Communities Taking Charge Accelerator

Communities Taking Charge Accelerator is a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy that funds planning, demonstration, and deployment projects to expand transportation options and build a more resilient and scalable energy system. Announced in April 2024, this $54 million initiative drives innovation in community transportation infrastructure and clean energy transition.

Eligible applicants include academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and government entities at all levels. Award amounts vary based on project type and scope within the planning, demonstration, or deployment categories.

Communities Taking Charge · Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Communities Taking Charge Accelerator Office: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation FOA Number: DE-FOA-0003214 FOA Amount: $43.

7 million On April 16, 2024, the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced the Communities Taking Charge Accelerator funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to drive innovation in expanding transportation options for more Americans and a more resilient and scalable energy system.

This FOA was administered by the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. Selected Communities Taking Charge Accelerator projects were announced on January 15, 2025. Learn about the selected projects below by location and topic.

This strategic funding had three main goals: Expand access to electrified mobility options for individuals without home charging Accelerate opportunities for fleet electrification Mature the implementation of managed charging systems to mitigate impacts and optimize usage of the grid To that end, this FOA had three major topical areas: Topic 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility: Funds planning and/or demonstration projects that explore innovative e-mobility charging solutions for individuals without access to home charging for their electric vehicles and mobility devices (e.g. cars, ebikes, scooters, wheelchairs, etc.).

Applications may cover innovative public charging models, curbside charging, multifamily charging, e-micromobility parking, multimodal community charging hubs, rate design, and more.

Topic 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets: Funds planning and/or demonstration efforts around innovative charging solutions for electrified ultra-light, micro, light, and medium-duty fleets that transport people through shared rides, shared vehicles, or transit operations, and through the last mile goods delivery in communities.

Topic 3 – Managed Charging for Clean Reliable Energy: Funds projects providing requirements and specifications for end-to-end managed charging functionality including charging and communication systems, aiming to provide resources and solutions into ecosystems supporting open-source distribution and potentially contribute to Standards Development Organizations (SDO) for industry consensus.

Project awardees were announced on January 15, 2025—25 projects were selected, impacting 23 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about them by location or topic area.

Location of Award Recipients States Supported by Awards Accelerating Shared E-Cargo Bike Adoption for Personal and Gig Economy Use Cases: Understanding How Pricing Strategies Affect Choices, Access, and Utilization Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Carnegie Mellon University The goal of this proposal is to introduce e-cargo bikes into Pittsburgh, PA’s existing bikeshare systems, POGOH, and identify pricing, allocation, and charging strategies that will accelerate ridership to families transporting goods or preferring storage space and lower barriers to participation in the delivery gig economy.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) A National City Climate Innovation Challenge: Increasing Charger Availability and Utilization in Urban Environments Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator LACI proposes to launch its second City Climate Innovation Challenge to expand charging options and accessibility for privately-owned e-mobility while increasing utilization to help U.S. cities solve for no-home charging.

LACI will partner with its portfolio and alumni startups, Automotus, ChargerHelp! and It’s Electric, as well as Climate Mayors, Cityfi, and technology provider Voltpost (among other innovation partners to be identified during the project scope) to plan and demonstrate the needed infrastructure and compliance technology.

CA: Los Angeles, Sacramento Charging Ahead: Meeting the Demand for Public EV Charging on City Streets Through Private Partnerships Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility WXY architecture + urban design Drivers without access to garages or driveways need electric vehicle (EV) charging stations where they already park: the curb.

The project will develop permitting pathways and online tools to efficiently and equitably allow for privately-operated and publicly-accessible (POPA) EV charging options, deployed in the public right-of-way.

PA: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Charging Up Boston's Bikeshare Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Metropolitan Area Planning Council The objective of this project is to pilot the installation of four distinct methods for electrifying bikeshare stations in Boston in effort to reduce the labor-intensive and costly practice of battery-swapping and enable the expansion of station electrification across the regional bikeshare system.

By establishing a preferred technology for station electrification, we can significantly increase access to electric bikeshare across the region which will induce mode shift away from single occupancy vehicles thus simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.

Democratizing Electric Mobility: Unlocking Curbside Charging in San Francisco Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility San Francisco Environment Department The project will lead to readiness at 10-15 charger installation locations with 2-5 chargers each, between 2-4 sites targeted for multimodal hub integration, and between 4-6 sites.

San Francisco County Transportation Agency San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency San Francisco Public Utilities Commission CA: Bay Area Metropolitan Region, San Francisco Development and Implementation of End-to-End Multi-Stakeholder EV Charging Management Framework to Enhance Grid Reliability Topic: 3 – Managed Charging for Clean Reliable Energy Through communication and information exchange between power grid, charging network operators, smart chargers, electric vehicle (EV) users, the proposal will enable end-to-end coordinated charging, with improved grid reliability, including reduced peak load and cost, enhanced grid resilience, and delayed power grid infrastructure upgrade.

