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Apply for a Solar Grant

The 2025 Solar Grant round is now open! See below for a Solar Grant overview and application instructions and materials.

In 2025, PSE is offering $750,000 in competitive funding awards to community-based organizations, government agencies and Tribal entities in PSE’s electric service area to install solar at their property. To apply, fill out the Grant Application form below by August 13 and submit to solarfunding@pse.com.

Who should apply?

Eligible applicants are:

  • Community-based organizations, government agencies and Tribal entities serving historically marginalized communities
  • Applicants who can showcase how savings they receive from the solar array will be used to directly benefit historically marginalized communities
  • PSE electric customers

Priority will be given to:

  • Applicants serving communities with deepest need. Communities with deepest need have limited income in addition to multiple other compounding factors that hinder their ability to access adequate resources. Examples include but are not limited to: communities without housing, communities experiencing linguistic isolation, older adults experiencing social isolation, persons with mental or physical health conditions.
  • Applicants who have not previously received solar grant funding from PSE.
  • Projects that include a workforce development opportunities for historically marginalized community members.

Additional requirements of grantees/projects:

  • Proposed projects must receive sufficient sunlight, as determined by a solar installer. The total solar resource fraction (TSRF) must be at least a 75% average of all points in the proposed solar array.
  • Property that solar arrays are installed on may be owned or leased. If the property is leased, the applicant must demonstrate project support from the property owner and affirm that they will be in that space for at least five years.
  • Projects must be less than or equal to 100 kW AC in size and will apply for interconnection and Net Metering.
  • Grantees must maintain insurance coverage of the solar system for a minimum of five years, and PSE recommends maintaining insurance for the life of the system.
  • Grantees must retain Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) for the life of the project or sell them to PSE. RECs are a market-based instrument that represent the non-power, “green” attributes of renewable electricity generation. Grantees comply simply by not selling these attributes to any entity other than PSE.

  • Important dates

    Throughout 2025
    June 4: Grant application released
    June 18, 12-1 p.m.: Applicant Webinar, with Q&A
    Before July 31: Contact Spark Northwest for free bid procurement and grant writing assistance (optional and space is limited)
    August 12: Final day to submit questions to solarfunding@pse.com
    August 13: Applications due by 5 p.m. (PST)
    August – October: Applicants participate in grant interview
    October – November: Review panel assesses projects and makes final funding decisions
    November - December: Notification of award

    2026-2027 (depending on project size): Projects completed and commissioned

    One year after project completion: Grantee will report on how the savings they received from the solar array were used to directly benefit historically marginalized communities

  • How much funding is available?

    PSE has up to $750,000 to disburse in the 2025 round. Applicants may request up to $100,000 per project.

     

    Eligible Costs:

    • Design, installation, permitting, meter, interconnection and equipment costs of grid-connected, solar systems
    • Efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of solar within the recipients’ community (in an amount not to exceed $2,500)
    • Projects located on an existing building may include a contingency fund for necessary electrical upgrades (e.g. for electrical panels), representing no more than 5% of the total project budget
     

    Ineligible Costs:

    • Structural or site improvements required prior to project construction such as canopies, roofing, tree removal, landscaping, lighting, flooring, and structural reinforcement
    • Fees incurred for project estimates or bids
    • Engineering expenses incurred prior to project funding
    • Construction bond costs
    • Equipment (e.g. monitors) used to display solar production at the site
    • Future maintenance or repair costs
    • Donated, in-kind, or volunteer materials or labor


  • How will applications be evaluated?

    Once your application is submitted, a partner of PSE will reach out to schedule an interview. The purpose of these interviews is to provide PSE an opportunity to ask any follow up questions and for the applicant to provide more detail to any parts of their application. The interview will be approximately 60 minutes in duration.

    Then, all applications are discussed at length by a panel of internal PSE staff and member’s of PSE’s Equity Advisory Group (EAG). EAG members are external advisors to PSE and are advocates for historically marginalized community members.

    During the review, the panel will consider project feasibility and readiness as pass/fail. As long as a project is likely to be completed as planned, the review panel will select projects based on:

    • Community impact (70%): How and to what magnitude will the project positively impact historically marginalized community members? Does the applicant demonstrate a commitment to ensuring equitable and inclusive access to its services?
    • Education and outreach (30%): Will this project utilize unique marketing, education and/or outreach tactics to raise awareness of the project and benefits of solar within the applicant’s community?
    • Workforce development (Extra credit): Does the project provide any workforce development opportunities to low-income and/or historically marginalized community members?

  • I qualify and want to apply. What next?
    1. Attend the Applicant Webinar on June 18 or view the recording.

    2. Gain support within your organization and with any community members who may be impacted by construction of the solar project.

    3. Contact Spark Northwest via this Intake Form or at grant.support@sparknorthwest.org to discuss eligibility for free grant writing assistance. Please note: In addition to grant writing, Spark Northwest can help you through the process of securing and understanding your solar bid(s).

    4. Contact solar installer(s) to help you conceptualize a project. While only one bid is required, PSE strongly encourages applicants to obtain multiple bids on the project to ensure your needs are met and pricing is competitive. Please see the Solar Contractor List for contact information of solar installers in your area. Spark and PSE have also partnered on this Understanding your Solar Bid document, for your reference.

    5. Select your preferred installer.

    6. Submit any questions to solarfunding@pse.com on or before August 12. Responses will be sent directly to the applicant and posted biweekly on pse.com/applysolargrant in an FAQ format.

    7. Complete and submit your application to solarfunding@pse.com, on or before August 13 at 5 p.m. (PST).
Green Power Solar Grant
Questions about Solar Grants?

Email solarfunding@pse.com
and include the subject line: "Solar Grant"

Ask an Energy Advisor

Join us for a free webinar on June 18 during lunch to find out more and for an opportunity to ask questions