Grants for eco-homes can offset the costs of going green.
Eco homes, or homes that use sustainable materials and technologies, are becoming more mainstream. However, the cost of building a green home or retrofitting an existing home can be prohibitive. Grants are available to offset the costs of using eco-friendly building techniques and materials. From solar energy to recycling and from composting to energy-efficient appliances, grants can help make your home more environmentally friendly.
Enterprise Green Communities
Enterprise Green Communities offers two grants to fund ecologically sound home building projects. Charettes grants provide up to $5,000 toward planning for the inclusion of green components in housing developments. 501(c)3 nonprofits, tribal housing organizations, and for-profit groups partnered with nonprofits are eligible to apply. Charette grants are for use at the planning stage, and involve meetings and planning sessions with housing developers, "funders, policymakers and community stakeholders where possible to integrate sustainable green design principles into affordable housing developments," according to the grant guidelines. Costs can include consulting fees, travel costs, meeting preparation costs and venue rental costs. Enterprise Green Communities also offers a Sustainability Training Grant for post-construction maintenance of green components. The grant pays for the costs of providing a green sustainability training session and developing an operations manual for the housing development. Grants range up to a maximum of $5,000.
Enterprise Green Communities
10227 Wincopin Circle, Suite 500
Columbia, MD 21044
410-964-1230
greencommunitiesonline.org
Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing grants. Grants provide up to $15,000 to renovate, retrofit or remodel a multifamily housing unit using green technology, materials and components. To qualify, renovations must "reduce energy consumption, benefit resident health and benefit the environment," according to the grant guidelines. Owners of multifamily housing developments are eligible to apply.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W.
Washington, DC 20410
202-708-1112
hud.gov
Built Green
The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties in Washington state offers grants through the Built Green program. Grants range from $2,500 to $5,000. Home owners, builders and architects are eligible to apply. To qualify for a grant, the building projects must be replicable, affordable, provide educational value on the topic of "innovative green design," and include water conservation, low-environmental impact and site protection strategies, according to the grant guidelines. Remodels, single-family homes, townhouses and community housing projects are eligible to apply. At least 75 percent of all construction debris must be recycled. Other grant requirements include the use of energy-efficient appliances and fixtures, including two gallon-per-minute or less showerheads, dual-flush toilets, a WashWise-approved washing machine, bathroom faucet aerators, drip-line irrigation system, and landscaping using indigenous plants.
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
335 116th Avenue SE
Bellevue WA 98004
425-460-8238
builtgreen.net
Tags: eligible apply, Enterprise Green, Enterprise Green Communities, Green Communities, according grant, according grant guidelines
