Community Efficiency Financing (CEF)

Program Category: Clean Energy, Environment

Program Sub-Category: Energy Efficiency (Housing / Buildings), Renewable Energy

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Status: Open

Funder

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

Deadline Details

Applications for studies, pilot projects and capital projects are accepted year-round.

Funder Organization Type

Other

The Green Municipal Fund's Community Efficiency Financing $300 million initiative offers support to municipalities to create, launch and expand home-energy upgrade financing programs for low-rise residential energy projects.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), utility on-bill financing and third-party lending partnerships are just some examples of financing models used by municipalities delivering residential energy programming.

GMF offers support throughout the delivery of a home-energy upgrade financing program through the following funding options: studies, pilot projects, retrofit capital projects and new-build capital projects.

Eligible Community

Canadian municipal governments
Municipalities’ project partners, including non-profit, Indigenous communities, and private sector entities, among others.

Funding Stacking Restrictions

Professional Input Required

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Qualifying energy Improvements:

Energy-efficiency measures (e.g., insulation, heating and cooling systems, windows and doors), fuel switching and/or renewable energy installations (such as solar rooftops photovoltaics).
Other types of home improvements (e.g., health and safety measures, water efficiency improvements, climate adaptation improvements) capped at 30% of the total cost of an individual home upgrade project.

Other Eligible Applicants

Non-governmental Organizations / Not-for-Profits

Type of Funding

Grant
Loan
Financing

Range of Funding Available per Project

Under $100 000
From $100 000 to $1 000 000
Over $1 000 000

Description of Funding

For feasibility, program design or program evaluation study, grants for up to 80% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $175,000.
For pilot projects, grants for up to to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $500,000.
For capital programs: loan and grant, financing for up 80% of eligible costs, up to a maximum combined financing (grant + loan) of $15 million.
For capital programs: credit enhancement and grant,
Credit enhancement worth up to $2 million leveraging private capital at a 5:1 ratio, plus a grant worth up to 50% of the total capital leveraged, up to a maximum of $5M.

Eligible Costs

Engineering
Design
Planning
Capital Costs
Staff Costs
Administration Fees

Find all the eligible costs in the application guide

Ineligible Costs

Land Acquisition

Reporting Requirements

Progress reports and final reports