America, Buy America
- Appendix H. DTMB Schedule of Travel Rates FY25
- Appendix I. Certificate of Indirect Costs
Once you’ve reviewed the RFP and Terms, you can apply directly through the link below.
