The Multifamily Building Efficiency Grants Program (MBEG) provides grants to affordable multifamily buildings funded by Commerce’s Housing Trust Fund program to decarbonize and replace fossil fuels with high-efficiency electric equipment.
Who is eligible for a grant?
- Existing affordable multifamily housing buildings that meet the following:
- Received funding from the Housing Trust Fund.
- Are in compliance with affordability requirements.
- Intend to maintain the affordability of the building.
- Buildings must also meet the following requirements:
- Have been in service for at least 15 years.
- Use fossil fuels as the current primary fuel source for the building or units.
- 20,000 square feet or larger.
- Located in a census tract identified as disadvantaged by the Washington State Office of Financial Management’s Overburdened Communities Mapping Tool.
- Ranked 9 or 10 by the Washington State Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities Map.
What types of projects can these grants fund?
Energy management and planning activities
- Benchmarking
- Energy audits
- Operations and maintenance planning
- Energy management planning
- Compliance with the Washington state Clean Buildings Performance Standard
Energy retrofits
- Replacing existing fossil fuel equipment with high-efficiency electrical equipment, including:
- Air-source (ducted, ductless, or package terminal) or ground-source heat pumps
- Heat pump water heaters
- Induction cooking equipment
- Heat pump dryers or all-in-one heat pump dryer and washer combos
- Electric service and infrastructure upgrades necessary for the installation and operation of new high-efficiency electric equipment
- Building improvements
- Insulation
- Windows and doors
- Air sealing
- Passive building design elements
- Lighting
- Building controls
- Renewable energy systems
- Green roofs
Available funding
Approximately $52,320,000 is available across two funding tracks:
Track 1: Energy Management and Planning
- Awardable funds: $10,500,000
- Maximum award amount per project: $250,000
Track 2: Multifamily Building Decarbonization
- Awardable funds: $41,820,000
- Maximum award amount per project: $10 million
A minimum of $5,250,000 of the total awardable funds is reserved for tribal-supported projects.
No minimum matching funds are required. Eligible projects applying for this program may also participate in the Clean Building Performance Standard Early Adopter Incentive Program.
How to receive funding
Commerce anticipates directly contracting with affordable multifamily properties in the Housing Trust Fund portfolio. If your property meets the requirements listed above and you have an eligible project, you may reach out to your Commerce Housing Trust Fund contract manager, or contact the Clean Buildings Unit at the email below. Please be prepared to provide documentation that your building is in the Housing Trust Fund portfolio.
Current funding must be spent by June 30, 2025. Please be prepared to work on a contract immediately and have all project work completed on or before June 30, 2025.
Contact
For more information about the Multifamily Building Efficiency Grants Program, please email aaron.dumas@commerce.wa.gov.