National Laboratory of the Rockies Direct to Customer EV Charging for Multifamily Housing​ Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility Alaska Electric Light and Power Company This project seeks to develop a novel public charging model that enables a utility to install electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment at multifamily housing complexes.

Through development of equipment that leverages existing metering and billing processes, the utility can expand access to reliable, affordable, and grid-friendly charging.

Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority Electric Mobility (E-Mobility) Hubs: New Charging Models for Personal and Shared Mobility Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility This project will pilot curbside E-Mobility Hubs that support charging for personal electric vehicles (EVs) and shared-use electric fleets, including personal and shared EVs, e-scooters, and e-bikes.

These strategies will make it easier for Portlanders, especially those who cannot charge at home, to access electric transportation options, by making it easier to charge their own devices and through improving access to shared electric systems.

Portland State University Electric Transportation Transformation Program Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets The goal of the project is to leverage the existing federal Economic Development Agency (EDA) grants in Cleveland, and regional micromobility initiatives, to advance affordable electric micromobility in communities.

The project will be the nation’s first large-scale universal wireless charging network to provide accessible, safe and sustainable electric mobility. It will reduce the cost of shared micromobility systems operations and subsequently the users’ fees and household transportation costs, as well the operations environmental impact in a replicable manner that will transform the micromobility industry in the US.

E-Micromobility Bans Don’t Prevent Fires! Creating Safe, Affordable, and Accessible Pathways to Protect and Encourage E-Micromobility in Multi-Family Housing Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility Low-income housing providers are under increasing pressure to either ban or discourage in-home micromobility usage because of the charging and fire risks.

This project aims to show how a low-income housing developer can successfully provide charging solutions to its residents that allow continued successful use of micromobility.

NY: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan EV Charging Readiness Codes, Standards, and Rates Collaborative Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility This project proposes to create a suite of complementary codes and standards that encourage the ambitious development of affordable and equitable EV charging infrastructure serving residents of multifamily housing, designed for a range of geographies and regulatory environments.

Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet’s Electric Vehicle Charging for All Coalition American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Argonne National Laboratory Boulder County Office of Sustainability Climate Action and Resilience (OSCAR) Institute for Market Transformation Live Green CT (Clean Transportation Coalition – Western Connecticut- LGCT) National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) Smart Growth America (SGA) Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) Fully Charged Communities: Expanding EV Hub-Based Charging in the Twin Cities Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Fully Charged Communities will establish a network of integrated hub-based carshare and public-facing electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the Hennepin County Cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis, and Robbinsdale.

This pilot project will expand the coverage of the HOURCAR carshare network to provide affordable, sustainable mobility solutions to residents without home charging options or personal vehicles.

MN: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, Robbinsdale GoSGV: Advancing Access to Innovative E-Cargo and E-Family Bicycles Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Active San Gabriel Valley Expansion of an existing electric bike sharing program, including new e-cargo bikes for small businesses and families, and e-trikes for the disabled community, can equitably reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality, provide energy/fuel savings, increase access to economic opportunity, and promote physical activity.

Portland State University San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments The University of Tennessee, Knoxville How Can the Electrification of Shared Parking Lots and Establishment of Logistics Microhubs Support Sustainable and Equitable Last-Mile Delivery Systems?

Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets This project aims to understand how the electrification of shared parking lots and the establishment of neighborhood logistics microhubs can support sustainable and equitable last-mile delivery and mitigate transportation- and freight-related externalities in communities.

The project is envisioned to a) reduce vehicle emissions of urban logistics operations, b) increase the delivery efficiency, c) increase efficiency in off-street parking lot usage, and d) increase workforce opportunities and low-emission delivery services in communities.

National Laboratory of the Rockies Pennsylvania State University “I-EMPOWER” - Integrated Electric Micromobility POWerHubs for Equitable Replication Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility I-EMPOWER will design and deploy the country’s first two networks of integrated infrastructure hubs that provide both secure parking and safe charging for personal e-micromobility.

Backed by an innovative business model, this first-of-its kind integration will increase the attractiveness of e-micromobility for multifamily housing residents, delivery workers, and others who rely on out-of-home infrastructure by reducing risk of theft and increasing convenience and access.

NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management Illuminating the First Mile: Leveraging Lamppost Charging for E-Mobility Around Transit Hubs Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility This project tackles barriers associated with home electric vehicle (EV) charging access by utilizing existing infrastructure, thereby reducing installation costs and permitting times.

The strategic placement of chargers will support first-mile electrification for commuters, and by providing charging for electric car-sharing services, the project promotes alternative sustainable transportation options for low-income residents unable to purchase an EV, unlocking innovative private sector partnership models to scalably deploy chargers.

