Utilize The ODOT Community Charging Rebate To Fund Your Oregon EV Charging Project

For those in the Pacific Northwest, specifically the state of Oregon, the Plugging In Oregon Community Charging Rebate program through the Oregon Department of Transportation provides generous funding opportunities for qualifying parking sites and multi-family housing locations.

Read on to learn whether or not your Oregon EV charging project qualifies for the ODOT Community Charging Rebate, and how to apply.

ODOT Community Charging Rebate Program Overview

ODOT opened applications for its electric vehicle (EV) Community Charging Rebate Program for public and multi-family housing locations on June 13, 2023. As part of a $100M commitment to advance the EV adoption rate throughout the state over the next five years,  ODOT’s Community Charging Rebate Program is allotted $7M for Level 2 AC chargers. The first round opened with an allotment of $1.75M.

Per ODOT, “Funding will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis within two categories:

• priority communities: “defined as disadvantaged and/or rural communities.”
• non-priority communities

A minimum of 70% of funding will be invested in projects within rural and disadvantaged communities (DACs).”

Check out ODOT’s statewide equity map to see if your project is considered a DAC.

Community Charging Rebate Technical Assistance

Technical assistance is available through Forth, a Portland-based non-profit with a mission “to electrify transportation by bringing people together to create solutions that reduce pollution and barriers to access.”

Applicants are encouraged to speak with Forth staff, who can help educate and advise when it comes to program requirements, eligibility, and compliance.

Learn more on Forth’s ODOT Community Charging Rebate page.

Eligible Community Charging Rebate Applicants

Per ODOT, eligible applicants must either be “a business, nonprofit organization or state, local or tribal government entity. Businesses and nonprofits must be licensed to do business in Oregon, with a valid Oregon Business License. [Or] be the site owner of an eligible location or their authorized agent with a site agreement in place.”

Eligible Oregon EV Charging Project Types

The ODOT Community Charging Rebate Program has two eligible project types:

• publicly accessible parking
• multi-family housing

For public parking, the following criteria is required:

• must be available to the public a minimum of nine hours/day, seven days/week
• locations cannot be fenced off to public or reserved for the exclusive use of an individual driver or group of drivers
• charging equipment must be networked

For multi-family housing projects, the following criteria is required:

• must have five or more units and at least five parking spaces
• can be restricted to resident use only or broader group (but not individual tenants)
• charging equipment can be networked or non-networked

Funding Amounts For The Community Charging Rebate

The rebate amount depends on the EV project location, charger type, and total project cost, and the maximum amount is $5,500 per charging port.

Eligible Community Charging Rebate Costs

Eligible costs for ODOT’s Community Charging Rebate include the following:

• EV charging equipment
• EV charging equipment installation costs, including labor and materials
• Planning and engineering design costs
• Electric service upgrades, including stub outs, transformer, electric panels, utility service order
• Project signage
• Site lighting
• ADA compliance (curb cuts, path of travel, striping, etc.)
• Network agreement with network provider (up to three years, if paid in advance)
• Maintenance contract, including a parts warranty and service level agreement (up to five years, if paid in advance)

Community Charging Rebate Program Requirements

As with any government program, there are a few program requirements applicants must meet in order to maintain compliance. Below you’ll find requirements for Level 2 chargers and networking.

Level 2 Charger Requirements:

• All EV charging equipment must be new
  • Previously installed or rebuilt equipment and replacement stations are ineligible, as well as those funded entirely by third parties (those other than the site owner or authorized agent)
• Charging stations must be purchased and not leased
• Each charging port must offer a SAE J1772 compatible connector
• EVSE must be capable of providing a minimum of 7.2 kilowatts (kWs) output electric power at each port, concurrently
• All stations must have a minimum five-year warranty (either from the manufacturer, a third party, or the contractor)
• All non-networked charging stations must be network-capable, allowing site hosts to add networking in the future without replacing the entire unit

Networking Requirements:

• Interoperability
• Consumer access, payment and pricing transparency
• Customer service support

Community Charging Rebate Application Process

Applicants can submit the rebate application before or after the project. If they chose to submit beforehand, the applicant has 270 days from the time of award to complete the project. If they chose to submit after, the applicant has 90 days from the time of project completion to submit. In any situation, costs incurred before the program is launched will not be reimbursed by ODOT.

When ready, applicants can submit an application for their Oregon EV project to ODOT’s Community Charging Rebate program using this link.

For those looking for more information, ODOT’s technical assistance partner Forth hosted a webinar for the program on June 7, which you can view here.

FAQ

What is the ODOT Community Charging Rebate?
An EV charging station installation rebate program by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

How much do the rebates cover?
Around 75% of project cost with a maximum rebate of $5,500 per port.

What types of Oregon EV project sites are eligible?
Publicly accessible parking and multi-family housing.

Who can apply for the ODOT Community Charging Rebate?
Tribal governments, non-profits, businesses with permission by the property owner, and property owners.

What type of chargers are eligible for the rebate?
Level 1 and Level 2 AC chargers.

When can an application be submitted?
Round 1 began on June 13, 2023. Look to the Community Charging Rebate program homepage for more information.

How much funding is available for Oregon EV projects?
The ODOT Community Charging Rebate program has $7M in funding with $1,75M available for Round 1.

What if I don’t live in the state of Oregon, or don’t qualify?

Even if you’re not eligible for the ODOT Community Charging Rebate Program, various rebates for EV charging projects are available across the United States for multi-family and commercial properties, as well as residential homes. You can also find a deep dive into Colorado EV rebates on our blog.

What if I need help?
Applicants can get technical assistance applying for the ODOT Community Charging Rebate through Forth.

Additionally, you can reach out to us at EVmatch for any questions regarding the Charge Ahead Colorado EV charging rebate program. As a leading EV charging network, we support EV charging station installations nationwide. Learn more by filling out the brief form below and we’ll be in touch!

Speak With Our Team About Installing EV Charging Stations Using ODOT's Community Charging Rebate

Contact us to speak with a member of the EVmatch team about working with EVmatch to on your Oregon EV charging project utilizing the ODOT's Community Charging Rebate. We can help you assess whether or not your project qualifies for this rebate, as well as others, and build a plan to help you bring EV charging stations to your community.