On May 18, the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, housed under the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation, announced $51 million in available funding through the Ride and Drive Electric Program. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), this program aims to build the resiliency, reliability and accessibility of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in rural and disadvantaged communities. Counties are directly eligible to apply for funding under this program. Concept papers are due by June 16, and the full application must be submitted by July 28, 2023.

The Ride and Drive Electric Program aims to enhance charger reliability through the validation and testing of charging equipment. It also seeks to advance new business models for electrified, shared mobility and fleet-based services while also creating job opportunities and training resources. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, applicants must outline the specific benefits that will be delivered to disadvantaged communities.

Further, on May 19, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) announced $99.5 million in funding to support projects that focus on reducing soft costs associated with electric vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved communities, providing consumer education on EVs and EV charging, and developing batteries that utilize low-cost and widely-available materials. Counties are directly eligible to apply for funding under this program. Concept papers are due by June 26, and the full application must be submitted by August 28, 2023.

The VTO has released two videos to help applicants in the process of applying for these opportunities, including one focusing on the basics of applying and one on the preparation of budget justifications under the program.

Counties play a major role in America's transportation and infrastructure networks, owning and operating 44 percent of public roads and 38 percent of bridges – more than any other level of government. Federal funding opportunities like these allow counties to continue to modernize and expand our electric charging infrastructure while building a more sustainable future.