State of Ohio Provides Funds for the Alternative Fuel Transportation Grant Program

If you have any questions or you would like Clean Fuels Ohio to assist you in the grant process, please feel free to contact us via email or at (614) 292-5025.

The Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Energy Office (ODOD/OEO) is soliciting applications from retail businesses for the purchase and installation of alternative fuel refueling facilities. The Alternative Fuel Transportation (AFT) Grant Program is authorized pursuant to Section 122.075 of the Ohio Revised Code. This Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) is intended to commit the balance of funds available for FY 2008.

Applicants are eligible for a maximum grant of $20,000 per station per fuel for the new installation of E85 or B20 dispensing equipment. The grant also provides up to $2500 in marketing funds for new or existing retail ethanol and/or biodiesel locations. Funding will be awarded on a first come first serve basis to qualified applicants. If you have any questions or you would like Clean Fuels Ohio to assist you in the grant process, please feel free to contact us via email or at (614) 292-5025.

Applications for the grant program:

•  AFT Grant Program Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) 08-03 (pdf)
•  Appendix A: Retail E85/B20 Application (pdf)
•  Appendix B: Marketing Application  (pdf)
•  Appendix C: Applicant Information Forms (pdf) 

You also may contact Jim Zuber at ODOD at (614) 387-2731 for further details.

Among the highlights: 

1. Retailers interested in installing new E85 and/or B20 pumps may request up to $20,000 per fuel per location to help cover equipment and labor cost
2. Retailers wanting to convert existing equipment to dispense E85 or B20 may request up to $5,000
3. For those wanting to apply for marketing grants, retailers are eligible for a maximum grant of $2,500 per location to be used for marketing materials for a new or existing E85 and B20 retail location

Clean Fuels Ohio, which administered Ohio’s pilot biofuels grant program, on which AFT was modeled, is stressing the importance of marketing plans for successful biofuels retailers. Clean Fuels Ohio has provided marketing support and resources to many of the new E85 retailers in the state. These resources include the capacity to do targeted post card direct mailings to owners of flexible fuel and diesel vehicle owners, event planning, outreach and other support. If you need assistance in formulating or executing a marketing please contact Clean Fuels Ohio in the form below.

Applications are reviewed on a first-come-first-serve basis until all of the funding has been allocated.

Winners would be permitted to begin work on projects following execution of a grant agreement with the state, which could take an additional few weeks or a month. It is impermissible to provide any funding retroactively. This means that in order to apply, no Purchase Orders or Contracts may be issued for any portion of the requested funding until after the execution of the grant agreement. Once the grant agreement has been signed, contracts and negotiations may proceed.

Proposal application forms and specific evaluation criteria for retail projects is posted on the ODOD web site as part of the AFT information. The evaluation criteria are based on a points scoring system. Just over half of the possible points are based on location of the facility, such as proximity to a major corridor and number of nearby flex fuel and/or diesel vehicles. Marketing and fuel imaging plans, including plans to promote the pumps to potential users and visibility of signage, will be evaluated. A third factor is public accessibility.

If you need any assistance assembling an application if you decide to proceed, please contact Clean Fuels Ohio for any questions.