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 is administered by the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Selected Communities Taking Charge Accelerator projects were announced on January 15, 2025. Learn about the selected projects below by location and topic.
Objectives
This strategic funding has 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
Topic Areas
To that end, this FOA has 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.
Selections
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.
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
Project Lead
Los Angeles Cleantech IncubatorLocation
Los Angeles, CADescription
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.
Partners
- Automotus
- ChargerHelp!
- Cityfi
- Climate Mayors
- It’s Electric
- Voltpost, Inc
Federal Award
$3,000,000Cost Share
$2,643,681Work Locations
- AZ: Phoenix
- CA: Los Angeles, Sacramento
- MA: Boston
- MD: Baltimore
- NY: Brooklyn, New York
- OR: Portland
- TN: Chattanooga
- Washington, D.C.
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
Project Lead
WXY architecture + urban designLocation
New York, NYDescription
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.
Partners
- It’s Electric, Inc.
Federal Award
$1,460,142Cost Share
$31,692Work Locations
- MA: Boston
- ME: Portland
- NY: Brooklyn, New York
- PA: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
- TX: Dallas
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
Project Lead
City of PortlandLocation
Portland, ORDescription
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.
Partners
- Forth Mobility
- It's Electric
- Lime
- Portland State University
- Zipcar
Federal Award
$1,712,577Cost Share
$297,028Work Locations
- CA: San Francisco
- MA: Boston
- NY: New York
- OR: Portland, OR
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
Project Lead
PopWheels, IncLocation
New York, NYDescription
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.
Partners
- Sam Schwartz Engineering
- Settlement Housing Fund
Federal Award
$2,686,964Cost Share
$1,864,701Work Locations
- NY: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan
“I-EMPOWER” - Integrated Electric Micromobility POWerHubs for Equitable Replication
Topic: 1 – Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility
Project Lead
OoneeLocation
Brooklyn, NYDescription
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.
Partners
- NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management
- Swobbee
- The City of Jersey City
- The City of Minneapolis
Federal Award
$3,774,248Cost Share
$2,970,718Work Locations
- Berlin, Germany
- MN: Minneapolis
- NJ: Jersey City
- NY: Brooklyn, New York
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
Project Lead
Voltpost, Inc.Location
San Francisco, CADescription
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.
Partners
- Capitol Clean Cities
- Clean Transportation Coalition - Western Connecticut
- Clean Transportation Communities of Southern CT
- Cityfi
- Empire Clean Cities
- INF Associates
- New Jersey Clean Cities
- Zipcar
Federal Award
$2,564,470Cost Share
$1,683,379Work Locations
- 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
Key Dates
| Phase | Date |
|---|---|
| FOA Issue Date | April 16, 2024 |
| Submission Deadline for Concept Papers | May 20, 2024, 5 p.m. ET |
| Anticipated Date of Concept Paper Notification | June 13, 2024 |
| Submission Deadline for Full Applications | July 16, 2024, 5 p.m. ET |
| Expected Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments | Aug. 30, 2024, 5 p.m. ET |
| Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications | Winter 2024–2025 |
| Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations | Spring 2025 |
Additional Information
- Learn about other zero-emission transportation funding opportunities and resources.
- For FOA-specific support, email FOA3214@netl.doe.gov.
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