Grants & Other Funding Sources for Ports
Photo courtesy Port of Clarkston
Application Period Now Open
applications due April 30, 2025
Commerce Energy Audit incentive for Public Buildings
Publicly owned Tier 1 buildings are encouraged to apply now for energy audits. $14.5 million in funding is available, calculated at $0.50 per square foot of floor area of the building, excluding parking areas. Rural applicants and buildings larger than 220,000 square feet may be eligible for more money. Applications are due on April 30. Learn more at Commerce’s website.
APPLICATION OPEN - due June 18, 2025
Ecology Independent Remedial Action Grants
Ecology has opened applications for the Independent Remedial Action Grant program, which will provide between $300,000 and $400,000 to local governments who have:
- Completed an independent cleanup through the Voluntary Cleanup Program, and
- Received a determination of no further action from Ecology.
Funding can cover remediation actions, engineering design, operations and the development of remedial action plans and reports. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on June 18. Read more at Ecology’s website.
APPLICATION OPEN - due April 30, 2025
MARAD Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP)
The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has opened applications for their Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The PIDP administers funding for projects that improve safety, efficiency or reliability for port and freight infrastructure. Money is set aside for small ports, but funding is available for ports in both urban and rural areas.
Emissions mitigation projects are further flagged as priority areas, including projects on port electrification master planning; replacing diesel-powered vehicles, craft, or equipment with electric alternatives; developing port or terminal microgrids, and many more.
Applications are due by April 30. Learn more on the PIDP webpage.
Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)
Boating Facilities Program
Funding to buy develop, and renovate facilities for motorized boats
- Grant Limit: $1,000,000
- Match Requirement: 25%
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program
Funding to develop or renovate facilities targeting recreational boats 26 feet and larger
- Grant Limit: $1,000,000
- Match Requirement: 25%
Public Works Board - Broadband Funding - Commerce
Broadband Program
Funding to promote expansion of broadband access to unserved populations in rural and urban communities.
- Grant/Loan Limit: $2,000,000
- Match Requirement: 50% (Projects in financially distressed areas and Indian country may receive up to 90% of the total project cost for a total not to exceed $5 million)
Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) - Commerce
Planning Program
Funding for studies to evaluate high-priority economic development projects, and rural broadband projects
- Grant Limit: $50,000-100,000, depending on project type
- Match Requirement: 20%
Committed Private Partner Program
Loans and grants for construction of public infrastructure necessary for private business expansion. The Committed Private Partner (CPP) Program requires a private business commitment as part of the application.
- Loan Limit: $5,000,000 Grant Limit: 25% (determined by debt service coverage ratio)
- Match Requirement: 20%
Prospective Development Program
Loans and grants for projects that an economic feasibility study has been conducted which concludes that private business development is likely to occur because of the public improvements.
- Loan Limit: $3,000,000 Grant Limit: 25% (determined by debt service coverage ratio)
- Match Requirement: 50%
Rural Broadband Program
Funding for construction and planning for broadband projects in rural counties and rural communities only.
- Loan Limit: $3,000,000 Grant Limit: 50% (determined by debt service coverage ratio)
- Match Requirement: 20%
Integrated Planning - Ecology
Funding to support efforts to conduct the key first steps in the cleanup and redevelopment process of brown sites by helping to create an integrated project plan. The IPG reduces uncertainty about contamination of a property while integrating administrative processes and analysis of investments needed for post-cleanup redevelopment of a site.
- Grant Limit: $200,000
- Match Requirement: None
Independent Remedial Action Grant - Ecology
Grants to voluntarily clean up hazardous waste sites
- Grant Limit: $300,000-$450,000 depending on community type
- Match Requirement: 25-50%, depending on community type, 10% for some projects
Oversight Remedial Action Grant - Ecology
Grant or loan to help clean up hazardous waste sites supervised by Ecology or EPA under a legal order or decree.
- Loan/Grant Limit: None
- Match Requirement: 10-50%
Regional Mobility Grand Program - WSDOT
Grants to support local efforts to improve connectivity between counties and regional population centers and reduce transportation delays. Four eligible project types: vehicle and equipment purchases, capital construction, operations, and transportation demand management.
- Grant Limit: Varies
- Match Requirement: 20%
Port Electrification Grant Program - WSDOT
Grants to support capital improvement for ports across the state to undertake projects that will reduce carbon emissions.
- Grant Limit: Varies
- Match Requirement: None
Community Aviation Revitalization Board (CARB) - WSDOT
Loan for revenue-producing capital projects to help public-use general aviation airports become more self-sustainable and less dependent on public funding.
- Loan Limit: $2,000,000 at 2% interest
- Match Requirement: None
Port Infrastructure Development Program - US Department of Transportation - Maritime Administration
Support efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet the nation’s freight transportation needs and ensure our port infrastructure can meet anticipated growth in freight volumes. The program provides funding to ports in both urban and rural areas for planning and capital projects. It also includes a statutory set-aside for small ports to continue to improve and expand their capacity to move freight reliably and efficiently and support local and regional economies.
- Grant Limit: Limits depend on other local applicants
- Match Requirement: Federal Cost Share must not exceed 80% of total project cost
Public Works EDA Grant - US Department of Commerce
Helps distressed communities revitalize, expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure. This program enables communities to attract new industry, encourage business expansion, diversify local economies, generate local investment, and create or retain long-term jobs through land acquisition, development, and infrastructure improvement projects that establish or expand industrial or commercial enterprises.
- Grant Limit: $600,000-$3,000,000, depending on project type
- Match Requirement: 20-50%, depending on project type
Clean Energy Program - Environmental Protection Agency
Provides funding for zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. Builds a foundation for the port sector to transition over time to fully zero-emissions operations, positioning ports to serve as a catalyst for transformational change across the freight sector. Seeks to reduce diesel pollution (criteria pollutants, GHGs, and air toxics) in near-port communities. Requires that meaningful community engagement and emissions reduction planning are port industry standard practices.
- Grant Limit: $5,000,000 to $150,000,000, depending on port type
- Match Requirement: 10-20%, depending on port type
Airport Improvement - FAA
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides grants to public agencies — and, in some cases, to private owners and entities — for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)
- Grant Limit: None
- Match Requirement: 5-25%, depending on airport type and project
.09% Sales Tax for Rural Counties for Public Facilities
Rural counties may impose a sales tax of up to 0.09% for economic development purposes.
Revenues must be used to finance public facilities such as: bridges, roads, domestic and industrial water facilities, sanitary sewer facilities, earth stabilization, storm sewer facilities, railroads, electrical facilities, natural gas facilities, research, testing, training, and incubation facilities in innovation partnership zones, buildings, structures, telecommunications infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, or commercial infrastructure, and port facilities in the state of Washington.
“Economic development purposes” means those purposes which facilitate the creation or retention of businesses and jobs in a county.
