This toolkit was developed to provide a starting point for applying for federal grants and opportunities. It gives action steps as well as provides links for more information. While much of the information is not specific to the Midwest, there are resources that highlight Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) in EPA Region 5 (Great Lakes - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 Tribes) and Region 7 (Midwest - Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine Tribal Nations).

The Massachusetts Decarbonization Hub helps owners of affordable multifamily housing interested in reducing carbon emissions from their Massachusetts properties navigate the complicated landscape of decarbonization. Created in partnership with LISC Boston and RMI, this site provides quick access to guides, resources, and funding opportunities currently available to support these projects. The Hub outlines some key steps to decarbonization, connects owners with technical providers, directs owners to the available incentive and grant funding programs, and showcases case studies of recent deep energy retrofit projects for inspiration.

State energy offices have expertise in energy and building science that can inform the technical specifications for a project, while state housing finance agencies have deep relationships with affordable housing developers and know the process required to update affordable buildings. State energy offices and state housing finance agencies can leverage their unique expertise and collaborate to meet energy efficiency and beneficial electrification goals.

National Housing Trust is offering this toolkit as an information source for HFAs and owners and developers seeking resources through the Inflation Reduction Act. The funding opportunities, case studies and reports, resident engagement tools and other resources listed here will enable you to invest in the affordable housing facilities that you develop and manage.

This case study provides information to states, building owners, developers, and other stakeholders who are considering combining IRA Home Efficiency Rebates Program funds and LIHTC equity.

To better understand the barriers limiting the decarbonization of affordable housing beyond what energy and cost analyses could provide, NRDC commissioned an Arup-authored study of energy retrofits of affordable multi-family housing buildings within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The study examined five real-world examples to expose obstacles, inefficiencies, and opportunities encountered during retrofit processes. Six key challenge areas emerged that must be addressed to enable decarbonization of affordable housing at scale: carbon reduction strategies, financing, implementation, policy, technical expertise, and tenant impact.

DSIRE is the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University. Users can filter opportunities by multiple criteria, including state, technology, implementing sector, and more.

This tool is primarily intended to streamline state, local, non-profit, and community efforts to increase understanding of eligible funding, tax credits, and other incentives relevant to your project, goals, and community. The tool focuses on decarbonization efforts, including electricity, transportation, buildings, and resilient energy systems. It does not exhaustively capture federal resources for other topics. Use the filters to sort available funding sources automatically and focus on the funding sources relevant to your project, goals, and community. Then use the compare feature to select up to four programs to review side-by-side.

The Hub is a technical resource designed to help equip the multifamily affordable housing community in Colorado with electrification design and decisions through access to technical resources, peer learning, and financing and development resources. This resource supports Colorado’s Renewable Energy and Climate Action Goals. In addition to local code compliance, building electrification can help reduce carbon emissions, improve indoor air quality for residents, reduce operating costs, and more.

This article is an overview of HUD's Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). It was developed with help from National Housing Trust (NHT) and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF). GRRP, a $1B IRA program, has issued $1M in awards but the program has seen lower application volume than expected to date, leaving more resources still available for applicable projects. The article recommends that developers assess their portfolios for eligible HUD subsidized properties, so these resources are not left on the table. It also includes information on changes to make it easier for housing owners to incorporate funding into their projects.