Clean Energy for Community Impact funding can help eligible New York projects overcome financial barriers to deployment. Applications are due November 16, 2026.
A clean energy project often begins with a moment of possibility. A municipality sees a way to make energy more affordable, a higher-ed college imagines a cleaner campus, or a public institution identifies technology that could make its facilities more resilient.
However, deploying these projects in disadvantaged communities can be challenging, says New York Power Authority’s Director of Clean Energy Projects, Suveer Bahirwani.
“The barriers that exist for clean energy projects in these communities are often around financial resources,” says Bahirwani.
That is the gap the New York Power Authority aims to address through its new Clean Energy for Community Impact Initiative (CECI). Through the Request for Applications, NYPA is inviting eligible organizations to seek support for activities that can move clean energy solutions forward, in communities that have or are currently experiencing disproportionate environmental and health burdens.
See below for more information on this opportunity. Eligible public entities, higher education institutions, and organizations that participate in NYPA power programs have until November 16, 2026 to apply.
Backing the Work That Makes Progress Possible
CECI focuses on the practical work that turns ambition into a viable project. Funding may support planning and scoping, business case development, due diligence, and late-stage development and advancement.
Bahirwani says that equitable development work is the heart of this initiative. CECI was created to identify, originate and advance clean energy projects with the potential to deliver meaningful community benefits—but that might not move forward without financial support.
“This funding is intended to support specific activities that help eligible projects overcome barriers to deployment,” said Bahirwani. “By providing critical early-stage and development funding, NYPA hopes to expand access to clean energy opportunities while prioritizing benefits for New York State’s Disadvantaged Communities and communities where our assets are located.”
That focus makes CECI more than a funding opportunity. It is part of a broader effort to ensure that the clean energy transition reaches disadvantaged communities in tangible ways—through projects that can improve affordability, reduce emissions, strengthen resilience and widen access to clean energy technologies.
Bringing Clean Energy Ideas to Life
The story will look different in every community. This latest funding opportunity supports a wide range of clean technology-based solutions. Funding may be used for activities that help move projects forward at different stages of development, including:
Planning and project scoping
Business case development
Due diligence to examine the details needed for sound decisions
Late-stage project development and advancement to help implementation-ready ideas take their next step
Projects funded through this program must primarily benefit Disadvantaged Communities.
Eligible applicants include:
Public entities, including state and local government agencies, municipalities and towns
Independent not-for-profit institutions of higher education located in New York State
Organizations participating in NYPA power programs, including ReCharge New York and Economic Development Power
The Next Chapter Starts with an Application
Across New York, the next high-impact clean energy project may already exist as a sketch, a conversation or a plan waiting for the right support. CECI offers eligible organizations an opportunity to move that idea forward—and to make community impact part of the project from the beginning.
Applications are due November 16, 2026. Review the Request for Applications page for more information on eligibility criteria, funding requirements, evaluation methodology, submission instructions, and required documentation. Those seeking more information can utilize this form to submit questions.