Accelerating Clean Transportation for All (ACT4ALL), Round 2

Colorful drawing of electric van and electric bike at charging station

The Challenge: Increase Clean Transportation Access and Decrease Transportation Burdens

In Massachusetts, transportation currently produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector. However, access to alternative clean transportation options and burdens from existing transportation emissions are not distributed equally across the Commonwealth. Low-income residents, people of color, and people living in Environmental Justice Communities (EJCs) or Gateway Cities are more likely to be exposed to poor air quality and often lack the geographical, educational, and/or financial resources to access cleaner transportation alternatives.

About the ACT4All Program

The first round of Accelerating Clean Transportation for All (ACT4All), launched in 2021, awarded $5 million for 10 projects addressing e-bike incentives, EV consumer education, ride-for-hire electrification incentives, and e-cargo bike delivery. The second round of ACT4All (ACT4All 2) seeks to support the same goals as the first round, to increase clean transportation access and decrease transportation burdens, by addressing a new set of topic areas. The projects supported under ACT4All 2 address Electric Vehicle Charging Station Access, Regional Transit Authority Decarbonization, and Expanding Access to Economic Opportunities.

Status

Open

Award Potential

$500,000 - $1 mil per project

Application Deadline

May 31, 2024

Apply

Questions? Contact

Funding Schedule

In addition to the major program milestones listed on the table, MassCEC's Clean Transportation team is offering three remote group networking sessions for specific topic areas as well as ongoing, general office hours (also remote). Please register for these events in the Application Resources and Support section, below.

Process Step	Timing
RFP Released	February 16. 2024
Informational Webinar	February 27, 2024 at 12 PM ET
(Optional) Pre-Application Concept Paper Due	Rolling until April 30, 2024
Questions due to MassCEC via email	May 15, 2024
(Optional) Financial Assistance Grant Application Due	Rolling until May 15, 2024
ACT4All 2 Application Due	May 31, 2024 at 4 PM ET
Applicant Interviews (at MassCEC's discretion)	June 2024
Notification of Award	July/August 2024

Who's Eligible

Applicant teams may include public and/or private entities. We strongly encourage inclusion of a team member that is trusted by and/or operates within a Priority Population community(s) - such as a community-based organization, transportation or climate advocacy organization, housing authority, or regional planning council - that will further the team’s ability to reach the equity-related goals under ACT4All 2. Our Slack channel can help you find team members.

Connect on Slack

Eligible project topic areas include:

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Access
Regional Transportation Authority Decarbonization
Expanding Access to Economic Opportunities

For full program details, please refer to the ACT4All 2 RFP.

Apply

Application Process

Review the Request for Proposals (RFP) to understand program goals and opportunities
(Optional) Take advantage of pre-application resources and support. (See the "Application Resources and Support" section below for more information.)
1. Attend the ACT4All 2 webinar
2. Join the ACT4All 2 Slack channel
3. Attend ACT4All 2 office hours
4. Submit a Financial Assistance Grant Application
5. Submit a Pre-Application Concept Paper
6. Submit questions to MassCEC
Submit your ACT4All 2 application with required attachments

For full program details, please refer to the ACT4All 2 RFP.

Application Materials

RFP - ACT4All 2

Attachment A - Authorized Applicant Signature and Acceptance Form

Attachment B - Project Narrative

Attachment C - Project Workplan and Budget Template

Submit your completed application to
CleanTransportation@MassCEC.com

Application Resources and Support

Financial Assistance Grant

Eligible applicants may apply for a $7,500 Financial Assistance Grant that provides funding for the application process itself. This funding may be used in a number of ways, including compensating for staff time to develop an application or conducting research. Application deadline: May 15, 2024

Download document

Pre-Application Concept Paper

A Pre-Application Concept Paper provides the opportunity for an applicant team to solicit MassCEC feedback on project concepts and determine base-level eligibility for topic areas. Addressing some or all review feedback, comments, or suggestions does not guarantee selection for an ACT4All 2 grant. Application deadline: April 30, 2024

Download document

Office Hours

MassCEC will host open office hours for potential applicants to discuss project concepts, applicant teams, program application process, or ask other questions about the drafting of an ACT4All 2 application. Prospective applicants are welcome to attend group sessions based on topic area and/or one-on-one sessions with MassCEC.

Group Networking Sessions

MassCEC will be hosting topic-area specific Group Networking Sessions on Zoom that are open to all interested and prospective applicants to discuss topic area ideas and questions, and to network with other interested organizations.

Slack Channel

Potential applicants are encouraged to join the ACT4All 2 Slack platform to convene interested entities to brainstorm ideas, develop partnerships, and eventually collaborate as project partners on an ACT4All 2 Application. MassCEC will also be posting programmatic updates on this channel.

Connect on Slack

ACT4All 2 Webinar

On February 27, 2024, MassCEC hosted a pre-application webinar for the ACT4All 2 Program. Watch the webinar recording to learn more about eligibility, budget, and application process.

Watch Recording

View Slides

FAQs

1. May entities submit more than one Application and be part of more than one Applicant Team?

Yes, Applicants may submit multiple applications and participate in multiple Applicant Teams.

2. How do I know if my project is eligible?

You may attend office hours, submit questions to CleanTransportation@MassCEC.com, or fill out a Pre-Application Concept Paper for feedback on project eligibility. Additionally, please refer to Appendix 1: Project Topic Area Descriptions in the RFP for a more detailed description of each Topic Area.

3. Will MassCEC be offering Planning Grants for application support?

Yes, MassCEC will be offering Financial Assistance Grants of $7,500 to eligible community-based organizations, non-profits, and municipalities. Please see Section 9: How to Apply in the RFP for more details.

4. How can I connect with other organizations to form an Applicant Team?

MassCEC is hosting an ACT4All 2 Slack channel for interested organizations to connect and discuss project ideas and form Applicant Teams.

5. Is there a template for the Letter of Intent?

No, there is no template for the Letter of Intent. The Applicant Team must submit a signed letter stating the Applicant Team has agreed to work together to implement and manage the project. The letter must be signed by each participating organization and must lay out each team member’s roles and responsibilities, including a description of resources to be committed to the project. The letter can be submitted as a Word document or a PDF on the Lead Applicant's letterhead.

Download more FAQs (as of 4/26/24)

ACT4All Awardees

Round 1

Projects under the first round of ACT4All covered topic areas such as broadening the base of EV consumers; e-bike incentives; high-mileage, low-radius fleet emissions reductions; and vehicle-for-hire and carsharing electrification.

Green Energy Consumers Alliance and Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. (QARI)

Clean Transportation Education Campaign for Asian Residents in Quincy

Awarded $314,630

Green Energy Consumers Alliance and Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. are conducting a comprehensive educational campaign and outreach program around clean and healthy transportation options including electric vehicles.

Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike)

E-Bike Incentive Program for Low-Income Worcester Residents

Awarded $439,295

MassBike is leading a team including the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, community-based organizations, and the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission to deploy e-bikes to low-income residents throughout Worcester. MassBike will also explore e-bike education initiatives and grow the community interest in clean transportation programs.

Soldier On, Inc.

Electrification of Homeless Veteran and Medicaid Recipient Transportation Services in Western MA

Awarded $152,327

Soldier On, a Berkshire Region-based transportation organization, will switch part of their diesel fleet vehicles to low-carbon alternatives. The project will result in the provision of clean transportation access to homeless military veterans, Medicaid recipients, low-income residents, and Environmental Justice populations.