Minnesota offers grants for electric tools
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency posted new grants aimed at helping small businesses switch to electric tools—funding that can lower startup costs for trades offering EV charger installs or landscaping-related electrical work (x.com). This is direct state support to shave equipment costs during business launch and remodels. (x.com)
MPCA’s March 18, 2026 news release notes its earlier landscaping-equipment grants (2018–2021) awarded more than $452,000 to 168 businesses, nonprofits, schools and local governments, and cites a $1,500 award to The Lawn Barber in 2019. (pca.state.mn.us) State lawmakers set aside a $1 million appropriation in July 2025 to create a pilot program that will provide financial assistance for the purchase of landscaping and snow‑removal equipment powered exclusively by electricity, with funds available through June 30, 2027. (pca.state.mn.us) The MPCA’s Alternative Landscaping Equipment program was estimated to cut roughly 361 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) per year, with about 65% of that reduction occurring in environmental‑justice areas. (pca.state.mn.us) Previous MPCA rounds capped individual awards at $24,000 and in earlier solicitations required a 50% minimum match, while recent agency notices have described grant pools of up to $300,000 for electric landscaping equipment. (content.govdelivery.com) Separately, MPCA funding rounds for Level 2 public/workplace EV chargers have allocated roughly $664,000 in past cycles, with per‑station caps of about $7,500 for a single port and $15,000 for a dual port and a maximum award per application up to $150,000. (cleanenergyresourceteams.org) State guidance and partner listings show MPCA programs can cover zero‑emission vehicle and equipment replacements and can include related infrastructure needs such as charging stations or electrical upgrades, with applicant requests in examples ranging roughly $25,000–$150,000. (lmc.org)