Clean Transportation Coalition - Western Connecticut Clean Transportation Communities of Southern CT CT: Ansonia, Berlin, Danbury, Derby, East Hartford, Groton, Hartford, Meriden, Middletown, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Waterbury, Windsor NJ: Bayonne, Bergen, Bloomfield, Hudson, Hunterdon, Gladstone, Lebanon, Morristown, Saddle Brook, Somerset, Union, Wayne NY: Bellmore, Bronx, Brooklyn, Jefferson, Manhattan, Queens, Riverhead, Staten Island, Suffolk County Metro Bike Share: Increasing Access Through Station Electrification Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority This project allows Metro Bike Share to increase access to electric bikes by implementing electrified stations with in-dock charging.

The introduction of in-dock charging improves the program’s capacity to maintain fully charged electric bikes in the system. In addition, it reduces VMTs traveled by field staff, therefore reducing CO2 emissions, and ultimately decreasing environmental exposure and burdens.

M & M - Managed Charging at Multifamily Topic: 3 – Managed Charging for Clean Reliable Energy The industry benefits with a development of multi-family managed charging program that can be referenced across the country paired with open-source technologies which fosters a developing clean energy sector.

Additionally, equipping communities with EV infrastructure in Puerto Rico enables the opportunity to generate revenue for multi-family residential buildings. Furthermore, these benefits can be re-distributed within the local economy.

Argonne National Laboratory National Fleet Electrification Network (NFEN) Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets National Fleet Electrification Network Corp The costs and challenges of deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure are significant barriers to fleet electrification.

This projects aims at accelerating fleet electrification by developing investment-ready regional charging hub plans that can be shared among various fleets in a region.

City of Lompoc, Los Angeles Dept of Water & Power (LADWP) California Dept of General Services (DGS) Clean Communities of Central NY Colorado Springs Utilities Energy Power Research Institute (EPRI) Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) New York State Fleet (OGS) New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) Planning for and Demonstrating EV Technologies in Maine’s Cold-Side Supply Chain Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Gulf of Maine Research Institute This project seeks to lower the real and perceived social, economic and operational barriers to electrifying the distribution of aquacultural products.

Greater Portland Council of Governments Sea Meadow Marine Foundation ME: Machias, New Gloud, Portland, Rockland Reliable Electric Vehicle Infrastructure through Versatile and Equitable Managed Charging (REVIVE) Topic: 3 – Managed Charging for Clean Reliable Energy The REVIVE project will implement comprehensive solutions that prioritize electric vehicle (EV) charging based on grid health, EV charging demand times, and customer preferences while adjusting charging rates dynamically in response to fluctuating grid conditions.

The project will include end-to-end specifications of charging hardware, cybersecurity, grid communication requirements, and standards to enable reliable and scalable managed charging solution.

National Laboratory of the Rockies UT: Millcreek, North Logan, Salt Lake City, West Valley City Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility Tenemos que Reclamar y Unidos Salvar la Tierra-South LA This project will engage South LA community members in planning, securing site commitments, and constructing equitable electric charging infrastructure at community-controlled sites, both on-street and off-street, throughout South LA.

The initiative will ultimately build 60 e-mobility hubs, which will serve as key nodes for clean transportation in the area.

East Side Riders Bike Club GRID Alternatives Greater Los Angeles LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority LA Department of Water and Power LA Department of Transportation Mobility Development Partners People for Mobility Justice Watts Century Latino Organization CA: Huntington Park, Los Angeles Speeding Up Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) E-Mobility Solutions Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets Shared-Use Mobility Center Regulatory inconsistency regarding low-speed vehicles (LSVs) and other ultralight e-mobility options is a major barrier to adoption.

Gaps or contradictions in policy and conflicts among users add friction and confusion. This project will convene a diverse public-private-community stakeholder working group to develop model regulation, policies, and design guidelines to facilitate adoption of these lower impact, lower cost ultralight e-mobility modes.

Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works Michigan Central and the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification The Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation The South Bay Cities Council of Governments CA: Los Angeles, South Bay Cities Spreading Shared Use Mobility for Fleets and TNCs Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets The project will install seven community charging hubs for depot or enroute charging, enable the deployment of over 130 electric vehicles (EVs), demonstrate a model for gig-economy, logistics drivers, pioneer an EV truck trial program, and conduct project evaluation and planning services for communities in non-EV MOU states.

This project will demonstrate how developing community charging hubs in communities is an effective and replicable approach to reducing emissions, supporting local workforces and providing social and economic benefits.

Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition CA: Elk Grove, Gold River, Los Angeles, McClellan Park, Sacramento CO: Arvada, Aurora, Denver Twin Cities Electric Bike Share Feasibility Study Topic: 2 – Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets The Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development, Inc. This project will provide the knowledge and engagement necessary to stand up a new, fully electric and equitable bike share system that will be comprehensively integrated with existing public transit and electric car share options in the Twin Cities region.

Freight Corridor Strategy Community Charging Emerging Practices