Leading the Charge: How USDA Rural Development 

Supports Climate Smart Solutions for Schools

USDA Rural Development (RD) is in a unique 

position to make climate-smart investments 

in rural infrastructure to help America build 

back better and stronger. Connecting and 

powering our rural schools and buses is 

part of that commitment. RD agencies play 

an important role in meeting the BidenHarris Administration’s economic recovery, 

education, and climate goals. Agriculture 

Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed us to 

identify and – wherever possible – expand 

funding that supports rural education.

In rural parts of the country – home to 20 percent of 

Americans – and nearly 70 percent of America’s road 

miles – EVs can be an especially attractive alternative to 

conventional vehicles. More than their urban counterparts, 

rural residents spend more on fuel and vehicle maintenance, 

and they often lack access to alternatives like public 

transportation. Over the long run, EVs will help rural residents 

reduce costs and minimize the environmental impact of 

transportation in their communities.

Of the 13,185 unified school districts in the U.S., 5,881 are 

powered by a rural electric cooperative. Among these, at 

least 15 percent of the students in 3,177 districts live below 

the poverty line.

USDA RD agencies offer a host of programs that can help 

rural schools meet their energy and climate goals:

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant 

Program (available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xzPWR) 

offers competitive grants so eligible schools can use 

telecommunications technologies to offer courses and 

services in an affordable, efficient manner. DLT grants help 

eliminate travel time and energy use for students, parents, and 

teachers. The DLT program also supports opportunities for 

lifelong – not just school-aged – distance learning.

Certain Community Facilities Programs (available at 

this link: https://go.usa.gov/xzPBG) can finance school 

construction and rehabilitation, as well as fund the 

acquisition of electric school buses and other service 

vehicles. Community Facilities funding can also support 

charging infrastructure owned by a school district, nonprofit 

or government agency.

The Rural Energy Savings Program (available at this link: 

https://go.usa.gov/xzPKE) supports partnerships between 

schools – and the utilities that serve them – to finance energyefficiency improvements using an innovative relending program.

RD programs can work directly, or in partnership, with utility 

service providers to finance renewable energy investments at 

schools, including the creation of “solar schools.” According 

to the 2020 Brighter Future Report, more than 7,300 schools 

nationwide are now using solar power; an impressive increase 

of more than 80 percent since 2014. This represents about 

5.5 percent of all Kindergarten – grade 12 public and private 

schools in the U.S., and we know we can help boost those 

numbers even higher.

Certain RD Electric Loans (available at this link: 

https://go.usa.gov/xzPkM) can help finance EV charging 

stations and their associated costs at schools and other 

rural locations.

Certain Rural Business-Cooperative Service Programs

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xzP83) provide 

financing to create rural jobs and economic opportunity, 

including businesses that serve educational institutions, as 

well as renewable energy and energy efficiency investments 

at rural businesses and farms.

To learn more about these exciting, planetfriendly funding opportunities, visit us at 

https://www.rd.usda.gov. You’ll also find a list 

of our state-based offices at this link: 

https://go.usa.gov/xzPNd.
RD’s Community Programs, Rural Business and Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service 

programs all offer funding support for EV charging infrastructure. See below for a snapshot of 

how that looks today.

Community Programs

Essential community infrastructure is key to ensuring rural areas enjoy the same basic quality of life and 

services available to those in urban areas. As policies and incentives to invest in EV technology accelerate, 

RD Community Programs can play a proactive role in supporting charging infrastructure and electric vehicle 

adoption in rural America.

Program Uses

Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtG6s)

Community Facilities Guaranteed Loans

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtG6F)

Loan and grant funding for electric school buses; financing for 

school construction, retrofitting or renovations, including energy 

efficiency investments

Municipal EV charging stations for vehicle fleets and for use in rural 

municipal parking lots

EV charging stations for use at rural community facilities including hospitals, 

medical clinics, schools, colleges, libraries, and town halls, among others

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

RBCS offers programs to help start and grow rural businesses, including those in the biobased economy.

Program Uses

Rural Energy for America Program* (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems 

& Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans and Grants 

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtGM4)

Can support renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements 

in eligible, for-profit rural educational institutions

Business & Industry Guaranteed Loans

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtGMZ)

Can help a business or community finance EV charging station equipment 

for retail and public use

*At present, REAP funds are statutorily forbidden from being used to finance equipment to dispense energy at the retail level (for instance, at a public-use filling station). 

Rural Utilities Service

RUS provides funding for foundational infrastructure such as water and waste treatment, electric power, and 

telecommunications services. Together, these programs help expand economic opportunity and improve the 

quality of life for America’s rural residents.

Program Uses

Electric Programs (available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtGtv) Can help finance electric utility infrastructure, including charging stations 

owned by utilities

Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) 

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtGtG)

Can be used by utilities to re-lend funds to pay for consumer energy efficiency 

measures – including energy efficiency and renewable energy investments, 

as well as EV charging stations – at schools or other consumer locations 

Note: The utility – not the consumer – applies for RESP funding.

Electric Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees

(available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtGtH)

Can provide financing for electric service vehicles owned and used by a 

utility to deliver electric service (examples include emergency, crew, and 

service vehicles, among others)

To learn more, contact your state-based RD energy coordinator. A list is available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xtAzb (PDF).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. March 2022