Equitable Emissions Investment Fund
The City of Boston is supporting local projects that reduce building-related greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.
The Equitable Emissions Investment Fund is now open!
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Important DatesApplication open: March 30, 2026 Application closes: June 1, 2026
Background
The Equitable Emissions Investment Fund is an annual grant program that funds projects reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions generated by large buildings. The Fund also prioritizes granting projects that benefit Boston’s low-income communities and communities of color, who are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and high energy costs.
Established under the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), the Fund was initially seeded with $3.5 million from the City and will continue to be supported through BERDO fines and Alternative Compliance Payments.
Why It MattersReducing carbon emissions means cleaner air, improved public health, and is a key tool in fighting the climate crisis. The Fund supports neighborhood solutions that expand access to clean energy and decarbonization initiatives in communities facing lower air quality and high energy costs, helping create healthier neighborhoods. Investing in building energy efficiency and decarbonization also has the added benefit of making buildings more comfortable year-round for its occupants.
All funded projects must serve the public good, ensuring that the benefits are shared by the community.
About this year's opportunity
For the 2026 application cycle, the Review Board has allocated $600,000 and will award up to $200,000 per project.
FUNDING ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBILITY- This grant program is open to nonprofit organizations or organizations with a fiscal sponsor. At this time, we cannot accept applications from organizations without a nonprofit status.
- The Review Board is prioritizing applicants that have not been awarded previously from the Fund.
- Applicants who have previously received funding from the Fund are expected to complete their awarded project before submitting a new application.
Project proposals must meet the following criteria:
- Project activities must be completed within the city of Boston and include a clear and measurable building emissions reduction component.
- If your project involves making physical changes to a building, the building must be subject to BERDO (residential buildings of 15+ units, non-residential buildings that are 20,000+ sq ft, or multiple buildings located on the same parcel that sum to at least 15 units or 20,000 sq ft).
- If a project proposal involves retrofitting or making other physical changes to a building, the applicant must demonstrate (1) that the applicant has long-term site control over the project location and (2) any benefits that the building provides the public, including public access, and the applicant’s long-term commitment to continuing to provide these public benefits through the building.
- If a project proposal involves retrofitting or making physical changes to a building, the project must be beyond the 'scoping' stage. Projects in buildings subject to BERDO that are within the scoping and/or assessing phase are invited to apply to the Building Decarbonization Advisor Program, where nonprofit building owners are paired with an engineering firm and receive a zero-over-time plan at no cost.
The BERDO Review Board has indicated interest in prioritizing project proposals that include the following:
- Energy efficiency
- Fuel switching
- Supporting workforce development
Project proposals that do not include listed priority areas are still encouraged to apply.
For the 2026 application cycle, the Review Board has allocated $600,000 and will award up to $200,000 per project.
Application Process
Application Timeline
The application cycle opens on Monday, March 30, 2026, and closes on Monday, June 1, 2026. The Review Board will review applications through the summer and aim to notify applicants of their decisions in September.
Timeline is subject to change.
Information Sessions
| Date | Zoom Recording | Slide Deck |
|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| April 30, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
Please click below on one of the event pages to register for an information session.
PAST AWARDEES
PAST YEARSGrant Awardees
|
Organization |
Project Name |
Amount Granted |
|---|---|---|
| Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation | Hano Homes Deep Energy Retrofit | $250,000 |
| Boston Medical Center | Power to the People: Expanding Boston Medical Center’s Clean Power Prescription Program | $227,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester | Marr HVAC Renovation | $123,000 |
| Roxbury Tenants of Harvard* | Levinson Tower: Heat Pump & Exhaust Heat Recovery System | $150,000 |
| Total: $750,000 |
*pending execution of grant agreement
2025 Information Sessions
| Date | Zoom Recording | Slide Deck |
|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2025 | Recording | Slide Deck |
| April 23, 2025 | Recording | Slide Deck |
↗Questions asked during the information sessions, and their corresponding answers, can be found in this document
Grant Awardees
| Organization | Project Name | Amount Granted |
|---|---|---|
| Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation |
Advancing Building Decarbonization at Washington Columbia I and II |
$255,000 |
| Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation | Dorchester Bay Solar for Residents | $250,000 |
| Fenway Community Development Corporation | Burbank Gardens Zero-Over-Time Decarbonization | $245,250 |
| Total: $750,250 |
2024 Information Sessions
| Date | Zoom Recording | Slide Deck |
|---|---|---|
| June 11, 2024 | Recording | Slide Deck |
| June 20, 2024 | Recording | Slide Deck |
FAQs
FAQsYes. Nonprofits may propose projects that involve physical changes to buildings they own, provided that:
- The project reduces building emissions, and
- The building serves a public purpose
For example, a project proposal that improves a nonprofit’s administrative or office space would not be eligible for the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund.
You will also be asked to provide proof of site control for the project location. Acceptable documentation that demonstrates proof of site control includes (but is not limited to):
- Title
- Deed
- Lease
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
If you do not own the property, you must provide a formal MOU, MOA, or lease agreement showing site control for at least 15 years from the application submission date.
Planning and scoping projects are not eligible for this grant.
Nonprofit building owners seeking planning or scoping support are highly encouraged to apply to the Building Decarbonization Advisor Program, which pairs nonprofit owners with an engineering firm to develop a no-cost, zero-over-time decarbonization plan.
You do not have to be located within the City of Boston to receive funding as long as the projects and/or services you perform with this funding are located within the City of Boston.
Overhead and/or administrative costs are limited to no more than 10% of the total budget application.
- Salaries and associated benefits of staff delivering the project, this may include Executive Directors if they spend a certain percentage of their time on the grant funded project
- Where applicable, please annotate what percentage of the salary and associated benefits you are seeking support for (i.e., 0.5 FTE)
- Equipment, supplies and/or materials associated with the project
- Temporary space fees and/or rental for the project
- Transportation required for the project
- Advertising and publicity expenses for the project
- Local conference, seminar or training attendance related to the project
- Project planning / evaluation
- Technical assistance
- Food and beverage for project participants
- Other direct costs of the project
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gift cards
- Fundraising activities (this includes salaries or associated benefits for fundraising staff time)
- Lobbying services
- Rent and utilities for the non-profit
- Salaries and associated benefits of staff not involved with directly delivering the project
Yes, please utilize this budget template for your application.
The BERDO Review Board will evaluate project proposals based on these evaluation criteria.
For the 2026 application cycle, the BERDO Review Board is prioritizing the following project types:
- Energy Efficiency
- Fuel switching (shifting away from fossil fuels)
- Workforce development
Standard grant agreement and terms can be found in the following documents.
- Projects not involving physical changes to a building: Standard Grant Agreement and Terms CM-20/21
- Projects involving physical changes to a building: EEIF with Project Location Standard Grant Agreement and Terms CM 20/21
- Form B-1 Notice to Beneficiaries and Form B-2 Beneficiary Agreement
If your project proposal is selected to receive a grant from the City of Boston, a leadership representative from your organization (or fiscal sponsor) will be required to sign and submit these forms in order to receive money.
If you have any questions, please contact BerdoReviewBoard@boston.gov or (617) 635-1732.
We invite you to join an upcoming information session:
Annual Report
Annual ReportSelectees Map
Current Board Members
Current Board Members
Who's Involved:
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Important DatesApplication open: March 30, 2026 Application closes: June 1, 2026
